Regarding the Gladius and Mail

[Nathan Ross]

(Plutarch, Aem. 20; Caesar, BG 4.25).

I'd always thought there were several instances of this 'throwing the standard' thing happening, actually - although perhaps these are the only known examples?

"The Romans, when they attacked the Macedonian phalanx, were unable to force a passage, and Salvius, the commander of the Pelignians, snatched the standard of his company and hurled it in among the enemy. Then the Pelignians, since among the Italians it is an unnatural and flagrant thing to abandon a standard, rushed on towards the place where it was, and dreadful losses were inflicted and suffered on both sides." (Plutarch, Aemilius Paulus, 20)

"And while our men were hesitating... he who carried the eagle of the tenth legion... exclaimed, "Leap, fellow soldiers, unless you wish to betray your eagle to the enemy. I, for my part, will perform my duty to the commonwealth and my general." When he had said this with a loud voice, he leaped from the ship and proceeded to bear the eagle toward the enemy. Then our men, exhorting one another that so great a disgrace should not be incurred, all leaped from the ship."  (Caesar, Gallic War 4.25)

In the Plutarch example, it's actually an Italian doing it - and Plutarch seems to think that the veneration of the standards was one of thier customs, rather (perhaps) than being native to the Romans!