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General Category => Army Research => Topic started by: bigredbat on August 27, 2019, 11:20:28 AM

Title: Cohort standards
Post by: bigredbat on August 27, 2019, 11:20:28 AM
I'm putting together a Caesarian Roman army which will include many standards, and I've realised that I've no idea what metal the various discs, hands and eagles were fashioned from (or plated in).  Do we know, please?
Title: Re: Cohort standards
Post by: Duncan Head on August 27, 2019, 11:44:56 AM
To be pedantic, there probably weren't cohort standards in the Caesarian army - at least, not in the legions. Each century had a standard.

http://www.romancoins.info/MilitaryEquipment-Signum.html has a couple of survivng bits of Early Imperial standards, which are silver or silver-plated, and that's probably commonest.
Title: Re: Cohort standards
Post by: bigredbat on August 27, 2019, 01:52:24 PM
Ah very true, Duncan!  :-)   

Silver, it is, then, with perhaps a little gilt.

Thanks Simon
Title: Re: Cohort standards
Post by: Chuck the Grey on August 28, 2019, 02:10:45 AM
No grit Simon. I doubt that the centurion, or even the optio, would accept anything other than clean, highly polished metal parts on the standard. If there is one thing consistent about armies through out history it's that officers and sergeants like bright, shiny metal things. Kind of like wargamers.  ;)
Title: Re: Cohort standards
Post by: bigredbat on August 28, 2019, 08:20:46 AM
No grit- I could see that some of the silver medallions had gilt details.  :-)   I think my eagles may be gilded, too.
Title: Re: Cohort standards
Post by: Chuck the Grey on September 01, 2019, 02:50:56 AM
Oops, my bad. Shouldn't try and read things on the forum after a long day at work. My apologies, Sir. I will now slink back into obscurity.  :-[
Title: Re: Cohort standards
Post by: bigredbat on September 01, 2019, 08:39:12 AM
:-)  Normally I'm up for a bit of dust, or grit, but as you say- this is the time for shiny!