Vexillarius
Encyclopedia
The Vexillarius can mean one of three things:
First, a Vexillarius or Vexillifer was one of the signiferi
in a Roman legion
. His duty was to carry the Vexillum
, a military standard displaying the name and emblem of the legion. This standard consisted of a woven fabric
banner, hung on a crossbar attached to a pole or lance. It was used by both infantry and cavalry. It could designate a vexillation (Latin: vexillatio), a detachment from a larger unit, though it was most likely also a standard for regular complete or component units (such as legions, cohorts, alae).
Secondly, vexillarius may also refer to a specially re-enlisted veteran. These soldiers were so named because they served in a company (vexillatio) under their own Vexillum
standard within the legion, separate from the ordinary legionaries in the cohorts of that same legion. They had privileged status and were exempt from most basic duties other than combat or those other special skills they may have supplied.
Thirdly, vexillarius might have referred to any soldier serving in a temporary detachment or vexillation, away from the parent unit.
First, a Vexillarius or Vexillifer was one of the signiferi
Signiferi
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,...
in a Roman legion
Roman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
. His duty was to carry the Vexillum
Vexillum
The vexillum was a flag-like object used in the Classical Era of the Roman Empire. The word is itself a diminutive for the Latin word, velum, sail, which confirms the historical evidence that vexilla were literally "little sails" i.e. flag-like standards...
, a military standard displaying the name and emblem of the legion. This standard consisted of a woven fabric
Fabric
A fabric is a textile material, short for "textile fabric".Fabric may also refer to:*Fabric , the spatial and geometric configuration of elements within a rock*Fabric , a nightclub in London, England...
banner, hung on a crossbar attached to a pole or lance. It was used by both infantry and cavalry. It could designate a vexillation (Latin: vexillatio), a detachment from a larger unit, though it was most likely also a standard for regular complete or component units (such as legions, cohorts, alae).
Secondly, vexillarius may also refer to a specially re-enlisted veteran. These soldiers were so named because they served in a company (vexillatio) under their own Vexillum
Vexillum
The vexillum was a flag-like object used in the Classical Era of the Roman Empire. The word is itself a diminutive for the Latin word, velum, sail, which confirms the historical evidence that vexilla were literally "little sails" i.e. flag-like standards...
standard within the legion, separate from the ordinary legionaries in the cohorts of that same legion. They had privileged status and were exempt from most basic duties other than combat or those other special skills they may have supplied.
Thirdly, vexillarius might have referred to any soldier serving in a temporary detachment or vexillation, away from the parent unit.