01-22-2016, 01:16 PM
This was discussed here on RAT before.
My own view is the Draco was the symbolic representation of the Emperor on the battlefield. It was used by each cohort in a Legion/Auxilia unit as the rallying point, probably the association with the Emperor inspired the men to seek out the Draco if their unit broke up. We know that when Silvanius was promoted by his men to the rank of Emperor they stripped the Draco standards of their material covering so they could cloak Silvanius in purple.
There is not the evidence for 3rd/4th Century units having different coloured Draco standards, they all appear to have been either purple or a reddish purple in colour.
My own view is the Draco was the symbolic representation of the Emperor on the battlefield. It was used by each cohort in a Legion/Auxilia unit as the rallying point, probably the association with the Emperor inspired the men to seek out the Draco if their unit broke up. We know that when Silvanius was promoted by his men to the rank of Emperor they stripped the Draco standards of their material covering so they could cloak Silvanius in purple.
There is not the evidence for 3rd/4th Century units having different coloured Draco standards, they all appear to have been either purple or a reddish purple in colour.
Adrian Coombs-Hoar
