Glossary of military terms - M

Machaira

Sword.

Machaira Iberikè

Spanish sword. Greek equivalent of gladius Hispaniensis .

Machairophoros

Swordsman.

Machina

Siege engine. torsion gun.

Magister

A - officer.
B - NCO.
C - private with special responsibilities.

Magister equitum

'Master of the horse'.
A - late Roman senior officer
B - deputy to dictator  during the republic.

Magister militum

'Master of the soldiers'. late Roman senior officer.

Magister peditum

'Master of the infantry'. late Roman senior officer.

Magister populi

'Master of the people'. equivalent title of dictator .

Magister praesentalis

General of the late Roman imperial field army.

Magister utriusque militiae

'Master of both military services'. late Roman senior officer.

Magistrianus

Late Roman intelligence operative.

Mandatum

Command. order.

Manica

Armprotector.

Manipularis

Soldier serving in manipulus . heavy infantry soldier.

Manipularius classis

Naval soldier.

Manipulus

'Handfull'.
A - unit consisting of two centuriae .
B - late Roman army squad.

Manuballista

'Hand gun'.
A - light torsion gun.
B - crossbow.

Manubiae

Spoils. plunder.

Manus

A - hand.
B - force. violence.
C - force. military unit.

Manus ferrea

'Iron hand'. harpoon.

Manus Germanorum

Troop of Germans. early imperial horse guards.

Martia

'Martian'. ie dedicated to Mars, the god of war.

Martiobarbulus

Lead weighted dart.

Matara

Celtic javelin.

Mathètès

Trainee.

Mathètès hippeoon

Trainee cavalryman.

Mattiarius

Spearman. javelineer.

Mechanè

Siege engine. torsion gun.

Medicus

Medical orderly. doctor.

Medicus chirurgus

Surgeon.

Medicus duplicarius

NCO on double pay in the medical service.

Medicus ordinarius

Medical officer.

Mensor

Surveyor.

Miles

Soldier.

Miles gloriosus

'Glorious soldier'. comic braggart soldier character.

Miles gregarius

Private. common soldier.

Miles gregalis

Private. common soldier.

Miles medicus

Medical orderly. army doctor.

Militaris

Military.

Militaris cibus

Military food.

Militia

Equestrian term of military service.

Militia armata

Armed military service. as opposed to service in the late Roman civil service.

Militia equestris

Equestrian officer post.

Militiae mutatio

Transfer to another branch of the armed forces.

Militia officialis

The civil service, manned in Roman times by predominantly military personel.

Militiae petitor

'Petitioner for service'. equestrian requesting posting as an officer.

Militia prima

First stint of equestrian military service involving command of an auxiliary cohors .

Militia quarta

Fourth military posting in equestrian military career involving command of an elite ala milliaria .

Militia secunda

Second term of equestrian military service. generally this involved a post as tribunus either in a legion or an auxiliary unit, though for a limited period this involved command of an ala , an auxiliary cavalry regiment.

Militia tertia

Third tour of duty for equestrian officers involving command of an auxiliary fivehundred strong cavalry regiment, though for a short while a legionary or auxiliary tribunate was given as the third posting.

Militia provincialis

Provincial army.

Militia urbana

'City troops'. the forces stationed at Rome itself.

Mille passus

'Thousand paces'. mile. the Roman mile was 5000 feet of either 294mm or 332mm giving a length of 1480 m to 1660 m.

Milliaria

A thousand strong.

Minister bello

Logistical officer.

Minotaurus

Human headed bull standard which was one of the original five legionary standards in the republican army.

Miscellum

Bronze table listing soldiers who had served their time.

Missicus

Retired veteran.

Missile

Projectile.

Pilum missile

Throwing spear.

Missio

Release from service.

Missio causaria

Honourable discharge on medical grounds.

Missio honesta

Honourable discharge.

Missio ignominiosa

Dishonourable discharge.

Misthios

Mercenary.

Modiolus

Catapult washer.

Mucro

Sword point. tip.

Mulio

Mule driver.

Mulus

Mule.

Mulus Marianus

'Marius's mule'. nickname for heavily laden legionary.

Munerum indictio

Punitive fatigue duty.

Munifex

Soldier without exemptions from duty.

Munitio

Fortification.

Munus

Fatigue duty.

Murcus

Potential recruit who has cut off his thumb to escape military service.

Murus

Wall.

Murus caespiticius

Turf wall.

Murus Gallicus

'Gallic wall'. stone wall with a skeleton of stout wooden beams to lessen the impact of battering rams.

Muscularius

'Shellfish man'. late Roman marine.

Musculus

‘Shellfish’. type of boat.