Deskford Draco

[Longovicium]

I've been reading Claudian lately and he makes a clear distinction between the aquilas, the dracos, and the 'serpens'. In the Third Consulship to Honorius, for example, he describes in succession the 'flying eagles', then the 'embroidered dragons, and finally the 'writhing serpents' (138-139) in one sentence. This is not the only time Claudian clearly differentiates between a draco and a serpent either. This would seem to indicate that in Claudian's time , aside from the aquila, there were two other distinct imperial standards which were worth comment above the standard (no pun intended) vexilla or flags. If the dragon was marked by the particular hollow tube which whistled eerily with the breath of the wind, perhaps the 'serpens' was the infantry equivalent but differed from the draco in that it possessed 'writhing' tails rather than a hollow tube? This would seem to make more sense in that a) it would be hard for a marching infantry line to present a standard which caught the wind and produced a moan and b) if you follow Claudian's listing, the 'serpens' invairably comes after the draco - which might indicate a status order: the Eagle as the high imperial standard of old, the higher status equites draco, followed finally by the infantry serpent.