Glossary

This is a glossary for Weird Wars Rome games. As such, it contains mostly military terms.

Verba (Words)

ala: A wing of auxiliary cavalry during the Empire, a force of some 500 men.

aquila: "Eagle," the golden standard carried by a Roman legion.

aquilifer: "Eagle-bearer," The standard bearer of a legion.

armilla: Armband, awarded as a military decoration (pl. armillae).

auxilium: Foreign soldier used in a Roman auxiliary unit (pl. auxilia).

ballista: Siege weapon in the form of a large crossbow, used to fire spear-like bolts (pl. ballistae).

baritus: German war cry. Used by the Roman legions during the late Empire.

Bellona: The Roman goddess of war.

bestia: A beast or monster.

caligae: Heavy-soled hob-nailed military boots issued to Roman legionary soldiers and auxiliaries. (singular caliga).

castrum: A military camp or fortified area.

centuria: Century, a military a unit of 80 men, made up of ten contubernia.

centurio: Centurion, a Roman officer in charge of a centuria (p. centuriones).

centurio classicus: A centurion of marines.

cingulum: The Roman military belt was the legionary's badge of office. It was heavily decorated with metal ornaments, and designed to hold gladius and pugio.

clipeus: An oval or round shield, carried by phalangites, early infantry, and auxilia.

cohors: Cohort, a legionary unit of 480 fighting men made up of six centuries (pl. cohortes). The first cohort of a legion was made up of five double strength centuries, for a total strength of 800 men.

contubernium: A squad of eight legionaries, so named because they shared a tent when on the march (pl. contubernia).

contus: A long lance used two-handed, even on horseback.

cornicen: Musician in a century who used the cornu (horn) to signal salutes and sound orders, a low-ranking officer.

corona civica: Crown awarded to a soldier whose actions save the lives of fellow soldier.

corona graminea: Grass crown awarded to a soldier whose actions save an entire legion.

corona muralis: Gold crown awarded to the first soldier to scale the walls of any enemy fortification.

corona navalis: Gold crown awarded to the first man to board an enemy ship during a naval engagement.

corvus: "Raven," a hinged gangplank with a spike, used to link ships before boarding. In use during the first Punic war, later replaced by the harpax.

decanus: Most senior legionary in a contubernium (pl. decani).

decimatio: Decimation, "removal of a tenth", a form of military punishment. A cohort selected for punishment by decimation was divided into groups of ten; each group drew lots, and the soldier on whom the lot fell was executed by his nine comrades, often by cudgeling or stoning.

decurio: Decurion, military officer in charge of a cavalry ala (pl. decuriones).

dexter: Right, favorable.

dimachaerus: Type of gladiator armed with a gladius or sica in each hand.

dolabra: A mattock or pickaxe used for digging. The legions used them for digging fortifications, latrines, or graves.

druides: The Druids, Gallic priests, mystics, and teachers, often accused of performing human sacrifices.

duplicarius: A pay grade in the Roman army, receiving double the basic pay. Could be awarded to ordinary legionary soldiers, regardless of rank, as a reward for outstanding bravery or service.

equites: The equestrian or knightly class, who originally acted as cavalry for the Roman army.

;exploratores: Scouts and explorers (singular explorator).

fuscina: A gladiatorial trident, used by the retarius class gladiators.

fustuarium: A form of military discipline in which a soldier was cudgeled to death by his comrades.

galea: Roman soldier's helmet.

galerus: A leather and bronze armband, used by gladiators.

gladiator: Slave trained to fight in a variety of styles for the amusement of the Roman citizens (pl. gladiatores).

gladiatrix: A female gladiator.

gladius: Short stabbing sword carried by legionaries (pl. gladii).

harpax: Catapult-shot grapnel used to harpoon enemy vessel and then close for boarding.

hasta: A heavy spear used by early Roman legions, later by auxilia and cavalry.

hoplomachus: A heavily armed and armored gladiator equipped with a short spear and gladius.

iaculum: 1) A dart or javelin. 2) A casting net, the weapon of a retarius.

immunis: A soldier with special privileges (pl. immunes).

imperator: The Emperor.

lanista: Gladiator trainer.

legatus: Legate, the commander of a legion. Also, an ambassador, envoy or high-ranking deputy.

legio: A legion (pl. legiones) was force of some 5000 legionaries, made up of ten cohorts.

legionarius: A legionary (pl. legionarii).

liberti: Freedmen, former slaves.

lorica hamata: A chain mail hauberk, worn in the Republic by all legionaries, and by officers and cavalry in the early Empire.

lorica segmentata: A vest of banded metal plates, worn by legionaries in the late Republic and early Empire.

lorica squamata: A type of scale armor often used by legionary standard bearers and musicians.

ludus: Training school for gladiators.

magister militum: Master of soldiers, the leader of the Roman legions.

manica: "Sleeve," an armguard used by some gladiators and legionaries.

