The Helvetian Affair

by Ray Gleason

  Quadriga (pl. quadrigae) – literally, a four-horse rig in a chariot race; street talk coined by the author for a denarius, a roman coin.

  Quaestor (pl. Quaestores) – in Caesar’s time, quaestores were officials who supervised the treasury and financial affairs of the state; as a proconsul, Ceasar would have had a quaestor, or quaestores, to help him cook the books in the provinces assigned to him; in this story, the quaestor exercitus, is the army quartermaster.

  Quincunx (pl. quincunces) – literally, the pattern of five dots on a dice cube; figuratively, a disposition of soldiers or centuries in a military formation

  Rudis (pl. rudes) – literally, a stick; a wooden practice sword or knife, weighted heavier than the real thing to build up muscle

  Saccus (pl. sacci) – a bag for carrying equipment, food, and loot; part of a soldier’s marching pack

  Sacramentum – the military oath taken by soldiers

  Sagum (pl. saga) – a military cloak, woolen and treated to be waterproof

  Sarcina (pl. sarcinae) – military marching pack

  Scutum (pl. scuta) – Roman infantry shield

  Senior – literally, older; figuratively, “Sir!” (author)

  Sica (pl. sicae) – a small, easily-concealable knife with either a straight or curved blade; believed to be of eastern origin, therefore not considered by Romans as a “noble” weapon; favored weapon of the sicarius (pl. sicarii), the “knife man” or “hitter.”

  Significatio (pl. significationes) – an indication of approval; in the novel, it is the ceremony in which tirones are accepted as soldiers by their legion

  Signum (pl. signa) – the standard of a military unit

  Signifer – a soldier who carried a unit’s signum

  Situla (pl. situlae) – a bucket; in the legions, situlae, “buckets,” was a drill requiring trainees to carry full buckets over long distance to build upper-body strength (author)

  Socius (pl. Scocii) – an ally

  Spatha (pl. spathae) – a long sword, used mostly in the cavalry because a gladius doesn’t reach well when one is sitting on a horse

  Subarmalis (pl. subarmales) – padded jackets worn under a lorica by Roman soldiers

  Sudarium – a soldier’s scarf; a “sweat-rag”; served many purposes for a mulus . . . it kept his lorica from chafing his neck on the march; it cushioned his shoulder from his furca when marching impeditus; it wiped the sweat off his face; it was a handy field dressing.

  Sudis (pl. sudes) – stakes used as part of army fortifications; antipersonnel devices

  Tegimen (pl. tegimenta) – a covering; a leather carrying case for the scutum, the legionary shield

  Tesserarius (pl. tesserarii) – a Roman officer, usually third in rank in a centuria; named after a tesserae, a clay token on which was written the daily password

  Ti’ adsum – “At your service!” Literally, tibi adsum—“I’m here for you!”

  Tiro (pl. tirones) – the lowest thing on earth, a recruit, a rookie in the Roman army, a trainee

  Tribunus (pl. tribuni) – a tribune, a military and civil officer

  Tribunus plebis – tribune of the people

  Tribunus militum – tribune of the soldiers, a military tribune

  Tribunus angusticlavus – a military tribune from the ordo equester, the knightly class; a junior tribune; a “narrow-striper”

  Tribunus laticlavus – a military tribune from the Senatorial or Patrician class; a senior tribune; a “broad-striper”

  Turma (pl. turmae) – cavalry squadron; a cavalry unit of two or more alae

  Umbo – the boss of a shield

  Vagina – a scabbard for a sword.

  Venator (pl. Venatores) – a hunter; an immunis detail in the legion, a soldier who hunts game for rations

  Venatus – literally, the hunt; figuratively, a cavalry advance against a fleeing enemy

  Vermiculus (pl. vermiculi) – literally, a maggot; figuratively, a training officer’s pet name for a trainee.

  Veteranus (pl. veterani) – veteran, an experienced soldier, an “old man”

  Vexilium (pl. vexilia) – a banner, flag

  Vexilium rubrum – the red flag; symbol of a legion

  Vexillarius – a guidearm; one who carries the unit pennant

  Vexillatio (pl. vexillationes) – an independent detachment of legionaries commanded by a centurion or tribune; this was considered an “independent command,” so it was a desired assignment for any amibitious junior officer

  Via Praetoria – one of the standard “streets” of a castrum running from Porta Praetoria, the main gate, to the Porta Decumana, the rear gate

  Via Principalis – one of the standard “streets” of a castrum running from the Porta Principalis Dextra and the Porta Principalis Sinistra

  Vicus – village; a settlement of camp followers outside a legionary castrum

  Vimen (pl. vimenes) – the “basket”; a weighted, wicker practice shield used in training

  Virgo (pl. virgines) – literally, a virgin, a maiden; figuratively, a soldier who has not experienced combat, a “cherry” (author)

  Vitis (pl. vites) – club, cudgel, swagger stick made from a grape vine; one of insignias of rank of a centurion used to direct military drill and to administer physical punishment.

