A

AB URBE CONDITA     "AUC"  -  From the Founding of the City  -  Year of Rome  -  April 21, 753 BC   Used to indicate the number of years since the traditional date for the founding of Rome.

ACCENSI                   Light armed troops of the middle Republic.  Later denoted soldier's servants and non-combatant personnel.  Sometimes reserve troops who followed the army to take the place of the unit's fallen soldiers

ACCEPTARIUS         Discharged Soldier

ACIES                         Battle Line  /  Battle Order

ACTARIUS                Clerk   or  Scribe who kept accounts

AD-BC / CE-BCE      System for numbering of years instituted,  circa 502 AD  by Christian Monk  Dionysius Exiguus,   "Dennis the Little";  based on his estimated year of when   Christ was born;  to standardize the chaotic methods for the numbering of years then in use.  "Year-Zero" was not utilized,  as the concept of a number value of  "zero" did not exist in the roman-numeral system in use at that time. 

AD SIGNUM             Toward the Signum / Standards  -  Form-up left of the Signum / Standard

ADIUTOR                   Common name for a military officer or Adjutant

AEDES                        Place in the headquarters where the Standards of the Legion and the Imago (staff bearing image of the Emperor) were secured.  Also termed the  SACELLUM  

AEDILE / AEDILIS    Junior Magistrates in Rome in charge of upkeep of buildings and streets in the City. 

AERARIUM MILITARE    A military treasure

AESTIVA                   A summer encampment for troops.   See also  HIBERNA.

AEDIFICATOR         A Builder

AEDIFICATIO          A Building

AEDIFICIUM            A Structure 

AGGER                       An earthen wall or birm   An assault ramp

AGMEN                      A marching column

AGNUS                        Lamb / Sheep

AGRICOLA                A Farmer

ALA  /  ALAE              Squadron of Cavalry / Wing / Flank (of battle line) / 1/10 of a Turma (30 man cavalry unit), later, an auxiliary cavalry regiment

ALVEUS                      A trough or trench

AMBULATURAE       Field Maneuvers

ANCILE                        Figure-8 shaped Shield 

ANNONA                     Provisions

ANNONIA                    Taxes on provisions such as  meat,  grain,  hides,  clothing

APPARATUS                Kit - A soldier’s clothing, weapons, gear and equipment.   See  KIT  for Legion XXIV equipment requirements

APRILIS         April, sacred to "Venus", was the second month of the 304 day, 10 month long "Romulus" Calendar,   It became the fourth month of the 12 "revised" month Roman Republican Calendar in 200 BC / 552 AUC, Ab Urba Condita, "from the Founding of the City" (Rome), when February was moved between January and March / Martius  and the Roman New Year was moved from March 1st (Kalends Martius) to January 1st (Kalends Januarius / Ianuarius).  Consult  "Roman Calendar" on our  DateYearTime  Page for a more complete explanation.   

ARCUS                         Bow

AREANI                        Frontier Scouts

ARMILLA                     Arm band  -  Military decoration

AQUA                            Water  /  relating to water

AQUILA                        The Aquila or Eagle,  was the Symbol of a Roman Legion and was carried upon a staff by the Aquilifer at the head of the Legion while on the march.   The Aquila as the symbol for a legion was introduced by Marius in 106BC,  when he took over and reorganized the Roman military into a "standing" professional army.   The "fall" or loss of a Legion's  Aquila Standard  was considered a disgrace to the Legion's reputation.  See  first page of the  Imperial Time Line  or top of the Home Page.

AQUILIFER                Standardbearer  who carries the Aquila

ARCHITECTUS         An Engineer,   Constructor 

ARCUBALLISTA        Torsion powered crossbow assault weapon.   See also  BALLISTA

ARCUS                          Bow

ARIES                           Battering Ram 

ARMA                           Weapons

ARMAMENTARIUM     A weapons warehouse,  weapons storage area

ARMATURA                 Weapons training,  Soldier with weapons training,  Armament

ARMILAUSA                An item of military clothing

ARMILLA                     Military decoration arm band

ARMOR                          See   LORICA

ARTIFEX                       An Artisan

ASCIA                            An Adze  -  Chopping tool for chipping and forming wood poles, beams, etc 

ASSIDUUS                     Property owning citizen who had a military service obligation.   Particuarly during the early Republic when only citizens who owned land could serve in the Army Legions.

AUC                                 "Ab Urbe Condita"  -  From the Founding of the City  -  Year of Rome   -  April 21, 753 BC  Used to indicate the number of years since the traditional date for the founding of Rome.

AUGUR                          A priest who examines natural happenings

AULOS                           A shrill sounding pipe or whistle to drown out noise during sacrifices

AURELIAN'S  WALL   The outer defenses of the City of Rome, which were eventually breached and destroyed by the "Vandals" during the 5th Century AD.   

AUSPICIA                      Supreme authority

AUSTRALIS or AUSTRALE    South   /  Southern  (direction / location)

AUXILIA / AUXILARIS   Non-Roman Citizen military units / auxiliary soldier;   attached to regular Roman Army Legions,  generally composed of conquered soldiers or tribesmen. 

Back to Index

Hit Counter