LEGXXII PR Military Commands
LEGXXII PR uses all Latin commands while in the field doing demonstrations for the public or during combat events. Below we have listed our commands followed by a phonetic aid in pronunciation and the meaning. Note that in the phonetic aid parts are in caps. This is to show emphasis on the pronunciation.
General commands to call attention to the unit:
Centuria– (ken-tour-EE-ah) CenturyMilites – (mil-EE-tay) Soldiers/unit
Formation Commands:
Ad signa! – (ahd SIG-nah) Fall in!Dimitto! – (dee-MEET-tow) Dismissed!
State! – (STAH-tay) Attention!
Laxate! – (lahx-AH-tay) At ease!
Aciem dirigite! – (ah-KEY-em deer-ee-GEE-tay) Dress! (the line)
Oculos ad dextram! – (ock-OO-los ahd DEX-tram) Eyes right we will be deleting this as I believe this is only modern military
Scuta tollite! – (SKOO-tah toll-EE-tay) Lift shield!
Scuta deponite! – (SKOO-tah dee-po-NEE-tay) Ground shield!
Genua flectite! – (gen-OO-ah flek-TEE-tay) Kneel! (everyone)
Primi aciem genua flectite! – (PRE-me ah-KEY-em gen-OO-ah flek-TEE-tay) Front rank kneel!
Surgite! – (soor-GEE-tay) Stand!
Spatium date – (spah-TEE-oom DAH-tay) Open Ranks
Silentium – (see-len-TEE-um) Silence
Nuntio! (Noon-TEE-owe) -- Report!
Nibil novi (NEE-beel NO-wee) - Nothing to report!
(number) milites parate! (1,2,3 etc… mee-LEE-tays par-AH-tay) – (number) of soldiers ready!
Marching Commands:
Procedite attente…Move! – (pro-keh-DEE-tay ah-TEN-tay…MOO-way) March in
step…March!
Procedite laxate…Move! – (pro-keh-DEE-tay lahx-AH-tay…MOO-way) Route step…March!
Consistite! – (con-cease-TEE-tay) Halt!
Ad dextram clina! -- (ahd DEX-tram…CLEAN-ah) Right face! or right turn! (if marching)
Ad sinistram clina! – (ahd see-NIECE-tram…CLEAN-ah) Left face! or left turn! (if marching)
Sinestro!...Sinestro!… (see-NIECE-tro) Left, left, left, left (for staying in cadence)
Accelerate! – (ak-kell-er-AH-tay) Double-time, march!
Transformate…Clina! – (trans-for-MAH-tay…CLEAN-ah) About face or to the rear, march!
(if marching)
Lungite! – (loon-GEE-tay) Tighten the column!
In duos agmen formate, (or) procedite…move!—(een DO-os AG-men for-MAH-tay (or)
pro-keh-DEE-tay…MOO-way) Form or march in a column of twos!
In unum aciem formate, (or) procedite…move!—(een OOH-noom ah-KEY-em for-MAH-
tay (or) pro-keh-DEE-tay…MOO-way) Form or march in a single line!
In duos aciem formate, (or) procedite…move!—(een DO-os ah-KEY-em for-MAH-tay
(or) pro-keh-DEE-tay…MOO-way) Form or march in two lines!
In quatre aciem formate, (or) procedite…move!—(een qoo-AH-tra ah-KEY-em for-MAH-
tay (or) pro-keh-DEE-tay…MOO-way) Form or march in four lines!
Ab agmen in aciem ad dextram– (ab AG-men een ah-KEY-em ahd DEX-tram) From column
to line of battle to the right!
Ad sinestram rotate – (ahd see-NIECE-tram row-TAH-tay) Wheel to the left
Ad dextram rotate (ahd DEX-tram row-TAH-tay) – Wheel to the right
Locum mandate (LOW-koom man-DAH-tay) – Countermarch
Porro (POR-row) – Attack
Redite (reh-DEE-tay) – Return to the original front
Tardate (tar-DAH-tay) – Slow down
Cuneum formate (koo-NEE-oom for-MAH-tay) – Form Wedge
Quadratum formate (cooah-DRAH-toom for-MAH-tay) – Form Square
Testudinem formate – (tes-too-DEE-nem for-MAH-tay) Form Testudo
Signa sequimini (SIG-nah see-coo-ee-MEE-nee) – Follow the Standards
Parate (par-AH-tay) – Ready!
