Marching into Battle
The 9th grade Latin students demonstrate Roman military formations.
The 9th grade Latin students celebrated the final day of the school year with a lively demonstration of Roman military formations.
Two dozen girls in full battle regalia - sandals, kilts and helmets - held swords and shields as they lined up in the M&M Building. On their leader’s command of “Movete!” they began to march in formation, wheeling to the left or right in response to commands of “Ad dextram!” or “Ad sinistram!” and coming to a halt after the order “Consiste!”
Next, the Roman soldiers prepared to attack. On their commander’s order of “Ad testudinem” the soldiers marched into the testudo or tortoise formation, a formation commonly used by the Roman Legions during battles, particularly sieges. The first row of soldiers held their shields at the height of their eyes, to cover the formation’s front, while the soldiers in the back placed their shields over their heads to protect the formation from above. In this way, the soldiers presented a shield wall to all sides.
Next, the Roman soldiers marched into a wedge formation on the order “Ad cuneum.” This tactic, using thin lines of soldiers with a “V”-shaped concentration in the front and center, allowed Roman soldiers enough concentration at center to smash through enemy lines. In formation, the battle leader at the front point commanded “Parati” (“Ready”), and the soldiers began to bang their swords on their shields, finally charging forward to the applause of the audience on the cry of “Porro!” (“Charge!”).
Thank you to Classical and World Languages teacher Mrs. Karen Demirjian and the 9th grade Latin students for a vivd demonstration of the Roman military in action.
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Two dozen girls in full battle regalia - sandals, kilts and helmets - held swords and shields as they lined up in the M&M Building. On their leader’s command of “Movete!” they began to march in formation, wheeling to the left or right in response to commands of “Ad dextram!” or “Ad sinistram!” and coming to a halt after the order “Consiste!”
Next, the Roman soldiers prepared to attack. On their commander’s order of “Ad testudinem” the soldiers marched into the testudo or tortoise formation, a formation commonly used by the Roman Legions during battles, particularly sieges. The first row of soldiers held their shields at the height of their eyes, to cover the formation’s front, while the soldiers in the back placed their shields over their heads to protect the formation from above. In this way, the soldiers presented a shield wall to all sides.
Next, the Roman soldiers marched into a wedge formation on the order “Ad cuneum.” This tactic, using thin lines of soldiers with a “V”-shaped concentration in the front and center, allowed Roman soldiers enough concentration at center to smash through enemy lines. In formation, the battle leader at the front point commanded “Parati” (“Ready”), and the soldiers began to bang their swords on their shields, finally charging forward to the applause of the audience on the cry of “Porro!” (“Charge!”).
Thank you to Classical and World Languages teacher Mrs. Karen Demirjian and the 9th grade Latin students for a vivd demonstration of the Roman military in action.
An independent school for girls in grades 6-12 guided by the teachings of the Catholic Church.
