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SACELLUM                Chapel or Shrine - The place in the Castra (fort-encampment) generally located near the Principia (headquarters or commanders quarters) where the Legion's Aquila (eagle) or a units Vexillum, Imago and Signum standards were kept when not in use.  It served as the spritual center and could contain an alter to their Gods as well as other things of value that required safekeeping.

SACRAMENTUM      A military oath or vow

SACELLUM                 Chapel, also the Shrine of Standards in the central "strong room" portion of the Principia Building of a Castra or fort, where the units money and treasures were kept

SAEPES PILA              Pilum or Spear rack

SAEPES SCUTA         Scutum or Shield rack.

SAGITTA                     Arrow

SAGGITTARIUS  -  SAGITTARII   An archer or  Auxiliary army units of mounted archers or lancers.

SAGUM / SAGULUM / SAGUS    Rectangular blanket size cloak or cape, also used as a bedroll

SAMBUCCA               Assault tower containing covered or protected ladders for mounting walls

SALUTEM             Greetings - Salutem Plurimam Dicit - Many or Most Greetings 

SARCINA                    Marching Pack,  generally made of goat skin and carried over the shoulder on a "T" pole "Furca".    A Roman Legionaries "overnight bag".

SARISA                 A Pike / Long Spear

SCA                 The Society for Creative Anachronisms - International Organization recreating  Pre 1700AD Medieval-Classical  reenactment and full contact fighting using rattan weapons and non-historic body armor.   www.sca.org  

SCALA                        A Ladder

SCHOLA                     School,   lecture hall,  social group,  learned discussion

SCORPION - SCORPIO   Small, two man portable, torsion-powered, arrow shooting Ballista type catapult;  term also applied to the soldier who manned the weapon.    

SCUTATI                    A unit of troops bearing Scutum (shields)

SCUTUM                   Classic Roman Army Shield.    Consult the "Equipment Page" for more details.

SECURUS                 Axe

SEGMENTATA        Medieval-Modern term for the segmented body armor (lorica) adopted by the Roman Army in the early 1st Century AD.   The Roman name for this style of armor is not known.   The term LAMENATA is now coming into use for Segmentata armor.   Segmentata armor  fell out of use during the early 3rd Century AD.   Consult "Lorica Segmentata" on the  Equipment   Page for more details and a diagram.   

SEMISPATHA          A short sword

SEMISSALIS            A junior NCO during the late Empire Period, circa  3rd-4th Century AD

SENATORS              The highest class or group of Roman citizens, eligible for appointment as commanders (Legatio) of military legions or to govern over provinces.

SEPTEMBER      Sacred to god "Vulcan", the seventh "Septimus" month of the 304 day, 10 month long "Romulus" Calendar,   It became the ninth month of the 12 month "revised" 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 details and explanation.   

SEPTENTRIONALIS or SEPTEMTRIONALE      North  or  Northern

SERRA                 Saw

SESTERIUS / SESTERTII   Brass coins equal to 4 copper "assis" "pennies" and 1/4 of a silver "denarius" coin.

SEXTILIS        Sacred to the god "Ceres", the sixth "Sextus" month of the 304 day, 10 month long "Romulus" Calendar,   It became the eighth month of the 12 month "revised" 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 details and explanation.   

SHIP                           See   NAVIS

SICA                          Knife  /  Curved - bent blade gladius style sword used by gladiators

SIGNUM                   The pole Standard that identified a Legion or a Cohort and which was carried before the Unit by the Signifer, while on the march .    Also an  ID tattoo worn by some legionaries.

SIGNIFER                The person who carries the Signum or Standard of the Legion or Cohort.

SILENTIUM             Silence

SINESTRO / SINESTRAM    To the Left,  Left Hand,  Left Side

SINGULARES          Legionaries "chosen-selected" to serve the Emperor and provincial governors.

SOCIETAS                Comradship 

SOCII                        Allies of Rome

SOCII NAVALIS      Naval Allies

SODALIS                  Comrade (non-military)   See also  "Contubernalis"

SOLDIER                  See  MILES  LEGIONARIUS  GREGALIS  IMMUNIS   COMMILITO  AUXILIA  

SPATHA                    A Sword,  generally refers to a long sword which came into use by Auxilliary calvery units in the Late Empire Period

SPECULATOR / SPECULARIUS   A Spy or Scout providing internal security, later used as a term for a messenger   See also  "Explorator"

SPINA                        "Backbone" also the term for the structure dividing the middle of a Circus Maximus arena

S.P.Q.R.                     "Senatus Populusque Quiritum Romanorum"  -  "The Senate and People of Rome"  -  The Legend - Icon,  originally of Republican Rome,  and later carried on into the Imperial Period.

SQUAMATA             Fish scale body armor "lorica",  having scales pointing up or down and sometimes, both ways on the same armor set.

STATIO                     A military posting,  tour of duty

STATIONARIUS      Soldier at an outpost position or station

STATU / UM             State / States

STELA                        Pillar or column or an upright grave stone 

STIMULI     A field of sharp iron points, some with "beards", embedded in the ground and extending about 5 cm (20 inches) above the surface.   Stimuli were generally employed in front of the LiliaCippi and Fossa as the first part in a system of perimeter defenses known as a "Garden of Caesar", as used by Julius Caesar in his seige of Alesia in 52 BC.  

STIPENDIUM          Pay or Stipend to a soldier on campaign

STRENGTH              Vires  -  Strength and Honor / Vires et Honos 

STRIGA                     A pair of barracks buildings to house a "Manipulus" (Maniple) unit.

SUBARMALIS         A padded garment worn under armor for comfort and better fit.  Illustration

SUBLIGACULUM / SUBLIGAR    Loincloth

SUBUCULA               Under-Tunic

SUDES                        Latin for stake or pike.   The primary of two latin terms for a palisades stake,   used as a perimeter defense of an encampment.   Also termed a VALLES,   it was a   wooden stake 4 to 5 feet long,   tapered to points at both ends with a cut out center hand grip.   Also used to create a palisade or picket defense in front of a position prior to an enemy’s expected charge or attack.   These stakes have also been incorrectly termed  "Pila Muralis" or  "Wall Spear". 

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