Discens
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This article is part of the series on: Military of ancient Rome (portal) |
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| Structural history | |||
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Discens were soldiers of the military of ancient Rome who were in training to become immunes, specialists within the army.
Immunes took up the trades and skills of engineers, field medics, carpenters, and craftsmen. However, they were also fully trained and would be expected to fight in the infantry if necessary. The discens were probably exempted, like the immunes, from standard combat and camp duties since their main occupation would have been time-consuming technical training.
Some known classes include:
- Discens Architecti - Trainee engineer or artillerist.
- Discens Armaturae - Trainee weapons instructor.
- Discens Aquiliferum (or Aquiliferorum) - Trainee eagle standard-bearer.
- Discens Bucinatorem - Trainee trumpeteer.
- Discens Capsariorum - Trainee medical orderly.
- Discens Epibatae - Trainee marine.
- Discens Equitum - Trainee cavalryman.
- Discens Lanchiariorum - Trainee javelin-thrower.
- Discens Mensorem - Tainee surveyor.
- Discens Phalangarium - A soldier training as a phalangarius during the 3rd century AD several experiments were conducted with Macedonian phalanx tactics, apparently requiring special training in weapons handling and drill.
- Discens Signiferorum (or discentes signiferorum) - Trainee standard-bearer.
[edit] References
- Parker, H. M. D. The Roman Legions. Barnes and Noble Books. 1993. ISBN 0-88029-854-5
- Peddie, John. The Roman War Machine. Alan Sutton Publishing Ltd. 1995. ISBN 0938289853
- Webster, Graham. The Roman Imperial Army A. and C. Black (Publishers) Limited 1979 (2nd edition) ISBN 0-7136-1909-0
- The temetfuture web site: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/temetfutue/
- UNRV
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