Deskford Draco

[Robert Vermaat]

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?

a status order: the Eagle as the high imperial standard of old, the higher status equites draco, followed finally by the infantry serpent.

Interesting, but there are some sources that indicate differently:

Arrian is already describing the cavalry draco as making noise from the tail:
Arrianus, Tactica 35: they fill with air through the wind so they are most like the beasts and even hiss when a strong wind flows through much movement
Ammianus also mentions that the emperor himself was recognisable by a purple draco, indicating to me that the eagle was not the imperial standard, nor the first in status.

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*EDIT - quick note - I've often assumed that the draco was made to 'hiss' by the air entering the open 'mouth' in some way - but 'exhalation' suggests the opposite. If the pointed end of the 'sock' was fitted with a narrow metal tube, like a whistle, then would the air being forced out through it made the required noise?

Nobody has managed to recreate the hissing sound of the dracones. My best guess at the moment would be that some design in the fabric of the tail could have produced the sound.