Symbolism and Beauty of Auxiliary Weapons

Myslevtsev A.S.

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Decorations on the scabbard are found mainly on pugio of the second type. During the Republican period, from the beginning of the use of pugio in the Roman army, the scabbard was characterized by maximum simplicity and was mainly without any artistic decoration. The design was limited to the usual structural elements in order to securely fasten both the sheath itself and the blade inside it.

However, with the end of Republic and the beginning of Principle, an unusual phenomenon occurs. Simplicity suddenly transforms into almost its complete opposite. The sheaths begin to be richly decorated with various symbols and ornaments and become real works of art, which not all craftsmen could make. Enamels (most often on rivets) and non-ferrous metals began to be actively used.

Of particular interest is the symbolism of the ornaments and patterns with which the pugio was decorated. These changes are often associated with the policy of Augustus, the rise of the imperial cult and the language of loyalty to the emperor and the Empire. The same trend is visible not only in the design of the pugio, but also in other elements of Roman military equipment of the early Principate.

Sun (lat. Sol)

Many religions, especially the ancient ones, associate the Sun with the idea of ​​divinity, because it is it that initiates key processes in nature. The sun is the source and center from which everything emanates. This was depicted as a complex of geometric figures - mainly rays emanating from the center, enclosed in a circle or other simple figure.

Often, in addition to the circle, the Sun is inside a square. The square is considered a symbol of the earth, and this can indicate that the Sun dominates the entire earth. However, since Rome could also be symbolized by a square (see symbol "square"), it can also be interpreted as a symbol of Rome's likeness to the Sun.

A pugio may have one or several images of Suns on a scabbard. Each could have different characteristics: geometric shape, number of rays, color, etc. If there is a combination of several circle-squares, then this can be considered as a symbol of a single Imperium. Often a small circle (dot) is depicted with rays emanating from it, which it seems to connect together. The rays themselves surrounding it indicate that the center is protected from the aggression of enemies. In pugio, the Sun is most often depicted with 4-6-8-12-16-20 rays. Their number was random. If there are 12 rays, then they can be interpreted as 12 months of the year. In addition, in Roman mythology the number twelve was attributed to the number of vultures who prophesied a good omen to Romulus, the twelve great gods and the twelve rods that made up the “bundle” (fasces). The color and shape of the rays could also be important.

Laurels (lat. Laurus)

The laurel was one of the sacred symbols of Apollo, which gives grounds to draw an analogy with the areas of patronage of this god - the Sun (perhaps that is why the symbol is depicted simultaneously with the symbol Sol, discussed earlier), art, prediction, health. Laurel, being an evergreen plant, was also a symbol of immortality. In the military field, it represented a symbol of victory, the war itself and, of course, glory, which is why its use during triumph is connected.

Palm tree

This plant is symbolically connected again with Apollo, since he was born on the island of Delos at the foot of a palm tree, the only tree on the entire island. As with the laurel, the palm is a symbol of victory, rebirth and immortality, and for this reason it was given to victors as an additional attribute during triumph. Due to the shape of its leaves, which look like rays, and their arrangement, it has always been associated with the myth of the Sun from the earliest times.

Temple

A temple (from the Greek temenos) is sacred ground that is separated from the profane world by walls. The temple is a reflection of the divine world, being, in a sense, a piece of the world of gods in the world of people.

Symbolic references often found on both the scabbard and hilt of the pugio may be related to the imperial propaganda initiated by Augustus to highlight the fact that the Emperor and all his deeds were directed and protected by the gods, particularly Apollo. It may therefore be a representation of the temple erected at Anzio to thank the god Apollo, since this god presided over Augustus' victory over Sextus Pompey and Antony; or the temple of Apollo Palatine, where a collection of oracles was kept, called the Sibylline Books, because the Cumaean oracle announced the birth of Augustus in advance, in accordance with the wishes of Apollo.

There is an alternative version, which is that this is an image of the temple of Jupiter Feretrius in the Capitol, a place of worship where the trophies of killed enemy rulers or generals were kept.

Cypress

Both because of its longevity and because it is an evergreen plant, the Cypress is a sacred tree for many peoples. For the Greeks and Romans it was a tree associated with the cult of the dead. Even today we often find it decorating cemeteries. Also, cypress is a symbol of various deities: Kronos (Saturn), Hesculapius, Apollo, Cybele, Persephone, Aphrodite, Artemis, Eurynome, Hera and Athena.

Circles and semicircles

Sets of closed circles and semicircles are present in various cultures and are often associated with the energy of the universe. A circle is also a sun sign, while a semicircle can represent the moon.

Pelta

The pelta is a symbol often found in various variations on the arsenal of the Roman soldier, which is a circle with a crescent moon, sometimes including animal heads. Originally used by the Thracians and was popular in Greece. Images of Peltas can be found on Etruscan sarcophagi, funerary monuments of the late Republic, and gladiatorial frescoes of the Republican and early Imperial periods.

