Glossary of military terms - A

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A copiis militaribus	'In charge of military supplies'. imperial secretary responsible for military expenses.
A rationibus	'In charge of accounts'. imperial secretary responsible for the treasury.
A rationibus castrensis	Camp accounting secretary'. offical responsible for accounting supplies and provisions.
Ab epistulis	In charge of letters'. imperial secretary responsible for military promotions.
Absentia rei publicae causa	Absence on behalf of the state. military service meant that most types of legal action against a soldier were frozen untill his discharge.
Accensus	'Reservist'. light legionary infantry soldier.
Acceptarius	Discharged soldier.
Acceptum	Amount received by soldier after deductions from his pay.
Acies	Battle line.
Acies duplex	Double battle lines.
Acies triplex	Triple battle lines.
Aclis	Javelin.
Actarius	Clerk.
Ad pila et spathas	Close quarter combat.
Ad signa	'With the standards'. present with unit.
Ad stercus	Latrine fatigue duty.
Ad triarios redisse	'To fall back on the triarii '. to have reached a desperate situation.
Adaeratio	Recruitment tax.
Adcrescens	Adolescent. soldier's offspring that would follow in the hereditary military service of the fourth century AD and received rations before taking up actual service.
Adiutor	Assistant. batman.
Adiutor librarii	Assistant clerk.
Adiutrix	'Supporter'. title borne by two legions raised from naval soldiers.
Adlocutio	Formal speech.
Aedes	Sanctuary in the HQ where the standards were stored and a likeness of the emperor was kept.
Aenator	Military musician.
Aerarium	Treasury. pay chest.
Aerarium militare	Military pension fund.
Aestiva	Summer campaigning camp.
Aetos	Eagle standard.
Agens in rebus	Late Roman intelligence operative.
Ager publicus	'Public land'. confiscated land belonging to the Roman state.
Agger	A - earth wall. B - assault ramp.
Agmen	Column.
Agmen quadratum	Square marching formation.
Aichmè	Spear. javelin.
Akontistès	Javelineer. light infantryman.
Ala	'Wing'. A - unit of the allies. B - unit of auxiliary cavalry.
Ala dromedaria	Cavalry unit with attached camel riders.
Ala milliaria	Auxiliary cavalry unit with an establishment strength of some thousand men.
Ala quingenaria	Auxiliary cavalry unit with an establishment strength of some five hundred troopers.
Ala sociorum	Unit of several thousand soldiers drawn from the socii or allies.
Alaris	'Wingman'. soldier serving in ala .
Alaudae	'Crested larks'. cognomen for the legio V originally raised by Caesar as a legio vernacula .
Allagè	Relief of duty.
Allectus	Chosen man. elite soldier.
Ambulatio	Marching exercise.
Ambulatura	Marching exercise.
Amentum	Thong attached to a throwing spear to increase range and accuracy.
Angareia	Requisition of transport.
Angaria	Requisitioning of transport.
Angusticlavius	Decorated with thin purple stripe.
Angusticlavus	Thin purple stripe on tunic indicating membership of the equestrian order.
Annona	A - provisions. B - tax in kind.
Annona foederatica	Subsidy given to allies.
Antecursor	'Front runner'. advanced skirmisher.
Antepilanus	'In front of the spearbearers'. soldier stationed in first or second battle line.
Antesignanis	Elite legionary.
Antesignanus	Soldier fighting in front of the standards. elite legionary foot soldier capable of fighting as both heavy and light infantry.
Aper	Boar. one of the five original legionary standards of a republican legio and symbol of the imperial legio XX and llegio X Fretensis.
Apollinaris	Dedicated to Apollo.
Aquila	Eagle standard.
Aquilae natalis	'Birthday of the eagle'. anniversary of the official founding of a legio .
Aquilifer	Eaglebearer. standardbearer carrying the legion's eagle.
Architectus	Constructor of torsion guns.
Archoon tou kontuberniou	'Commander of the tent party'. squad leader, term used as equivalent of dekarchos .
Arcuballista	Torsion gun. crossbow.
Arcus	Bow.
Arcuarius	Bowyer.
Areani	Late Roman scout/spy unit based in Britannia.
Aries	Battering ram.
Arithmos	Military unit. Greek equivalent of numerus .
Arma	Weapons.
Arma antesignana	The weapons of the antesignani . lonchè or lancea and aspis .
Arma legionaria	Legionary weapons.
Arma postsignana	The weapons of the postsignani . xyston or pilum and thyreos or scutum .
Arma velitaria	The weapons belonging to the velites . hasta velitaris and parma .
Armamentarium	Weapons storage.
Armatura	A - advanced weapons training. B - weapon instructor. C - soldier with advanced weapons training. D - armament.
Armatura duplaris	Weapons instructor on double rations.
Armatus	Armed.
Armicustos	Soldier tasked with the administration and supply of weapons and equipment.
Armidoctor	Equivalent of doctor armorum . weapons instructor.
Armiger	'Weaponbearer'. armed man.
Armilausa	Military clothing item.
Armilla	Arm band used as military decoration.
Artifex	Artisan.
Arx	Fortress.
Aspis	Shield.
Aspis koilè	Curved shield used by legionary heavy infantry.
Aspis platea	Flat shield used by legionary light infantry.
Assiduus	Propertied citizen with military service obligation.
Aurum tironicum	Money tax levied instead of protostasia .
Auspicia	Supreme authority.
Auxilia	Auxiliaries.
Auxilia palatina	Late Roman crack infantry units.
Auxiliaris	Auxiliary soldier.
Auxilium	Late Roman infantry unit.
Auxilium palatinum	Elite late Roman field army infantry unit.

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