LEGION XXIV MARCHING DRILL COMMANDS

Legion XXIV Castra Unit and Midwest Vexillation

Drill Commands as used by Legion XXIV Media Atlantia 2004

Modified "Maurice" Byzantium Drill Sequence August 2004

This is only a preliminary draft. It is not the final version and is to be used on a trial basis until a final version is decided upon. Your comments and critique are welcome to legionxxiv@comcast.net

After much research by our Mid-West Vexillation Optio, Quintus Fabricus Varus (David Smith) and Max Nelson, PhD; and using their extensive knowledge as Latin Language professors, Legion XXIV is adopting the following Latin Marching Drill Commands. The previously used "Maurice" 6^th Century AD Byzantium Era Drill had some improper and linguistically wrong terms, such as "Depone", which actually means "to lay-down", for wheeling movements. The term "Rotam / Rotata" - "to turn or wheel around". is now used in place of "Depone".

Most of the commands are the same as the "Maurice" Drill. Some new commands have been added to provide for some previously omitted commands, such as "Right Flank" and "Left Flank" movements.

For Now, the "Maurice" Drill remains valid for those times when Legion XXIV may be marching under the command of another unit. Other Roman military units are encouraged to consider and adopt this more correct "modified" Maurice Drill Sequence.

Commands marked with "( M )" are from the Maurice Drill.

Commands marked with an asterisk ( * ) are conjectural based upon 1^st Century Latin.

Those desiring further information or wishing to comment or dispute our findings should e-mail dsmith7070@aol.com

A Pronunciation Guide for the Commands is provided below.

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Command of Command of Explanation of Command Preparation Execution What Should Happen

- - - - - > Accelerate Speed up Aciem Formate Form battle line Ad Dextram To the right (w/o arms) Ad Sinistram To the Left (w/o arms) Ad Gladios Clinate Face to the Right, when standing (lit., ‘to the swords turn’) Ad Gladios Clinate Flank to the Right, when marching (lit., ‘to the swords turn’) Ad Gladios Clina (M) Turn to the Right (clearly not 1^st century Latin ) Ad Scuta Clinate Face to the Left, when standing (lit., "to the swords turn") Ad Scuta Clinate Flank to the Left, when marching (lit., "to the swords turn") Ad Scuta Clina (M) Turn to the Left (clearly not 1^st century Latin) Ad Signa Fall in to the colours / standards Agmen Formate* Form a single column Agmen a Sex Formate* Form a column of sixes Arma Monstrate* "Present Arms" Bando Sequute(M) "Follow the Standards" (not good classic Latin) - - - - - > Celeriter Quickly (adverb) - - - - - > Clinate Turn Cuneum Formate Form a wedge Dextro Pede On the Right Foot (for those who do a right-foot drill) - - - - - > Exite (M) Move Out - - - - > Exspectate Wait for It ! Frontem Dirigite (M) Dress the ranks Gladios Recondite Put away swords Gladios Stringite Withdraw swords - - - - - > Intente Attentively adverb) - - - - - > Intente Attentively (adverb) - - - - - > Intrate (M) Enter - - - - - > Iungite (M) Close Ranks (lit. "join" ) - - - - - > Laxate At ease! (It literally means ‘let go’) Locum Mutate (M) Countermarch (change place) - - - - - > Movete (M) March! (beginning on the LEFT foot) Movete Nunc Forward March (beginning on the LEFT Foot) - - - - - > Nunc Now! (attached to phrases to actuate the command, as with Movete… Nunc – Forward Move… Now! or State… Nunc – Halt… Now! ) Mandata Captate (M) Attention (lit. observe the commands) Ordinem Servate (M) Keep your position

- - - - - > Parate * Prepare !

- - - - - > Parati (M) Ready ! Pila Deponite Lay down pila (ground weapons)

Pila Lacite Throw pila Pila Infigite Plant your pila (spear point in ground) Pila Tollite Pick up pila - - - - - > Porro Charge - Attack! or Forward! Quadratum Formate Form a square - - - - - > Redite (M) Return to the original front - - - - - > Revertite (M) Return Ad Gladios Rotato* Wheel to the right, lit., "Wheel to the Right toward Gladius"

Rotam ad Gladios Formate * Wheel to the right, lit., "Form a wheel to the Right"

Ad Scuta Rotata * Wheel to the left "Wheel to the Left toward Scuta "

Rotam ad Scuta Formate * Wheel to the left "Form a wheel to the Left"

- - - - - > Rursum Backward

Salve Hello (when speaking to one person) Salvete Hello (when speaking to more than one person) Signa Convertite About Face - point the standards in the opposite direction

Signa Sequimini * "Follow the standards"

Signo Dato The signal has been given - - - - - > Silentium (M) Silence ! - - - - - > Sinistro! (On your) Left (foot)! Spatium Date * Open ranks (lit. ‘give space’) - - - - - > State Halt !

