What was an ancient Roman commander's standard?

Answer 1

The standards were already important at an early stage of the history of the army of not only Rome, but of other peoples as well. They were already very important in the days of the Roman Republic. The commanders did not have their own battle standards. It was the sub-units (the maniples and later the cohorts) and the units (the centuries) of a legion which had the standards. The standards played a crucial role in battle. They were the reference point of the unit and sub-unit. The standard-bearers moved themselves and the standards as instructed by the signals of the commanders (usually by horns which could be heard in the noise of the battle) and the soldiers knew where to go by following the standard. They also helped the soldiers to find their unit and sub-units again if they got lost in the heat of the battle. It was also important for rallying the troops. They rallied around it. They also , fostered an esprit de corps and pride in the unit or sub-unit.

The task of carrying the standard in battle was dangerous. Because of the crucial role the standards had in battle the standard bearer (the signifer)had to undergo specific training. He was held in high esteem by the troops. Losing the standars in a battle was considered highly shameful. If the signifer was lost in battle, the whole unit was dishonored.

Answer 2

During the Imperial Era, every Roman army commander had his own battle standard. In the early years of empire, a standard for a commander was usually an upright rod that had a larger square with purple letters that identified a particular commander's role as the top commander of a Roman army.