Pilum Commands:
Pila parate! (PEE-lah par-AH-tay) --Prepare to throw pila!
Mittite! (mee-TEE-tay) -- Throw!
Pila inclinite! (PEE-lah een-klee-NEE-tay) -- Charge pila! (Pila point inclined to the front
as a present arms)
Pila deponite! (PEE-lah deh-po-NEE-tay) -- Ground Pila
Pila tollite! – (PEE-lah tow-LEE-tay) - Take up Pila
Gladius Commands:
Gladios stringite! (gla-DEE-owes streen-GEE-tay) -- draw swords!
Gladios condite! (glad-DEE-owes kon-DEE-tay) -- return swords to scabbards!
Camp Commands:
Sarcina tollite! (sar-KEY-nah toll-EE-tay) -- Take up packs!
Sarcina deponite! (sar-KEY-nah deh-po-NEE-tay) -- Ground packs!
Ad arma! (adh AR-mah) -- To arms!
Tabernacula statuite! (tah-ber-nah-COO-lah stah-too-EE-tay) -- Erect your tents!
Tabernacula detendite! (tah-ber-nah-COO-lah deh-ten-DEE-tay) -- Strike tents!
Extinguite lumina! (ex-teen-goo-EE-tay loo-MEE-nah) -- Lights out!
Parate vos ad iter! (par-AH-tay vos ahd EE-ter) -- Make ready to march!
Numbers
Unus (OOH-noos) – One
Duo (DOO-owe) – Two
Tres (tres) – Three
Quattour (COOAHT-tour)– Four
Quinque (queen-COO-ay) – Five
Sex (sex) – Six
Septem (SEP-tem) – Seven
Octo (AWK-tow) – Eight
Novem (NO-whem) – Nine
Decem (DEH-kem) – Ten
Undecim (oon-DEH-kem) – Eleven
Duodecim (doo-owe-DEH-kem) – Twelve
Tresdecim (tres-DEH-kem) - Thirteen
Viginte (wee-GEEN-tay) – Twenty
Duo et viginte (DOO-owe eh wee-GEN-tay) – Twenty Two
General Guidelines to the Commands….
Command giving
1. Commands are to be given in a clear voice, not yelled, such that the milites can easily understand the command given. If needed, the Optio will reinforce or supplement the command.
2. The use of ‘Centuria’ or ‘Milites’ is a preparatory used to designate who the commands are for unless obvious. Ex – ‘Centuria’ (pause) Ad signa!
3. Most commands are a multiple word command. This is because they are an instruction. These are not a command which must be executed exactly together, such as ‘Accelerate!’ (speed up!) or the command is easily anticipated such as Porro! (attack!) Many commands however, need a brief pause to let the mile understand what he is to do in order that unity is maintained. Thus, there is a pause between the direction and the execution, such as ‘Right Face’ - Ad dextram (pause) clina! or ‘to the right hand’ (pause) ‘turn!’ or Ad sinestram (pause) rotate – ‘To the left side (pause) wheel!’ Oh, and the turn on the right heel/left toe crap is modern military. A turn is more a shuffle step. Same with an about face. Simply move.
4. Note that commands which designate a number can be changed to reflect whatever number is needed. Thus, ‘Form in one line’ – In unus aciem formate can be changed to two lines – In duos aciem formate or any other number.
5. I can find nothing which supports the Optio giving all the commands. The Centurio will give the commands unless not present. (He may tell the Optio to fall the men in and perform some function.) The Optio will echo commands from the Centurio if things are not clear or if the Centurio forgets to do a preliminary command. The Optio is also charged with ensuring the formation remains in correct position and with correct cadence if in marching step. He further can give commands which can ease the load on the Miles (soldier) by having them put shields down or putting them at “at ease” when appropriate. Obviously, if the Centurio is down or not present, he is in total command. If the absence is temporary, he can remain in sole command. If not, he should assign a temporary Optio to take his place as he moves up.
6. As much as I have been definitive on the Latin words for the commands, some are not truly set.
- Procedite (march) makes the most sense to me and is used by European but not US legions.
- Locum mandate (countermarch) has problems with the word mandate
- Pila inclinate (present or incline your pila) has the word inclinate which I can not find in the dictionary. However, other units use this word and until I can find different, I recommend its use.