State Nunc Halt ! (now)

- - - - - > Tacete "Be Silent"

- - - - - > Tacite Quietly (adverb)

- - - - - > Tardate Slow Down

- - - - - > Tarde Slowly (adverb)

Testudinem Formate Form the Testudo (turtle formation)

- - - - - > Transformate (M) About Face (normally to the Left, toward the Scuta side)

Undique Servate (M) Face in all directions

Vale Goodbye (when speaking to only one person)

Valete Goodbye (when speaking to more than one person)

Vos Dimitto I dismiss you 888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

LEGION XXIV PRONUNCIATION GUIDE FOR LATIN DRILL COMMANDS 2004

Accelerate Ak-kel-er-ah-tay Aciem Formate Ah-key-em For-mah-tay Ad dextram Odd deck-stram Ad Gladios Clinate Odd gla-dee-ohs Klee-nah-tay Ad Scuta Clinate Odd sku-ta Klee-nah-tay Ad Signa Odd sig-na Ad Sinistram Odd si-ni-strahm Agmen a duobus Formate Ahg-men a doo-oh-bus For-mah-tay Agmen a quattuor Formate Ahg-men a kwa-two-ohr For-mah-tay Agmen a quinque Formate Ahg-men a kwin-kway For-mah-tay Agmen a sex Formate Ahg-men a secks For-mah-tay Agmen a tribus Formate Ahg-men a tree-bus For-mah-tay Agmen Formate Ahg-men For-mah-tay Arma Monstrate Ar-mah Mohn-straw-tay Celeriter Kel-er-i-ter Cuneum Formate Koo-nay-uhm For-mah-tay Frontem Dirigite Fron-tem Di-rig-i-tay Gladios Recondite Gla-dee-ohs Ray-con-di-tay Gladios Stringite Gla-dee-ohs Strin-geh-tay Iungite Yun-geh-tay Laxate Lock-sah-tay Locum Mutate Low-cum Moo-tah-tay Movete Moh-way-tay Nunc Nuhnc Ordinem servate Or-deh-nem Ser-wah-tay Pila Deponite Pee-lah Day-po-neh-tay Pila Iacite Pee-lah Yah-ki-tay Pila Infigite Pee-lah In-fi-geh-tay Pila Tollite Pee-lah Tol-li-tay Porro Por-ro (trilled r) Quadratum Formate Kwa-drah-tum For-mah-tay Redite Reh-di-tay Rotam ad gladios (Formate) Row-tahm odd gla-dee-ohs Rotam ad scuta (Formate) Row-tahm odd sku-tah Salve Sal-way Salvete Sal-way-tay Signa Sequimini Sig-na Say-kwi-mi-nee Signo Dato Sig-noh dah-tow Silentium Si-len-tee-um Sinistro! Si-nis-troh Spatium Date Spa-tee-um Dah-tay State Stah-tay Tarde Tar-day Testudinem Formate Tes-two-di-nem For-mah-tay Vale Wah-lay Valete Wah-lay-tay Vos Dimitto Wohs Di-mit-toe

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Old "Maurice" Byzantium Drill - To be superceded by the above Drill

There is no surviving Roman marching drill from the first century, so most of ours is adapted from the Strategikon of Maurice. This was written in the 6th century AD, but is still the oldest known Latin drill. Other commands have been added to allow necessary actions like drawing swords, etc.--some of these have been adapted from the Ermine Street Guard's drill. Maurice's drill is strikingly similar to an obsolete Greek drill in Arrian's Tactical Manual, from the 2nd century AD.

     Ad Signa               Fall in
     Silentium              Silence
     Mandata Captate        Observe the orders (Attention, etc.)
     Ordenem Servate        Keep your position
     Dirige Frontem         Dress the ranks
     Laxate                       Rest
     Move                         March
     Accelera                   Speed up
     Tarda                        Slow down
     Ad Senestram,         Depone   Wheel to the right/left

     Ad Dextrum,             Depone     Wheel to the
     Signo Sequute          Follow the standard (or leader)
     Consiste (or State)    Halt
     Ad Gladium, Clina      To the Right, Face
     Ad Scutum, Clina      To the Left, Face
     Transforma             About Face
     Redi                         Return to the original front
     Muta Locum             Countermarch
     Langia ad Dextram        Open Ranks to the Right

     Langia ad Senestram    Open Ranks to the Left
     Langia Ambas Partes    Open Ranks (to right/left/both sides)
     Exi                    Rear half-files move up
     Intra                 Reverse of Exi
     Iunge                  Close ranks
     Ad Agmine              Form marching column
     Ad Aciem               Form battle-line
     Ad Testudinem          Form the Testudo
     Ad Cuneum              Form Wedge
     Pila Infige            Plant your pila (upright)
     Pila Pone              Lay down your pila
     Pila Tolle             Pick up pila
     Pila Iace              Throw pila
     Gladium Stringe        Draw swords
     Gladium Reconde        Sheath swords
     Parati!                Ready (To charge, etc.)
     Porro                  Charge!
     Dimitto                I dismiss you

Lateri Dextro * Flank Turn to your Right side from where you're at Lateri Sinistro * Flank Turn to your Left side from where you're at

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