A discens ( la,
discens, -entis) was a soldier of the
military of ancient Rome
The military of ancient Rome, according to Titus Livius, one of the more illustrious historians of Rome over the centuries, was a key element in the rise of Rome over "above seven hundred years" from a small settlement in Latium to the capital of ...
who was in training to become an
immunis, or specialist within the army.
Immunes took up the trades and skills of
engineers
Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considerin ...
, field
medics
A medic is a person involved in medicine such as a medical doctor, medical student, paramedic or an emergency medical responder.
Among physicians in the UK, the term "medic" indicates someone who has followed a "medical" career path in postgradu ...
,
carpenter
Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. Carpenters tra ...
s, and
craftsmen. However, they were also fully trained and would be expected to fight in the
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and m ...
or
cavalry if necessary. The discentes were probably exempted, like the immunes, from standard combat and camp duties since their main occupation would have been time-consuming technical training.
Some known classes include:
* Discens Architecti - Trainee engineer or artillerist.
* Discens Armaturae - Trainee weapons instructor.
* Discens Aquiliferum (or Aquiliferorum) - Trainee eagle standard-bearer.
* Discens Bucinatorem - Trainee trumpeter.
* Discens Capsariorum - Trainee medical orderly.
* Discens Epibatae - Trainee marine.
* Discens Equitum - Trainee cavalryman.
* Discens Lanchiariorum - Trainee javelin-thrower.
* Discens Mensorem - Trainee surveyor.
* Discens Phalangarium - A soldier training as a phalangarius during the 3rd century AD several experiments were conducted with Macedonian phalanx tactics, apparently requiring special training in weapons handling and drill.
* Discens Signiferorum (or discentes signiferorum) - Trainee standard-bearer.
References
* Parker, H. M. D. ''The Roman Legions''. Barnes and Noble Books. 1993.
* Peddie, John. ''The Roman War Machine''. Alan Sutton Publishing Ltd. 1995.
* Webster, Graham. ''The Roman Imperial Army'' A. and C. Black (Publishers) Limited 1979 (2nd edition)
* The temetfuture web site: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/temetfutue/
UNRV
Military units and formations of ancient Rome
Ancient Roman titles
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