Roman Draco Symbol – History And Meaning
A draco – dragon head – was a Roman symbol of honor and a way to distinguish different cavalry units. Horsemen in the Roman cavalry carried this military standard. Such horsemen were called the draconarii (singular: draconarius).
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While the aquila or eagle was the standard of the legion, the Roman draco was that of the cohort (the Roman equivalent of a modern military battalion).
Roman Draco Symbol – History And Meaning
If you want to learn more about the Roman Draco symbol, read on to find out the meaning, history, and significance of this Roman symbol.
Roman Draco Symbol History
A draco was carried by each legionary cohort. It may have been employed primarily to tell the direction of the wind for the horse archers.
Some historians claim that the draco had been introduced by the Sarmatians and the Alans to the Roman cavalry in the 2nd century. It may have also been developed by the Sassanid Persians and the Parthians.
The Roman adoption of the draco occurred probably during or after the Dacian wars in the 2nd century AD, in which the Roman cavalry’s equipment were modified to withstand charges from the lance-armed cavalry.
The Roman draco first began to be used in cavalry games called the Hippica Gymnasia. These games were described as “glamorized” training exercises, performed in decorated armor.
The Roman draco was recommended to be colorful to add to the spectacle of cavalry parades. Each unit was given a draco to maintain order not only in displays or parades but in battle as well.
There is an assumption that the serpent shape was adopted in the Roman military because of the Thracian dominance in the cavalry and Thracian horsemen worshiped a deity that looked like a “flying” serpent. This deity had scales and teeth, as well as an upstanding crest that is said to have been a dragon.
By 357 AD, the Emperors Constantius and Julian possessed personal dracos sewn from a purple material. These personal draco standards distinguished the emperors in the heat of battle, leading to the belief that such draco symbol was employed as a tactital instrument rather than a personal adornment.
The Roman Draco Symbol
The Roman draco was in the form of a toothed dragon with a hollow head made of metal.
It was described as a long sleeve or tube, made up of pieces of dyed material sewn together. The sleeve or tube hung limp when the rider was resting and flew like a dragon when the rider was on the move.
The Roman draco was also said to create a hissing sound as the wind passed through, extending the cloth tube tail fixed on the neck part.
A Roman draco was used to identify different cavalry units, carried by horsemen called the draconarii.
Roman Draco Meaning
The Roman draco is a military symbol depicted as a dragon’s head mounted on a post, with a colorful fabric trailing behind. This was the standard of the cohort, whereas the aquila or eagle was that of the legion.
“Draco” is the Latin word for “dragon” or “serpent.” Its plural form is dracones. The Roman draco was carried by a draconarius or one of the horsemen in the Roman cavalry.
