Aeneator

For a genus of snail, see Fusinus.

An aeneator ([aēneātor or ahēneātor] Error: {{Lang-xx}}: text has italic markup (help)) refers to a classical Roman professional performer of the buccina, cornu, or lituus. The word comes from Latin aēneus or ahēneus, "brazen", from aes, "copper alloy". Military aeneators were known as cornicines, because they blew cornus (military buccinae). Aeneators who blew buccinae were called buccinators or bucinators.

Aeneators in Roman War

The basic cavalry soldier was almost always armed with a shield and stabbing spear, supplemented by a sword. The Romans were never noted for using mounted archers, for example. The appearance of the cavalry soldier would surely have changed over time but the figure below would be a good generalization of the soldier at almost any time in Rome's history. Each Ala had an Aeneator with a curved cavalry horn and an officer and a Vexillarius with a red banner.

The Century

The size of the century varied from time to time in the history of the legion. There were noticeable differences between actual and theoretical legion strength as well. For the purpose of the models I have considered the century to be 80 men: 8 contubernia, 1 centurion, a signifer and an aeneator (either a cornicen or a tubicen). The camp models do not allow room for the aeneatores or signiferi to tent with the centuries, they may have been camped together at the center. Wherever they were camped, they would require one tent for each 8 or 10 soldiers. The number of tents for these units is considered later.

Instrument information

The instrument called a buccina was a brass instrument described as a curled horn. The buccina was used for the announcement of night watches and various other purposes in the camp. The instrument is the ancestor of both the trumpet and the trombone. The German word for trombone, Posaune, is linguistically derived from Buccina.

See also

• Cornicen
• Buccinator
• Aulete
• Rhapsode
• Citharede