  Roman Military Commands

  Again, little is known about Roman unit drill and combat commands. In order to bring the reader into the Roman battle line, the author used his own experience as a combat infantry commander and a liberal use of the commands developed by Roman military reenactors.

  In the Gaius Marius novels, the Roman army uses a “shorthand” version of Latin for efficiency. So, in order to command a unit to turn to the right, the normal Latin expression, ad dextram, meaning, “toward the right hand,” becomes a’ dex’, and the Latin command to turn, versate, becomes versat’ … “A’ Dex … Versat!”

  Some drill commands, like “Stat’!”—“Stand up” or “Attention!”—were “signal commands.” When delivering these commands, an officer first names the unit for whom the command is intended, then delivers the command for execution by the troops. So, if a decanus, a Roman squad leader, wants to bring his contubernium of eight legionaries to the position of attention, he says, “Contubernium . . . Stat’!”

  Most Roman military commands are divided into two elements—the prepatory command and the command of execution. The prepatory command is given to warn and prepare troops to execute a specific movement. The actual movement is executed on the command of execution.

  So, if a Roman officer wants his detail to turn right, he first calls them to the position of attention by issuing the command, “Stat’!” He then issues a prepatory command, “A’ Dex’,” meaning “to the right,” then the command of execution, “Versat’!” When the soldiers hear the command of execution, they turn to the right.

  The Roman drill and combat commands used in the novels are:

  Aciem . . . Format’! – “Form battle line!”

  Ad Cuneum! – “Form the wedge!” A Roman attack formation

  A’ Dex’ Aciem . . . Format’ – “Form battle line to the right!”

  A’ Dex’ . . . Versat’! – “Right, Face!”

  A’ Pedes! – “On Your feet!”

  Ad Signa! – “Fall In!”

  Ad Sin’ Aciem … Format’ – “Form battle line to the left!”

  Ad Sin’ . . . Versat’! – “Left, Face!”

  A’ Testudinem! – “Form the turtle!” A Roman defensive formation

  A Signis! – “Fall out!”

  (Unit) . . . Consistit’! – “Halt!”

  Contra . . . Versat’! – “About, Face!”

  Dex’ . . . Dex’ . . . Dex’, Sin’, Dex’ – counting marching cadence, “Right . . . right . . . right, left, right.”

  Equiis . . . citatis! – “Horses canter!” (cavalry command)

  Equiis . . . currentibus! – “Horses gallop!” (cavalry command)

  Gladios . .
. stringit’! – “Draw swords!”

  Gradus Bis . . . Movet’! – “Double-time march!” Increase marching pace to 120 passus per minute.

  (Unit) . . . Laxat’! – “Stand at ease!”

  Impetum . . . agit’! – “Attack!”

  Manipulos . . . format’! – “Form maniples!”

  (Unit) . . . Miss’est! – “Dismissed!”

  Ordines . . . Densat’! – “Close Ranks!” Close the interval between each man to an arm’s length.

  Ordines . . . Extendit’! – “Open Ranks!” Extend the interval between each man to two arm’s lengths.

  Ordines . . . Revert! – “Normal Interval” This command is only given to recover from open to closed ranks; recover the normal interval between each man to one arm-length.

  Pila . . . iacit’! – “Cast spears!”

  Pila . . . parat’! – “Prepare spears for casting!” At this command, the legionaries place their feet shoulder distance apart, right foot back, shields held slightly up toward the enemy; right arm and hand holding the pilum cocked to the rear, the point slightly elevated.

  Pila . . . ponit’! – “Present or pick up spears!” At this command, the legionaries place their feet shoulder distance apart, right toe to left heel; shields remain level and to the front in a good defensive position. The right hand holding the pilum is held at the level of the right ear, the pilum parallel to the ground.

  Promov . . . ete! – “Forward March!” Step off on the right foot and march the standard Roman marching pace of sixty full passus per minute.

  Quincuncem . . . format’! – “Form quincunx!” Form the “five dots”—a formation used to allow a passage of lines.

  Scuta . . . erigit’! – “Shields up!”

  Signa . . . Conversat’! – Reverse the access of advance, a 180 degree turn; “Turn about!”

  Signa . . . Profert! – “Advance!”

  Spathas . . . Stringit’! – “Draw sabers!” (cavalry command)

  (Unit) . . . Stat’! – “Attention!”