Archery Commands?

[habbs]

What would the Latin commands for things like: Nock arrows! or Shoot!

I can't seem to find anything.

Thanks.

[Magnus]

Hello habbs, welcome to RAT!

Please add your name to your signature...forum rules. 8)

[Peroni]

Basic commands..

Saggittarii Parate "Prepare the Archers"

Telum/Tela Ponite "Place the Missile(s) (equivalent to 'nock')

"Bracchia Reducite "Draw back the Arms"

Ad Scopon(scopae) / Hostes Dirigite "Aim at the Target / Enemy "

Parate est? Ready?

Iacite "Shoot" (for each shot, repeating the shooting sequence as required)

Sponte Iacite "Shoot at Will" (for continuous shooting without further commands)
Ad Caelum "To the Sky"
Desistite! "Stop!"

Other Commands:

Humilius Dirigite "Aim Lower"
Ad Sinistram "To the Left"
Altius Dirigite "Aim Higher"
Ad Dextram "To the Right"

[Folkert van Wijk]

Cool!

More, we want more!!

[Peroni]

Post edited to add more... :wink:

[M. Demetrius]

Nice work! Thanks!

[QVINTVS ARTORIVS CORVINVS]

Who is this Will guy that every keeps firing at???

[PhilusEstilius]

Adrian I don't want to appear rude in any way but by the time anyone got all those commands out on the battle field, all the archers would be on their backs with an arrow firmly stuck in their ribs I think. I would think they all just did their own thing realy and some body just shouted SHOOT!!!

[M. Demetrius]

I don't think that's right. The Roman army was very disciplined, and would not need to be told to raise shields to protect themselves from incoming arrows, but massed archers are the most effective when they know -- as a group -- where the arrows are to be directed. It wasn't random, and it wasn't a matter of the archers making their own way, any more than the throwing of a volley of pila or anything else. Discipline requires waiting for a command to be issued.

Whether these are the actual commands used or not, it seems plain enough that they would issue a command as the officers see the objectives presenting themselves. From then to now, professional armies everywhere still follow directives from higher-ups. Artillery doesn't just fire whenever, at whatever, soldiers are not just shooting in every direction however they see fit to do. They have their guidelines, of course, and can act somewhat independantly, and are generally expected to pick targets as they present themselves, but they work better when operating as a unit against a specific target.

[PhilusEstilius]

David. I would say from the point of view of disipline you are correct however I do not think that the archers would need all of the preliminary orders as such, for they would indeed have a whole load of arrows already in the ground infront of them ready for what they were about to do and the words Load Fire or Fire at Will would have been enough.

I do of course agree that concentration on a particular point would be needed and a certain disipine would also be required to make the barrage effective.

[QVINTVS ARTORIVS CORVINVS]

David,

That is a very valid point. Being ex-airborne Artillery I would have to completely agree... the exception being when your lines are being overrun and your are in full "Weapons Free" mode.

Many times the artillery don't actually see what they are firing at, they are given co-ordinates and corrective adjustments by forward spotters and Detachment Commanders.
I remember once as a private, (during war games) my section were ordered to hold one arc and one arc only. At the time it didn't make sense (I hadn't rationalized that there may be more going on than what I could physically see) and I repointed my weapon system in the direction I thought more appropriate.
The end result was that we managed to hold our position (barely), but not as decisively as if I would have followed the directions given.
So in a missile section, it HAS to be co-ordinated and HAS to have spotters and battlezone evaluations/ strategies... otherwise its effectiveness is severley compromised.

My $.02

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I see there would need to be a happy medium. While the orders would be required, ie to prepare for action, and fire, direction and target, etc, I wonder if the actual breakdown of step by step instruction would be required......good for building tension and expectation with a crowd, but a bit like telling a fox how to suck eggs, Not wanting to sound critical at all, just too micro-managing the basics, imho?
:mrgreen:

[QVINTVS ARTORIVS CORVINVS]

Totally.

Every soldier is taught the individual phases of the movements, but the Overall movements and directions must be called.

[Peroni]

Brian The question was asked what commands could be used..

The commands I suggested we do not have a contemporary record for. They are merely suggestions. :wink:

[Nihonius Legio]

I like learning thses commands, and would like to learn Latin fully one day (I'm going for Japanese first). I have a question though. Every instructional piece on Latin I've found online fails to describe how to pronounce words with "ii" in them. I've read that you say every letter written, but do you really say " ee ee" every time you see this? Holding a long "ee" sounds more sensible to me, but I speak english so I could be wrong.
Also, is "please" spelled siplacet? I've only heard it spoken.