Positioning
7. When either the Optio or Centurio call for a formation (Ad Signa) the Optio sets the line. He positions himself in the direction the entire unit is to face and stands firm. Either one rank or two is called with the command to fall in so the milites know how to form themselves. If two ranks are called for, the men form in two ranks with the Optio in the back rank and the men filling in the positions to the left and front and left of him. Each man, when he falls in, puts his pila straight up and down with the butt several inches away from the right foot toes and the shield is placed on the ground half in front on him. The right edge of the shield should be in the middle of the body and the left hand is placed to rest on the top shield edge. At this time, silence is to be observed. The signum or vexillum is always positioned on the left of the line. If there are two or more lines, it will be positioned in the first line. The Optio is always in the last line on the right. Two reasons – to separate the Centurio and Optio for ease of passing on commands and to prevent both from being killed in one volley of arrows or spears.
Movement
8. Wheels. Just a comment on wheels. When doing a wheel, the most important thing to do is to lean in and look out. That is, if the wheel is to the left, the left hand man stops and slowly pivots while the entire line looks to the right hand man while pressing their shield into the sword arm of the man on their left. In this way, contact is maintained and the line is held straight. Lean in and look out. It works.
9. Turns. When turning to the left or right as a column, the most important thing to remember is to start your turn where the last file turned. Thus, as the unit marches in to the direction of the turn pivoting and the outside man moving 90 degrees. When they step out then the next file moves into their position and begins their turn. Each subsequent file moves up to the position of the first file before starting their turn. In an emergency, the centurio can reverse the entire direction of the unit on the march by calling out “Transformate…Clina!” All milites immediately do a 180 degree turn to the left and continue marching. Of course, if the soldier was standing still when this order was given, he simply turns to the left and stops. Why left? We don’t know which way they turned, but with shields this is an easier way to turn with less likelihood that the turning mile will “catch” his shield on the arm or back of his neighbor when turning.
Combat Commands
10. From column into line of battle. One of the most important battle commands is the column to line of battle. When called, all soldiers automatically draws their swords if they are not carrying pila and turn the appropriate way to face the enemy. At the same time, they move into a battle stance (left foot forward slightly and crouched, with the shield brought smartly to the front and the sword smacked against the side of the shield. If the soldiers are carrying pila, only the rank facing the enemy lowers their pila to the charge and brings their shields to the front. The back rank brings their shields to the front, but maintains their pila in an upright position. Note: To get out of any of these positions, the command “Redite” reverses the last command. Thus, when calling “Redite” in this case, the ranks raise their pila or sheath their swords and return to the column direction they were facing in.
11. Other formations. The most common battle formation outside of the solid rank will probably be the square. If we had enough men to adequately do a wedge, this would be used, but in the woods and outnumbered, we will probably frequently be doing a “Quadratum formate”. Learn how to position yourself with the emphasis on protecting your comrade next to you. The testudo is great if we have enough men and the distance is such that the enemy is firing arrows or throwing spears, but it is definitely not the formation for hand to hand combat.
12. Pila use. We are going to do things which the Romans probably did not do for safety sake. When preparing to throw pila, there will be two lines. The command “Spatium Date” will be given which will be executed to open order to the left. The entire front rank opens one man width and then a half man width. The back rank opens one man width with the Optio standing firm. Thus a “checkerboard” pattern is achieved. The command “Pila Parate” is given and only the front rank prepares to throw. The command “Mittite” is given, the front rank throws and automatically draws swords. At the same time the back rank automatically passes through the front rank and prepares to throw. The command “Mittite” is given and the back rank throws their pila and automatically draws their swords. The front rank at this time automatically moves up to form one line and the entire unit takes on a battle stance. From here, the centurio can call “Porro” and the line surges forward or “In duos aciem formate” to reform them into two ranks. The purpose of the automatic moves is to eliminate time when an enemy attack is imminent.
13. Use of Swords, whether steel or Needlefelt. When the command to draw swords is given, or at the times when the sword is automatically drawn, great care must be given to the position of the blade in order to not injure anyone. The sword when drawn always is slapped to the side of shield (the shield is always brought to the front) with the point facing forward and the blade at a horizontal angle. In combat, we will use a stabbing motion when in close formation.
- Remember…the shield is also an offensive weapon. Use the shield to send your opponent reeling backwards and follow through with a stabbing attack. In Needlefelt fighting, we are not supposed to stab, so in this case we will open the ranks slightly more and use the weapon in a controlled slash.
- Remember…Combat from a solid rank with your protection coming from your sword and shield, but also from your comrade next to you is vital. NEVER BREAK RANKS WILLINGLY!!!!
