OOC: These awards, though not hardcoded into the game are something that add to the RP aspect. I have researched and cross-referenced them as best I could and would appreciate any further help on making the descriptions accurate. As far as distributing these awards/punishments to the troops, most of them are completely within the scope of being awarded by the General of the Legion without Senatorial approval. I suggest that the commanders use their best judgment in bestowing honors upon their men (units/legions instead of individual soldiers), and post them here. As far as RPing goes, I suggest that the commanders perhaps issue the awards based on actual in-game occurences and use their most decorated units to breach walls, or as reserves in a particularly tough battle, or delete a unit to signify execution for routing etc. Just a suggestion, play however you will!
Regarding awards to Generals, etc. We should decide upfront whether or not we will use the in-game awards system, vote on them and award them ourselves (using command script or imagination), or a combination of the two. I suggest that some awards increase a player's influence within the Curia. I will edit this part once we decide.
Located prominently at the edge of the Campus Martius, out of the way of the unceasingly dusty, clamorous commotion of the drilling soldiers, hammering blacksmiths, and supply carts and draft horses sits the Phalerium. A rather modestly kept outbuilding turned impromptu shrine, it serves now to house the myriad of awards, decorations, (otherwise known as 'phaleri') and even dishonors and punishments bestowed upon specific units and even entire legions and their commanders of the Res Publica.
A sign inside the entrance, beside a well-polished marble, life-sized statue of Mars greets visitors and strives to motivate new recruits to excel in combat in the hopes of attaining great honors for themselves and their legion. You find yourself in awe of the accomplishments of these legendary men of the Res Publica and out of respect do not wish to defile such an honored place with spoken words. An interesting bit of text stands out describing various accoutrements and decorations:
Military Awards Reserved for Commanders
- "The Corona Ovalis, made from myrtle leaves, is awarded to generals whose achievements in war are considered worthy only of an ovation, such as a conquest over slaves or pirates or in a non-declared war.
- The Corona Rostrata, made of gold and decorated with ships' beaks (rostra), is awarded to a commander who destroyed a fleet or achieved some other great feat in naval warfare.
- Coronae Triumphales are awarded to generals who have achieved an outstanding conquest against a strong enemy or in especially difficult circumstances. There are three varieties of this crown:
- The laurea insignis or insignis corona triumphalis, made of bay (laurel) leaves, is worn by the commander during his triumph. This is considered the most honorable of the three.
- A second crown, made of gold and frequently decorated with jewels, is held over the head of the commander during his triumph. This crown and the laurea insignis are presented to him by the general's own army.
- The Corona Provincialis is made of gold and is carried before the general in the triumphal procession. These crowns are presented to the general by his own province and by neighboring provinces -- not always voluntarily.
- The Corona Obsidionalis or Corona Graminea, rarest of honors, is given to a general who came to the aid of a Roman army under siege and successfully broke the blockade. The wreath is made out of grasses, flowers, even weeds that were gathered from the exact site of the battle.
Military Awards for Non-Commanders
- The Corona Oleagina, made of olive leaves, is awarded to all the soldiers of a general who has achieved one of the higher ranking crowns.
- The Corona Castrensis or Corona Vallaris, made of gold and decorated with the uprights (valli) of an entrenchment, is awarded to the first soldier to force his way into an enemy's palisade.
- The Corona Muralis, made of gold and decorated with turrets, is awarded to the first soldier who got over the walls and into a besieged city.
- The Corona Navalis is a gold crown awarded to the first man who boards an enemy ship during a naval engagement. In style, the crown was made of gold and surmounted with the beaks of ships.
- The Corona Aurea is awarded to both Centurions and some principales for killing an enemy in single combat and holding the ground to the end of the battle.
- The Crown of the Preserver is awarded to "those who have shielded and saved any of the citizens or allies". - The crown is presented by those civilians the soldier saved and "the man thus preserved also reverences his preserver as a father all through his life, and must treat him in every way like a parent."
