Glossary of Roman military terms

aedituus,	temple guard, shrine keeper (the aedituus must have had charge of the aedicula where the signa (v. infra) were kept (cf. Fink, 1971:185, n. 7).
ala,	cavalry regiment.
beneficiarius,	seconded for special duty by the officer who is cited; if consularis, by the provincial governor.
bucinator,	trumpeter.
caligati (milites),	common soldiers, rank and file.
cataphracti,	general term for armoured cavalry (see also clibanarii).
clarissimi,	grade of senatorial order.
clibanarii,	heavy mailed cavalry (clibanus: oven—a reference to the discomfort of their armour).
cohors,	an infantry regiment consisting of about 500 men.
comitatenses,	soldiers of the mobile field army.
curator,	caretaker.
decurion,	(military) commander of a troop of cavalry.
discens mensorem,	apprentice surveyor.
dromedarius,	camel rider.
duplicarius	(lit. received double pay), as a reward either for valour or responsibility.
dux (pl. duces),	military commanders of frontier districts.
egregius,	grade of equestrian order.
eminentissimus,	grade of equestrian order.
equites,	cavalry.
equites promoti,	legionary cavalry.
Illyricianus,	of or composed of Illyrians.
immolatio,	sacrifice.
indigena,	a native, an original inhabitant of a place.
laterculum minus,	register of minor military commissions.
limitanei,	frontier troops, also called ripenses, riparienses.
optio,	second-in-command, lieutenant, to a centurion awaiting promotion.
praeses,	governor of a province.
(legiones)pseudocomitatenses,	units made redundant by the surrender of frontier territory to the Persians by Jovian and added to the mobile army of the East.
sacerdos,	priest.
sesquiplicarius,	received an extra half rate of pay as a reward either for valour or for responsibility.
signa,	standards.
signifer,	standard-bearer.
spectabilis,	grade of senatorial order.
tesserarius,	keeper of the watch-word.
turmae,	cavalry squadrons (acc. to Hyginus, an ala milliaria is divided into twenty-four turmae).
vexillatio,	cavalry regiment.