07-04-2014, 03:48 PM
Romans had four different types of musical instruments used in military contexts: the cornu (tuba), tuba (trumpet), bucina, and lituus. Vegetius specifically mentions that "the tuba sounds the charge and retreat, the cornu are used to regulate the motions of the standards.." (2.22) and that "the instruments signaled the army to advance, retreat, halt, pursue fugitives or to be recalled." (3.5)
Accidentally alerting the wrong units with horns and other musical has been a problem from the dawn of ages until musical instruments stopped being used. Caesar blamed his "difficulties" at the battle of Gergovia on the wrong units hearing horn commands that didn't apply to them. Runners are one of the most secure methods of delivering info but it is also one of the least reliable. Sometimes runners are not able to find the proper recipients to deliver messages, they get lost, or are killed/otherwise incapable of delivering their messages. Yelling/voice doesn't always work, especially in a settings (ancient combat) that specifically mention loud noises, such as banging shields against weapons, screaming curses and war cries, or singing war songs. Good luck being heard by your men over that. Also, for those that have attempted to yell loud for long periods, especially yelling louder than everyone else around you, people have a tendency to become hoarse, military experience and combat training notwithstanding.
Ancient Warfare Magazine, Volume III, Issue 6, has multiple in depth articles about this subject, containing actual sources. Highly recommend those interested in the use of military musicians and signalling, as well as some articles about the use of standards.
Accidentally alerting the wrong units with horns and other musical has been a problem from the dawn of ages until musical instruments stopped being used. Caesar blamed his "difficulties" at the battle of Gergovia on the wrong units hearing horn commands that didn't apply to them. Runners are one of the most secure methods of delivering info but it is also one of the least reliable. Sometimes runners are not able to find the proper recipients to deliver messages, they get lost, or are killed/otherwise incapable of delivering their messages. Yelling/voice doesn't always work, especially in a settings (ancient combat) that specifically mention loud noises, such as banging shields against weapons, screaming curses and war cries, or singing war songs. Good luck being heard by your men over that. Also, for those that have attempted to yell loud for long periods, especially yelling louder than everyone else around you, people have a tendency to become hoarse, military experience and combat training notwithstanding.
Ancient Warfare Magazine, Volume III, Issue 6, has multiple in depth articles about this subject, containing actual sources. Highly recommend those interested in the use of military musicians and signalling, as well as some articles about the use of standards.