The image consists of a crescent moon, at the ends of which there are two heads of animals, such as wolves, bulls or snakes. And, accordingly, they were associated with the qualities inherent in these animals. Sometimes heads looking at each other are interpreted as a harmony of opposites (harmony within the Empire).

There are theories that Apollo could also be associated with this symbol. Macrobius wrote that "the ancients identified the sun with the wolf" and added that at Lyocopolis "they honored Apollo and the wolf, and both were worshiped by the sun." During the Augustan period, Apollo was identified with Soranus, and Virgil of the Aeneid wrote "summe deum, sancticustos Soractis Apollo." The relationship between the wolf and the solar Apollo is also demonstrated by the fact that they have the same roots in Greek: Lykos (wolf) and Lyke (light).

Sine Lines: Snakes and Waves

Curved lines often have symbolism of natural origin: snake, wave, crescent, horns, whirlwind, etc. They are also associated with the category of signs representing energy, the cycle of time and becoming.

The snake is a symbol of the primordial water from which everything originates and to which everything returns for rebirth. Shedding its skin and going into hibernation, it is often associated with the continuous cycle of life and death (the coiled snake) and its relationship with the underworld of the dead. The snake in ancient myths has a connection with the god Apollo, who has been encountered more than once.

Also, the caduceus, the symbol of Mercury, consists of two snakes looking at each other and entwined around a golden divine staff, personifying the harmony that is born from the balance of opposites.

Square

Let's talk a little about such a “geometric” phenomenon as giving an object the properties of both a circle and a square at once. The point, of course, is that Ancient Rome was often called “Urbs Quadrata” (square city). Plutarch states that Rome was both a circle (mundus, the round pit into which proposals for the creation of a city were thrown) and a square, which represented the area of ​​the city. The shape of Rome was round, but we must understand the concept of the square in the sense that it was four-sided, as if divided into four parts by two main roads, the Cardo and the Decumanus, which intersected at a central point. Therefore, the square often represents Rome. Also, a Roman fort built on a square square represented Rome on foreign territory.

The ancient peoples called Rome "urbs quadrata", although today this expression entails certain difficulties for modern interpretation. The reference may be to the ritual performed by Romulus to found the city, as Dionysius of Halicarnassus writes.

We can better understand the dialectic by studying the founding ritual of religious monuments, which underlies the creation of the ancient city. This is because buildings were part of an order associated with a higher reality in ancient times: buildings created by man and erected according to sacred ritual were on the level of forms created by divinity. Ultimately, the circle represents heavenly (divine) reality, while the square refers to earthly reality. From this point of view, it becomes clear how Rome is identified not only with the earthly world, but also with the heavenly one. This is where the circular-square dialectic, which is characteristic of all sacred architecture, is manifested.

Eagle

The eagle is a symbol of Rome, as it is associated with the cult of Jupiter and the Sun. Pliny the Elder says that “only this bird was never killed by lightning, so tradition turned him into the messenger of Jupiter.” In ancient times, it was believed that he was able to look at the sun without closing his eyes, which was evidence of the divine essence. The emperors, as representatives of divine power on earth, used it as their symbol and emblem of the dominion of the Roman Empire.

Vine

The vine is reminiscent of the cult of Dionysus and the mysteries of death. The vine symbolized plant life, representing immortality, just as wine is a symbol of youth and eternal life.

V-marks and chevrons

The "V" or "Chevron" (the shape of an inverted "V") are marks that have been present since the Paleolithic on both vases and numerous artifacts, symbolizing both birds and the life-giving mother goddess. There are many options for depicting this symbol: several characters located in “V” columns, drawn opposite each other, upside down, etc.

Conclusion

Only the most frequently encountered signs are considered here. There were also pugios that were unique in design, where such symbols were not represented at all. But it is still possible to identify the main trends in the symbolism depicted on weapons. Various plants typically symbolize immortality, vitality and military glory. In a sense, they have a protective function, because at that time patterns were perceived somewhat differently. There are also symbols that partially “overlap” each other - Rome, the Sun, the Imperium, the Gods (mainly Jupiter and Apollo), indicating a connection with the divine world. Signs of Rome and the Empire are often combined with signs of Glory, including military glory. So, for example, the combination of a laurel wreath with the sign of the Sun and a circle in a square could mean that the owner carries the glory of Rome like a light in the name of the Emperor. Signs of cyclicality, harmony and death are often encountered, while there are almost no symbols directly related to war. Death is more of a reminder of the fragility of life rather than something evil or negative.

Additional finds of type II pugio show that decorative programs could vary greatly: some scabbards were built on repeating geometric patterns, others combined floral, zoomorphic and architectural motifs.

Related topics

Pugio, gladius, cingulum, Roman army, legionary, Principate.

Literature

• Saliola M., Casprini F. Pugio - Gladius Brevis Est. Archaeopress, 2012.

• Bishop M. C., Coulston J. C. N. Roman Military Equipment: From the Punic Wars to the Fall of Rome.

• Original publication of the Legio X Fretensis club on VKontakte, December 26, 2018.