Ancient field signs??

[Dutchhoplite]

Hello all,

Non-uniformed armies fighting each other with very similar equipment would have had to rely on other means of identification in battle because....errr...they looked the same..

During the Thirty Years War and the English civil wars this problem was solved with coloured sashes, scraps of cloth, or putting certain plants in their hats.
I was wondering if the ancients used similar methods to recognise each other (besides other means of recognition like shield patterns)??

Thanks

DH

[Jona Lendering]

Have you read Ancient Warfare 3.6?

[hoplite14gr]

An educated guess is also that since "extravagant" helmet decoration is associated with Gods and heroes that officers and commanders were recognised by that example King Pyrros had a helmet with goat horns according to Plutarch.

Kind regards

[Dutchhoplite]

Have you read Ancient Warfare 3.6?

Actually i did...but that doesn't answer my question does it? More modern armies also had flags, banners and music but they still found it necessary to use other means of identification