"Roman Civil Wars - friend from foe?" Topic

Hello,

I am reading up on the Roman Civil Wars of the late Republican period. The wars of Marius, Sulla, Pompey, Caesar, etc.

When the opposing Roman factions fought each other how would Legionnaires distinguish friend from foe? In the mist of an epic melee it could be importent. I am curious how they did this.

Did each Legion have its own shield design?

Did a faction adopt a unique uniform item?

Thanks for any information

I have read indications that during this pre-Empire era, that there were a number of ways for troops to distinguish from each other.
Yes the shields did vary with symbols and colors. Remember that were are dealing with a common soldier who was illerterate.
I have also read that the colors of Helemt feathers also varied between unit as did the tunic color which red and white being common. But I wsaw mention of colors of black and light blue being used but in my opinion uncommon.

Remember this is an era before the uniformity of the Empire became the rule.

They tended to recognize and follow their leaders, so when drill broke down and formations were broken, I imagine they looked to their centurions and signifers for rallying and knowing which direction to face.

Didn't they have code slogans or similar?

Based on my reading all were dressed identically. Once battle commenced and the units got intermingled they stopped fighting and went to the tavern.

(Source: Asterix the Legionary)

XXX! hips…..

shield designs and colours were by legio. If the colours were too similar, then I expect they would have used field signs such as foliage or pieces of cloth attached to clothing/armour.

There were incidents when legions were misidentified at a distance, and I am sure there were the occasional swipe in a melee, but you would be fighting in your own century in your own cohort, you could probably recognise all the men by walk or gesture, or even fighting style.

At the battle of Vercellae c102BC the pila of the army of Catullus are identified by the name of the general cut into them. I therefore suggest that the legionaries would have written their general's name on their shield for identification?

We think shield designs and/or colours were distinct for each legion, but we don't actually know. There is a famous passage in Tacitus, referring to the AD 69 civil war, where two soldiers pick up enemy shields to disguise themselves, but (a) he doesn't say exactly what the distinction was – a legionary device? a field-sign painted on the shield? (b)that's the Empire, so arrangements could have been different.

There is one hint that the general's name might have been painted or otherwise applied to the shield – Dio Cassius XLVIII.30.6, "because his soldiers carried the name of Sextus [Pompeius] on their shields, his life was spared" – but I can't recall anything else to confirm this.

And being Romans they would likely have the abbreviated name on the shield which is easier to paint. So:
Caes
Pomp.
Aug
Anton
Brut
Cas.
Mar
Sul
rather easier to put on with a pen if you are a wargamer painting shields!

I've just checked Patrick Tansey's article "M. Titius, Menas and the insignia scutorum" (Klio 90, 2008) which mentions other examples – a soldier who had the name of C Marius written on his shield, two Pompeian legions with his name – "Cn. Pompei nomen in scutis inscriptum".

But they'd probably not be quite as abbreviated as Lewisgunner suggests, because Romans aren't likely to have settled for the one name. I'd guess Pompey's are more likely to have something like "Cn. Pomp. Mag." than just "Pomp".

Names _might_ have been written in a tabula ansata.

Oh, and link might be interesting, though probably stresses constructional aspects.

The troops opposite your shield wall and hurling things at you were the enemy.

See 'Asterix the Legionary' for a good summary of the problems
"Sound the retreat!"
"I only take orders from Pompey"

I found this text in the Osprey "Philippi 42 BC" Campaign series. It would be useful for any gamer reasearching this thread.

From the opposing armies section, page 23

"Personal identification was critical to unit cohesion; 'Lest the soldiers in the confusion of battle should be separated from their comrades,' Vegetius notes, each man's shield would bear a design, the digmata, advertising the owner's name, the number of his cohort, his century (by the centurion's name) and, in times of civil war, the name of his commander."

Seems like a Ancient Barcode/Serial number.

Thanks