Glossary of military terms - D

Decanus

Commander of contubernium  or tentparty.

Decimipilus

Centurion of the pili of the tenth cohort of a legion.

Decumanus

Soldier of the legio X.

Decurio

Cavalry officer.
A - officer commanding ten to thirty horse men in the legion of the early republic.
B - officer commanding a turma  in the auxilia .

Decurio exercitator

Cavalry training officer.

Decurio princeps

Officer in charge of unit's administration.

Decursio

Military exercise.

Dediticius

Someone who has surrendered. prisoner of war.

Deditio

Unconditional surrender.

Defector

Deserter.

Defensores

'Defenders'. troops in close order defensive formation.

Dekanos

Militia man. police man.

Dekarchos

A - cavalry officer. Greek equivalent of decurio .
B - section commander, equivalent of decanus .

Delectus

Picked soldier.

Deposita

Savings.

Deputatus

Medical orderly.

Dexa

'Catch!'. motto inscribed on lead sling bullets.

Diaseismos

'Shakedown'. extortion was a relatively common military vice.

Dictator

Senior magistrate granted emergency powers originally appointed for a period of six months.

Difalangia

Double battle order, ie facing front and rear.

Digmata

Shield decoration.

Dilectator

Official in charge of conscription levy.

Dilectus

Conscription levy.

Diogmitès

Urban militia man.

Diploma

Discharge certificate.

Direptio

Sack.

Discens

Trainee.

Discens architecti

Trainee artillery constructor.

Discens aquiliferum

Trainee eagle standard bearer.

Discens aquiliferorum

Trainee eagle standard bearer.

Discens capsariorum

Soldier training for function as medical orderly.

Discens equitum

Trainee cavalryman

Discens lanchiariorum ((Bad) LA)

Trainee javelineer.

Discens phalangarium

Soldier training as a phalangarius. During the third century ad several experiments were conducted with macedonian phalanx tactics, apparently requiring special training in weapons handling and drill.

Discens signiferorum

Trainee standardbearer.

Dispensator

Imperial treasury slave.

Distributio numerorum

Distribution of units. the order of battle of the Roman army in the Notitia Dignitatum.

Doctor

Instructor.

Doctor armorum

Weapons instructor.

Dolabra

Axe.

Dolus

Trick, ruse.

Domesticus

'Household man'. late Roman imperial guard soldier.

Domitiana

'Domitian's own'. honorary title for loyal army units in Domitian's reign.

Dona militaria

Military decorations.

Donativum

Extraordinary grant of money.

Donis donatus

Rewarded with decorations.

Dory

Spear.

Dory makron

Long spear or pike. weapon used by legionary phalangarii  in third century.

Doryphoros

'Spearman'. guard soldier.

Doux

Military commander.

Draco

'Dragon'. windsock standard.

Draconarius

Dragon bearer. late Roman standardbearer.

Dromedarius

Camel trooper.

Ducenarius

Late Roman officer.

Duovir navalis

Republican era naval commander.

Duplaris

NCO on double basic pay.

Duplicarius

NCO on double basic pay.

Dux

Commander.

Dux ripae

'River bank commander'. subordinate commander of frontier section.