Drill Commands

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Unfortunately no training manuals from the 1st century have survived. The closest surviving reference comes from the Strategikon which was written by Flavius Mauricius Tiberius Augustus who ruled Byzantium from 582-602 AD.

With little historical information, Legio XXX along with other local re-enactment groups, established the following drill manual based on what we do know & modern military drill.

Latin	English	Description
General
Ad arma	Fall In	Fall into position to the left of the vexillum (standard); stand at ease
Mandata captate	Attention	Stand at attention; legs together, arms at side, equipment off the ground
Laxate	At Ease	Relax with feet shoulder's width apart, equipment may rest on the ground; maintain discipline (don't move feet, face the front & remain quite)
Vos Dimitto	Dismissed	Fall out of formation
Dressing Ranks
Frontem dirigite	Right Dress (Close Order)
Spatium Date	Right Dress	Everyone but the right most person raises their right arm parallel to the ground with a closed fist & places it against the next person's shoulder. Everyone should be 1 arms length (~3') away from the next
Extendite	Right Dress (Double Spacing)
Intrăte	Form Two Ranks
Iungite	Close Ranks
Exite	Form Single Rank
Turning
Ad gladios clinate	Right Face	Turn 90° to the right, pivoting on the right heal & left toes
Ad scuta clinate	Left Face	Turn 90° to the left, pivoting on the left heal & right toes
Transformate	About Face	Turn 180° to the right, pivoting on the right heal & left toes
Ad scutum transformate	About Face to the Left	Turn 180° to the left, pivoting on the left heal & right toes
Marching
Tarde movete	Slow march	Step off with the left foot, maintain a pace of 60 steps/minute
Movete	March	Step off with the left foot, maintain a pace of 120 steps/minute
Duplex tempus	Double time	Step off with the left foot, maintain a pace of 180 steps/minute
State	Halt	Issued on the right step, stop on the left foot and stand at attention
Ad gladios rotate	Right Wheel	The first rank swings 90° to the right like a door, everyone else need only follow the person in front of them. The innermost side will have to shorten their step (even marching on the spot) while the outermost will have to take larger steps to maintain a straight front line.
Ad scuta rotate	Left Wheel	The first rank swings 90° to the left like a door, everyone else need only follow the person in front of them. The innermost side will have to shorten their step (even marching on the spot) while the outermost will have to take larger steps to maintain a straight front line.
Formations
Agmen formate	Marching column	Step off with the left foot, maintain a pace of 120 steps/minute
Aciem formate	Battle line	Soldiers form a line with their pilum at the ready. This is not a shield wall, 6' spacing should be maintained between each column.
Cuneum formate	Wedge	Centerio is placed at the tip of the wedge with soldiers trailing off his side
Orbem formate	Circle	Form a defensive circle with ranged units & officers in the center
Quadratum formate	Square	Form a defensive square with ranged units & officers in the center
Testudinem formate	Testudo (Tortis)	First rank raises shields to eye height, the following ranks lift their shields onto their heads overlapping the rank in-front. Formation advances together using a chant to stay in step ("Ro-ma, Ro-ma" or "Dex-Sin, Dex-Sin")
Porro	Advance
Ordinem servate	Hold position
Weapons: Pilum
Pila deponite	Lay down javelin	Lay flat on the ground
Pila infigite	Plant javelin	Stick vertically into the ground
Pila tollite	Pickup javelin
Pila parate	Prepare to throw	Place one foot ahead & raise your pilum up
Pila iacite	Throw	Advance 3 steps and throw, 2nd rank will advance through gaps in the first rank. Immediately draw your sword after
Weapons: Gladius
Gladios stringite	Draw swords
Gladios recondite	Sheath swords
Weapons: Ranged Types
Funditor	Slingers
Sagittarii	Archers
Ballistam	Bolt thrower
Catapultam	Catapult
Weapons: Ranged Commands
[Type] Parate	Prepare weapons
[Type] torquete	Wind/cock	Exclusive to artillery pieces
[Type] sagittam ponite	Load
[Type] dirigite	Aim
[Type] dimittite	Fire
[Type] tutam reddite	Secure weapons
Miscellaneous
Exspectate	Wait for it
Parate	Prepare
Parati	Ready
Nunc	Now	Execute the preceding command (Ex. "ad gladios clinate... nunc")
Sin[ister]/Gladios	Right/Sword [hand]	Legio XXX prefers to use gladios instead of sin
Dex[ter]/Scuta	Left/Shield [hand]	Legio XXX prefers to use scuta instead of dex
Clamate	Battle cry	Ro..ma! Ro..ma! Ro..ma!
Silentium/Tacete	Silence	Silence any chatter in the ranks
Accelerate	Speed Up	Can be prepended to other commands
Tardate/Tarde	Slow Down/Slowly	Can be prepended to other commands