The Signum - The Manus
The signum standard was many round metal discs usually topped with the manus or hand. Many men rallied behind it in battle. The hand atop the standards represented the oath soldiers took before going into battle. This standard was carried by the signafer. Usually, the signum were carried at the front of the group, and they contained between one and six "phalerae" or discs. The number of discs was thought to represent the unit of the century within the cohort. |