Roman Unit Roster

**gran_guitarra** · 07-26-2007, 23:49

I have a small question about the Antesignani. In everything I've read there is no mention of "Light Infantry" within the Legions themselves. From everything I've read the "Light" Infantry was provided by Auxiliary units. They were often trained to be better than the Legionnaires themselves in combat for the express purpose of ambushes. scouting, and their lack of heavy armor.
I was also curious why they were armed with a spear. The Legions never had spears, and only certain Auxiliaries would use spears, since the offensive nature of the Legions of Rome meant that they were better served by swords, as they always moved into meele as quickly as possible. I would think that as a scout/ambush unit the Antesignani would use swords, since they would close a.s.a.p.
In fact, the only times that I've read of Legionnaires serving as "Light" Infantry was during the late Imperial period. Though the truth is that they did not serve as regular Light Infantry. They would, to react to Germanic and Getic raids, take off most of their heavy armor and only use a "heart" breast-plate (like the one the Polybian Hastati wear in-game). After this they would invade the tribe and take all of the material wealth and slaves they could, to make a show of Roman invincibility.

My question is, why are Antesignani a "factional unit"? Wouldn't it be more accurate to place them within Regional MICs? Also, why are they in the Marian Period only, if they only really came into their own during the Principate?

**Zaknafien** · 07-26-2007, 23:59

Plinius nat. 10,16
Tacitus hist. 2,43
Caesar bc 1,43 & 44 and 3,75

The velites were last mentioned in 86 BC. The antesignani were first mentioned by Caesar when describing the events of 49 BC. There are good clues suggesting that the latter were a continuation of the first.

a. Polybius (VI, 22) says that the velites wore no armour and a simple helmet covered with a wolfskin or something similar.

Vegetius (ERM 2.16) says that the antesignani wore lighter armour and a bearskin over their helmets.

b. Three quotes:
M. Terentii Varronis Saturae Menippeae 22. 552, 25 et 555, 8:
quem secuntur cum rotundis velites leves parmis, antesignani quadratis multisignibus tecti
...because the light velites were cut to pieces(? while equipped) with round parmae, the antesignani (well) protected by multifigured square ones...
Festus, 238:
Parmulis pugnare milites soliti sunt. Quarum usum sustulit C. Marius, datis in vicem earum Bruttianis
'Soldiers used to fight with small bucklers. The use of which C. Marius has abolished, with Bruttians given in their place'
Festus, 26:
Bruttianae parmae dicebantur scuta quibus Bruttiani sunt usi.
'Bruttian bucklers were the shields called that the Bruttians used to use.'

Taken togeter these quotes show that Marius (and others?) gave the velites better protection and strongly suggest that they evolved into antesignani.

Keep in mind that all units, unless stated, are essentially works in progress. Note the recent changes on the Cohors Imperatoria and Evocata, to correct some mistakes in the uniform, etc, for accuracy. We may look at these as well, before all is said and done in EB I and certainly on moving on to EBII.

**Zaknafien** · 07-27-2007, 14:19

It should also be noted we're already looking at changing their helmet, and getting rid of the cloak and breeches, which are obvious mistakes.

**Philippus Flavius Homovallumus** · 07-27-2007, 14:32

Yes, further, it is worth pointing out that the Roman army was multi-skilled, there has even been a gravestone found which appears to depict a Legionary archer from the Flavian period.

The Legionaries regularly used spears when confronted with massed cavalry, or used their pila for that purpose. The Antesignani were light screening troops who needed to hold the line until the other Cohorts could form an order of battle, regardless of their other uses this is their primary use in EB.

**Swordmaster** · 07-27-2007, 21:38

I wonder why they're so much smaller than the velites, if you say they may be a continuation of them. They're great units, but sometimes a bit limited by their small number.