Mars: The Roman god of war.

medicus: A doctor.

miles classicus: A marine.

miles gregarius: A legionary of no rank.

miles: A soldier (pl. milites).

Mithras: Persian deity of light and war worshipped by legionaries.

Morituri te salutamus: “Those who are about to die salute you!”; traditional salute by gladiators.

murmillo: Heavily armed gladiator, equipped with gladius and scutum, and protected by a helmet with a stylised fish on the crest (the mormylos or sea fish), as well as a manica arm guard (pl. murmillones).

nauarchus: Squadron commander in the Roman Navy.

onager: "Wild ass," a catapult.

orbis: Circular formation used as a last resort.

optio: Second in command of a century (pl. optiones).

parma: A smaller shield carried by early Republican legionaries, auxilia, and cavalry (pl. parmae).

pecunaria multa: Literally “reduction in pay;” a punishment for soldiers.

phalera: Sculpted disc of gold, silver, or bronze, awarded to soldiers as a form of medal, and worn on their armor (pl. phalerae).

pilum: A javelin designed to bend on impact, carried by legionaries (pl. pila).

pilus prior: Centurion in charge of the first century in a cohort.

pompa: A procession before the games that announced the sponsor.

praefectus: 1) Commander of an auxilia ala (pl. praefecti). 2) A Roman city manager or administrator, assigned by the Emperor

praefectus castrorum: Camp commandant; third in command of a legion.

praefectus classis: Commander of a fleet.

praetorianus: A member of the Praetorian Guard, the Emperor’s personal bodyguard (pl. praetoriani).

primus pilus: The centurion in command of of the first century of the first cohort; fourth in command of a legion.

primus ordino: Centurion in charge of a century in the first cohort (pl. primi ordines).

pugio: A small dagger carried by legionaries (pl. pugiones).

quinquereme: A galley with five banks of oars.

retiarius: "Net-man," a type of gladiator who used a trident and net (pl. retiarii).

Roma: Rome.

romanus: A Roman (pl. romani).

scorpio: A light ballista (pl. scorpiones).

scutum: Large rectangular shield used by the legionaries (pl. scuta).

secutor: "Follower," a type of gladiator armed with a gladius and scutum (pl. secutores)

sica: A long, curved dagger or short sword, used by Thracian gladiators (pl. sicae).

sicarius: "Dagger-man," assassin or mugger, (pl. sicarii).

signifer: Standard bearer for a century, low-ranking officer.

signum: The standard carried by every century.

sinister: Left, also unfavorable or perverse.

spatha: A broad sword, used by cavalry during the Republic and early Empire, and legionaries in the late Empire.

speculator: Spy or military scout (pl. speculatores).

SPQR: An initialism from the phrase, Senatus Populusque Romanus ("The Senate and People of Rome").

sudis: Sharpened stakes carried by Roman legionaries, typically two by each soldier. These were used as part of the temporary fortifications of a Roman marching camp.

tessera: A small tile or block of wood on which watchwords were written.

tesserarius: A watch sergeant, third in command of a century (pl. tesserarii).

testudo: "Tortoise," a military formation where the soldiers place their shields to provide near total cover.

thraex: "Thracian," a gladiator armed with a sica and shield (pl. thraeces).

tribunus laticlavius: "Broad-striped tribune", the senior tribune in a legion and second in command.

tribunus: Military tribune in a legion; often a staff officer.

trireme: A galley with three banks of oars.

triumphus: Triumph, a parade through Rome to honor a victorious general.

tunica: Tunic.

turma: A cavalry squadron of the Republic and Imperial period. It consisted of some 30 men, and was commanded by a decurio.

velites: Lightly armed skirmishers; also a type of gladiator armed with a javelin tied to his wrist (singular veles).

vitis: A vine stick carried by centurions as a badge of rank and to inflict physical punishment.

External Links

• List of Latin phrases at Wikipedia