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 soldiers 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.