MARCHING DRILL 1/4/00
There is no surviving Roman marching drill from the first century, so most of ours is adapted from the Strategikon of Maurice. This was written in the 6th century AD, but is still the oldest known Latin drill. Other commands have been added to allow necessary actions like drawing swords, etc.--some of these have been adapted from the Ermine Street Guard's drill. Maurice's drill is strikingly similar to an obsolete Greek drill in Arrian's Tactical Manual, from the 2nd century AD.
Ad signa
Fall in
Silentium
Silence
Mandata captate
Observe the orders (Attention, etc.)
Ordenem servate
Keep your position
Dirige frontem
Dress the ranks
Laxate
Rest
Move
March
Accelera
Speed up
Tarda
Slow down
Ad dextram/senestram depone Wheel to
the right/left
Signo sequute
Follow the standard (or leader)
Consiste (or State)
Halt
Ad gladium, clina
To the right, face
Ad scutum, clina
To the left, face
Transforma
About face
Redi
Return to the original front
Muta locum
Countermarch
Langia (ad dextram/senestram/
ambas partes)
Open ranks (to right/left/both sides)
Exi
Rear half-files move up
Intra
Reverse of Exi
Iunge
Close ranks
Ad agmine
Form marching column
Ad aciem
Form battle-line
Ad testudinem
Form testudo
Ad cuneum
Form wedge
Pila infige
Plant your pila (upright)
Pila pone
Lay down your pila
Pila tolle
Pick up pila
Pila iace
Throw pila
Gladium stringe
Draw swords
Gladium reconde
Sheath swords
Parati!
Ready (To charge, etc.)
Porro!
Charge!
Dimitto
I dismiss you