What are they? Roman military standards are flags or banners mounted on poles. There were five main standards: The Aquila, The Draco, The Imago, The Signum(or manus), and The Vexillum. The design of the standard based on what type it was, but they were all carried on stafs and each symbol represented something having to do with that section of the army. They each represent something different, and some arguably more important than others. Purpose? The purpose of the Roman Satndards was to identify the legion or cavalry. They were also used to command the soldiers, as they were easily seen even in battle. The motion of the standard could tell the troups to change formation, attack, and many other military maneuvers. They were also symbols of the group, representing who they fought for, what unit they were and much more inforation was conveyed from the standards.