- The Corona Civica is a chaplet of common oak leaves and acorns woven to form a crown. It is regarded as the second highest military decoration to which a citizen could aspire, awarded to a soldier who saves another's life in battle ("To have preserved the life of a Roman citizen in battle, slain his opponent, and maintained the ground on which the action took place."). An extraordinary award, it brings many social privileges for the soldier's lifetime.
Triumphae Militaris
- The Ovation is a less-honored form of the triumph. Ovations are granted when war was not declared between enemies on the level of states, when an enemy was considered basely inferior (slaves / pirates), and when the general conflict was resolved with little to no bloodshed or danger to the army itself.
- The Triumphus is a civil ceremony and religious rite held to publicly honor the military commander (Dux) of a notably successful foreign war or campaign and to display the glories of Roman victory.
Medals and Decorations
After a battle in which some of them have distinguished themselves, the general calls an assembly of the troops, and bringing forward those whom he considers to have displayed conspicuous valor, first of all speaks in laudatory terms of the courageous deeds of each and of anything else in their previous conduct which deserves commendation. Only after this are the military decorations presented:
- Torc - gold necklet
- Armillae - gold armbands
- Phalerae - gold, silver, or bronze sculpted disks worn on the breastplate during parades
- Hasta pura - a ceremonial silver spear awarded to "the man who has wounded an enemy"[5]
- a small silver replica of a standard or flag (the vexillum).
- a cup - presented to an infantryman "who has slain and stripped an enemy" not in the normal melee of battle but voluntarily in single combat after throwing themselves into danger
- "horse trappings" - presented to a cavalryman "who has slain and stripped an enemy" not in the normal melee of battle but voluntarily in single combat after throwing themselves into danger
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The sign continues on and on with lesser decorations and the names of valiant Romans and even some allies who have received them. Further down more text catches your attention.
"When a Roman soldier enrolls in service to the state he swears a military oath known as the sacramentum to the Senatus Populusque Romanum. The sacramentum states that he would fulfill his conditions of service on pain of punishment up to and inclusive of death. Discipline in the army is extremely rigorous and the general has the power to summarily execute any soldier under his command. Punishments inflicted by a commander are divided into those for military crimes and those for "unmanly acts".
Punishments for crimes
- Fustuarium or Bastinado — Following a courts-martial sentence for desertion or dereliction of duty, the soldier is to be stoned, or beaten to death by cudgels, in front of the assembled troops, by his fellow soldiers, whose lives had been put in danger. Soldiers under sentence of fustuarium who escape are not to be pursued, but live under sentence of banishment from Rome. This punishment may also be inflicted on those who steal anything from the camp; on those who give false evidence; on young men who have abused their persons; and finally on anyone who has been punished thrice for the same fault.
- Pecunaria multa - fines or deductions from the pay allowance.
- Flogging in front of the century, cohort or legion.
- "Demanding Sureties" - to include publicly re-taking the sacramentum.
- For treason or theft the punishment is to consist of be being placed in a sack of snakes and thrown into a nearby river or lake.
Punishments for "unmanly acts"
- Decimatio - a form of extreme military discipline to be used by officers in the Roman Army to punish mutinous or cowardly soldiers in exceptional cases. A cohort selected for punishment by decimation will be divided into groups of ten; each group shall cast lots, and the soldier on whom the lot fell is to be executed by his nine comrades by stoning or clubbing. The remaining soldiers shall be given rations of barley instead of wheat and forced to sleep outside of the Roman encampment.
- Castigatio - being hit by the centurion with his staff or animadversio fustium
- Reduction of rations, or to be forced to eat barley instead of the usual grain ration
- Whipping with the flagrum (flagellum, flagella), or "short whip" — a much more brutal punishment than simple flogging. The "short whip" is to be used for slave volunteers, volones.
- Gradus Deiectio - a reduction in rank
- Missio Ignominiosa - a dishonorable discharge
- Loss of advantages gained from length of service.
- Militiae Mutatio - relegation to inferior service or duties.
- Summary execution.
- Munerum Indictio - additional duties
