Glossary of military terms - L

Labarum

Late Roman military standard, that of Constantine the Great being known for the inclusion of the Chi-Rho sign.

Lancea

Spear.
A - light thonged javelin.
B - thrusting spear with decorated blade used as badge of office.

Lancea herculiana

Unspecified type of spear mentioned in Historia Augusta.

Lancea pugnatoria

Combat spear as opposed to training weapon.

Lancearius

A - soldier armed with lancea .
B - light legionary or praetorian infantry soldier.

Lanchiarios

A - soldier armed with lancea .
B - light legionary foot soldier.

Lanista

Gladiatorial weapons instructor.

Lankia

Spear. term in Diodorus for Gallic thrusting spear with decorated blade.

Latro

Bandit. guerilla fighter.

Latrunculus

Petty bandit. guerilla fighter.

Lectus

A - draftee. conscript.
B - chosen man. elite soldier.

Lectus in sacro comitatu lanciarius

Picked out for service as javelineer in imperial field army.

Legatus

Subordinate commander.

Legatus Augusti pro praetore

Provincial governor.

Legatus legionis

Senatorial legionary commander.

Legeioon

Legion.

Legio

'Levy'. basic Roman military unit of several thousand men.

Legio classica

'Naval legion'. legion doing shipboard duty as boarding party marines.

Legio comitatensis

Field army legion.

Legio iusta

'Proper legion'. legion constituted from citizens as opposed to unit levied from provincials.

Legio palatina

Elite field army legion.

Legio pseudocomitatensis

Frontier legion serving in late Roman field army.

Legio urbana

'City legion'. legion raised for defence of the city of Rome itself.

Legio vernacula

Legion levied from provincials rather than Roman citizens.

Legio volonum

Military unit recruited from slave volunteers.

Legionarius

Legionary soldier.

Leptos hyssos

Light javelin. type of pilum .

Levis

Early republican legionary skirmisher attached to units of hastati .

Levis armatura

Light armed.

Liber commeatus

Unrestricted leave.

Libera testamenta factio

Right to make a will free from formal legal requirements. important military priviledge.

Liberalitas

‘generosity’. alternative term for the special money grants more commonly known as donativum .

Libertus

Freedman.

Librarius

Archive clerk.

Librarius caducorum

Clerk in charge of the registration associated with deceased soldiers and the disposal of their belongings.

Libritor

A - slinger.
B - artilleryman.

Liburna

Light war-ship.

Liburnarius

Marine.

Lignatio

Collection of firewood.

Ligo

Entrenching tool.

Lilia

'Lilies'. concealed obstacle.

Limes

Frontier road.

Limitanei

Frontier unit.

Lituus

Musical instrument.

Lixa

Military servant. camp-follower.

Lochos

Military unit.

Lonchè

Spear. see lancea .

Lonchophoros

A - soldier armed with lonchè .
B - legionary light infantry soldier.

Lorica

A - body armour.
B - parapet.

Lorica hamata

Mail shirt.

Lorica plumata

'Feathered armour'. ribbed scale armour.

'Lorica segmentata'

Modern term for laminated plate armour.

Lorica squamata

Scale armour.

Loricatus

Armoured.

Loricula

Small (and presumably light) set of armour.

Ludus gladiatorum

Gladiatorial training school.

Lupus

‘Wolf’.
A - spiked drawbridge.
B - one of the five original legionary standards during the republic.

Lusoria

Small boat.