1624 Laurus (Lauro), Military Offices of the Roman army, engraving

De Dignitate Militari Apud Romanos

Lauro, Giacomo ( Jacobus Laurus )

Antiquae Urbis Splendor, Hoc Est Praecipua Eiusdem Templa Amphitheatra Theatra Circi Naumachiae Arcus Triumphales Mausolea .

Romae, Apresso Vitale Mascardi, Roma, 1612-1622.

FINE ENGRAVING from one of the most influential and beautiful works on the monuments and antiquities of ancient Rome. The Antiquae urbis splendor, ('The Splendor of the Ancient City') served as an important reference book and source of inspiration for many writers and artists. Giacomo Lauro was a roman printmaker active from 1583 to about 1650. 

Leaf: 21.6 x 26.3 cm

The text at the bottom of the plate is a lengthy description of the famous eagle standards of the Roman army, along with notes about Constantine's use of the Christian chi-rho banner, and a discussion of the use of the imperial purple banner more generally. The illustration shows four mounted figures, representing cavalry standard bearers and generals. The figure to the right carries an aquila, the eagle standard of the Roman legion, and wears a lion-skin. The figure behind, carrying a cruciform pole from which a square fabric banner is suspended, is probably the cohort standard bearer, the piece of cloth called the textilis anguis in reference to the serpent or dragon which was traditionally emblazoned upon it. In the Christian period, this banner became known as the labarum, its design altered to include the chi-rho christogram. The remaining two figures, similarly attired, carry rods, most likely the vitis, a vine-staff given to centurions as both a mark of their rank, and also as a practical tool for maintaining discipline within each century of the legion.