Military terms of Romans

Military service

• Sacramentum – holy, military oath of loyalty in Roman legions, sometimes annually;
• Sub aquila (under the eagle) – on active duty;
• Sub cura – looked after;
• Sub signis (in line with the standards) in military service;
• Sub vexillo (under the flag) – the veteran was required to serve in lighter duty;
• Subsignanus miles – soldier on active duty;
• Constitutio (regulations of service) – several rules of the military Constitutiones that were formulated by the emperors, from Augustus to Hadrian;
• Statio – secondment camp, camp;
• Beneficiarius (beneficiary) – either (1) a soldier with special powers, or (2) military police;
• Beneficiarius consularis – soldier attached to the provincial governor’s staff;
• Beneficiarius legati legionis – the soldier assigned to the commander’s staff;
• Beneficiarius praefecti praetorio – a soldier serving in the headquarters of the praetorian prefect;
• Beneficiarius praefecti Urbis – a soldier serving in the headquarters of the city prefect;
• Beneficiarius procuratoris – a soldier serving in the proxy’s staff;
• Beneficiarius praefecti proconsulis – a soldier serving on the staff of a governor appointed by the senate;
• Beneficiarius sexmestris – a soldier appointed for six months as beneficiarius;
• Beneficiarius tribuni – a soldier attached to the staff of the military tribune;
• Collatus – a soldier selected to serve in another unit.

Recruitment

• Conquisitor – recruiting officer;
• Tiro – recruit;
• Contiro – colleague recruit;
• Murcus – a potential recruit who cut off his thumb to escape from military service;
• Probatoria – registration (recruitment) document;
• Probatus – recruiter considered fit for service;
• Signaculum – identification disc, worn by recruits;
• Adcrescens (youth) – the legionary’s offspring, who followed in their father’s footsteps, and therefore received their rights before entering service (4th century CE);
• Wiatyk (travelling money) – money spent on a recruit during the initial training period;
• Tirocinium – first recruit campaign.

Roman soldiers

• Legionary (soldier) – each soldier had two weapons: gladius (sword) and pilum (javelin);
• Gaesatus – soldier with gaesum (iron spear);
• Lanciarius – soldier with lancea (javelin);
• Accensus (reservist) – light infantry soldier;
• Akontistes (javelin thrower) – light infantry;
• Auxiliaris – auxilia soldier;
• Ballistarius – artilleryman responsible for the ballista;
• Bellator (warrior) – soldier, warrior;
• Burgarius – soldier assigned to burgus;
• Cohortalis – soldier belonging to the cohort;
• Collega – member of the same unit;
• Comitatensis – a soldier belonging to the later Roman army;
• Commanipularis – friend in arms, colleague;
• Discens – recruit;
• Ferentarius – either (1), Republican Light Armored Legionary, (2) Republican Legionary Repeller, (3) Republican Light Horseman, or (4) Military Servant;
• Gregalis (Gregarius) (private) – regular soldier;
• Hoplites – heavy-armed soldier;
• Miles – regular soldier;
• Miles cohortis – soldier belonging to the cohort;
• Miles gloriosus (great soldier) – braggart soldier;
• Miles Gregarius (Miles gregalis) – regular soldier;
• Miles legionis – a soldier belonging to a legion, a legionary;
• Milex – soldier;
• Manipularis – Heavy infantry soldier serving in manipulation;
• Pedatura – infantry;
• Peditatus – infantry;
• Pedés – infantry;
• Scutatus – a soldier with a larger shield;
• Simplaris – basic wage soldier;
• Triarius (Tertiary) – heavy infantry soldier;
• Velites – lightly armoured legionaries;
• Volones (Volonum) – liberated slaves who enlisted in the army.

Military specialists

• Agaso (Strator) – orderly;
• Adiutor – assistant, orderly;
• Arcuarius – archer;
• Interpres – translator;
• Secutor – bodyguard, orderly.

Military officials

• Ab Actis – document officer;
• Actarius – clerk;
• Scriba – scribe;
• Adiutor – assistant, orderly;
• Libraria Advisor – assistant;
• Cibariator – procurement officer;
• Exactus – accountant;
• Excerptor – secretary;
• Librarius – official responsible for the archive;
• Notarius – secretary.

Military servants

• Lixa – military servant, henchman;
• Baro – servant, groom;
• Cacula – servant;
• Calo – groom, servant;
• Galearius – servant.