T
TABERNA Tavern - Kitchen - Small eating place
TABULA ANSATA Ornamented carrying handle on the rear neck guard of a helmet
TACITE Quietly
TARDA / TARDATE Slow Down
TELUM / TRAGULUM / MISSILE Projectile
TEREBRA Siege machine for drilling holes in walls
TESSERA Small wooded plaque with the Watchword, Password, Countersign written on it, also a term for a Tally, Token, Ticket.
TESSERARIUS Keeper of the Watch / The Guard Commander
TESTUDO / TESTUDINEM "Tortoise" in latin and the term applied to the well known defensive tactic of roman legionaries arranging their shields (scutum) in a box like formation over their heads and along their sides, for protection from arrows and thrown objects, when advancing toward a wall or other enemy position.
THORACOMACHUS Padded body armor
TIBIA A reed instrument See AULOS
TIBIALE / UDO Stocking / Sock
TIRO A recruit
TITULUM Short ditch in front of a gate for its protection See CLAVICULA
TORMENTA Artillery
TORQUES Ring ornament, adopted from the Celts, worn around the neck as an award or military decoration. The "Phalerae" harness worn by a "Centurio" was frequently suspended from two torques connected by a scarf around the back of the neck. Small torques were sometimes worn on the wrists as well.
TORQUATA A title awarded to units rather than individual soldiers for achievements on the battle field. The "Torque was affixed to the units "Standard".
TRAGULUM / TELUM / MISSILE Projectile
TRANSFORMA About Face (lit. change)
TRIARII "Third Rankers" Older and experienced soldiers assigned to the third line of the battle formation as reserve troops.
TRIBUNAL Raised platform in front of the headquarters used for addressing the troops or adminstering justice.
TRIBUNE - TRIBUNUS "Tribal Officer" Commanders of the six Cohorts which composed a Legion, were members of a Legate's (Legatio's) Staff, sometimes termed Senior or Junior to designate rank. The Tribune assigned as second in command of the Legion was drawn from the Senatorial Class and was titled as "Tribunus Laticlavius". The other five junior Tribunes termed "Tribunus Angusticlavius" came from the Equestrian Class and were in the midst of their careers. They were primarily administrative and had no defined military command responsibilities.
TRIBUTUM-CAPITIS Head / Poll Tax
TRIBUTUM-SOLI Property Tax
TRIERARCH Captain of a galley, generally a Trireme, see below
TRIREMES "Trireme" Galley with sails and up to 170 single rowers on three levels, capable of speeds over ten knots. They were the principal type of warship in early antiquity.
TRIUMPHUS A triumphal entry into the City of Rome; the highest honor bestowed upon a victorius commander
TROPAEUM Trophy or memorial of a victory. A tree or pole from which the spoils were hung.
TUBA / TUBAE Trumpet/s with a straight tube as opposed to the curled tube "Cornu".
TUBICEN A Trumpeter
TUBILUSTRIUM The feast of trumpets, a ceremony at which the instruments were purified twice a year on 23rd March and 23rd May
TUNICA Tunic of wool or linen. The basic uniform garment of a legionary. White or Red; its color is much debated.
TURMA Cavalry unit of thirty horsemen
TURRIS A Turret or Tower, also refers to a Siege Tower and sometimes to a mansion or castle.