Signiferi
Encyclopedia
The signiferi of the Roman legions were the ranks entrusted with various tasks to do with standard-bearing. Early in the Roman Republic the single rank signifer
performed all these tasks but later in the Empire the tasks became more specialist with different ranks created for specific tasks, including the aquilifer
(eagle standard bearer for the whole legion), imaginifer
(bearer of the portrait of the god-like Emperor) and the draconarius
(bearer of a cavalry standard).
Signifer
A signifer was a standard bearer of the Roman legions. He carried a signum for a cohort or century. Each century had a signifer and within each cohort the first century's signifer would be the senior....
performed all these tasks but later in the Empire the tasks became more specialist with different ranks created for specific tasks, including the aquilifer
Aquilifer
An aquilifer was a senior signifer bearing the eagle standard of a Roman legion. The name derives from the type of standard, aquila meaning "eagle", which was the universal type used since 104 BC. Before that time, the wolf, boar, bull and horse were also used...
(eagle standard bearer for the whole legion), imaginifer
Imaginifer
The imaginifer was one of the signiferi in a legion in the times of the Roman Empire, who carried the imago - the image - of the emperor. The imaginifer was added to the ranks of the legions when the Imperial Cult was first established during the reign of Augustus. The imago was a three...
(bearer of the portrait of the god-like Emperor) and the draconarius
Draconarius
For the spider genus in the family Amaurobiidae, see : Draconarius .The draconarius was a type of signiferi who bore a cavalry standard known as a draco in the Roman army.- Name :...
(bearer of a cavalry standard).