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Vexilla
The ''vexillum'' (; plural ''vexilla'') was a flag-like object used as a War flag, military standard by units in the Ancient Roman army. Use in Roman army The word ''vexillum'' is a derivative of the Latin word, ''velum'', meaning a sail, which confirms the historical evidence (from coins and sculpture) that ''vexilla'' were literally "little sails": flag-like standards. In the ''vexillum'', the cloth was draped from a horizontal crossbar suspended from a staff. That is unlike most modern flags in which the "hoist" of the cloth is attached directly to a vertical staff. The bearer of a ''vexillum'' was known as a ''vexillarius'' or ''vexillifer''.Vexillum
''Flagspot.net'', retrieved March 18, 2011
Just as in the case of the regimental colors or flags of early modern Western regiments, the ''vexillum'' was a treasured symbol of the mil ...
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Vexillatio
A ''vexillatio'' (plural ''vexillationes'') was a detachment of a Roman legion formed as a temporary task force created by the Roman army of the Principate. It was named from the standard carried by legionary detachments, the ''vexillum'' (plural ''vexilla''), which bore the emblem and name of the parent legion. Although commonly associated with legions, it is likely that ''vexillationes'' included auxiliaries. The term is found in the singular, referring to a single detachment, but is usually used in the plural to refer to an army made up of picked detachments. ''Vexillationes'' were assembled ad hoc to meet a crisis on Rome's extensive frontiers, to fight in a civil war, or to undertake an offensive against Rome's neighbours. They varied in size and composition, but usually consisted of about 1000 infantry and/or 500 cavalry. Purpose Most of the Roman Army (around 400,000 strong at the beginning of the 3rd century) was stationed along the frontiers from the time of Hadrian, if n ...
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Vexillarius
left, A reenactor, equipped as a ''vexillifer'', with a ''vexillum'' standard Vexillarius is a term referring to one of several distinct types of Roman soldier. A vexillarius or vexillifer was one of the ''signiferi'' in a Roman legion. His duty was to carry the vexillum, a military standard displaying the name and emblem of the legion. This standard consisted of a woven fabric banner, hung on a crossbar attached to a pole or lance. It was used by both infantry and cavalry. It could designate a vexillation (Latin: ''vexillatio''), a detachment from a larger unit, though it was most likely also a standard for regular complete or component units (such as legions, cohorts, ''alae''). The term vexillarius may also refer to specially re-enlisted veterans. These soldiers were so named because they served in a company (''vexillatio'') under their own vexillum standard within the legion, separate from the ordinary legionaries in the cohorts of that same legion. They had privileged statu ...
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Vexilloid
A vexilloid is any flag-like (vexillary) object used by countries, organisations, or individuals as a form of representation other than flags. American vexillologist Whitney Smith coined the term ''vexilloid'' in 1958, defining it as This includes vexilla, banderoles, pennons, streamers, heraldic flags, standards, and gonfalons. Examples include the Sassanid battle standard Derafsh Kaviani, and the standards of the Roman legions such as the eagle of Augustus Caesar's Xth legion and the dragon standard of the Sarmatians; the latter was allowed to fly freely in the wind, carried by a horseman, but depictions suggest that it bore more similarity to an elongated dragon kite than to a simple flag. The use of flags replaced the use of vexilloids for general purposes during late medieval times between about 1100 to about 1400. However, vexilloids still remain in use for specialised purposes, such as for some military units or to symbolise various organisations such as frater ...
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Vexilla Regis
''Vexilla regis prodeunt'' (; often known in English translation as The Royal Banner Forward Goes) is a Latin hymn in long metre by the Christian poet and saint Venantius Fortunatus, Bishop of Poitiers. It takes its title from its incipit. In modern English usage, it is sung to a variety of tunes, although the original plainsong melody is the most common variant. History The hymn was first sung in the procession (November 19, 569) when a relic of the True Cross, sent by Byzantine Emperor Justin II from the East at the request of St. Radegunda, was carried in great pomp from Tours to her monastery of Saint-Croix at Poitiers. Its original processional use is commemorated in the Roman Missal on Good Friday, when the Blessed Sacrament is carried in procession from the Repository to the High Altar. Its principal use however, is in the Divine Office, the Roman Breviary assigning it to Vespers from the Saturday before Passion Sunday daily to Maundy Thursday, and to Vespers of feast ...
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Aquila (Roman)
An ''aquila'' (, "eagle") was a prominent symbol used in ancient Rome, especially as the standard of a Roman legion. A legionary known as an ''aquilifer'', the "eagle-bearer", carried this standard. Each legion carried one eagle. The eagle had quasi-religious importance to the Roman soldier, far beyond being merely a symbol of his legion. To lose a standard was extremely grave, and the Roman military went to great lengths both to protect a standard and to recover it if it were lost; after the annihilation of three legions in the Teutoburg Forest, the Romans spent decades retaliating for the defeat while also attempting to recover the three lost eagles. No legionary eagles are known to have survived. However, other Roman eagles, either symbolizing imperial rule or used as funerary emblems, have been discovered. History The ''signa militaria'' were the Roman military ensigns or standards. The most ancient standard employed by the Romans is said to have been a handful ('' manip ...
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Vexillum (botany)
Papilionaceous flowers (from Latin: ''papilion'', a butterfly) are flowers with the characteristic irregular and butterfly-like corolla found in many, though not all, plants of the species-rich Faboideae subfamily of legumes. Tournefort suggested that the term ''Flores papilionacei'' originated with Valerius Cordus, who applied it to the flowers of the bean. Structure Corolla The flowers have a bilateral symmetry with the corolla consisting of five petals. A single, large, upper petal is known as the banner (also vexillum or standard petal). The semi-cylindrical base of the banner embraces and compresses two equal and smaller lateral wings (or alae). The wings in turn enclose a pair of small keel petals, that are situated somewhat lower than the wings, but are interior to them. They have concave sides and correspond with the shape of the wings. The two keel petals are fused at their bases or stuck together to form a boat-shaped structure that encloses the essential flower ...
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Papilionaceous
Papilionaceous flowers (from Latin: ''papilion'', a butterfly) are flowers with the characteristic irregular and butterfly-like corolla found in many, though not all, plants of the species-rich Faboideae subfamily of legumes. Tournefort suggested that the term ''Flores papilionacei'' originated with Valerius Cordus, who applied it to the flowers of the bean. Structure Corolla The flowers have a bilateral symmetry with the corolla consisting of five petals. A single, large, upper petal is known as the banner (also vexillum or standard petal). The semi-cylindrical base of the banner embraces and compresses two equal and smaller lateral wings (or alae). The wings in turn enclose a pair of small keel petals, that are situated somewhat lower than the wings, but are interior to them. They have concave sides and correspond with the shape of the wings. The two keel petals are fused at their bases or stuck together to form a boat-shaped structure that encloses the essential flower organs ...
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Gonfalon
The gonfalon, gonfanon, gonfalone (from the early Italian language, Italian ''confalone'') is a type of heraldic flag or banner, often pointed, swallow-tailed, or with several streamers, and suspended from a crossbar in an identical manner to the ancient Roman vexillum. It was first adopted by Italian medieval communes, and later, by local guilds, corporations and districts. The difference between a gonfalon with long tails and a standard is that a gonfalon displays the device on the non-tailed area, and the standard displays badges down the whole length of the flag. Background A gonfalon can include a badge or coat of arms, or decoration. Today, every Italian comune (municipality) has a gonfalon sporting its coat of arms. The gonfalon has long been used for ecclesiastical ceremonies and processions. The papal "ombrellino", a symbol of the pope, is often mistakenly called "gonfalone" by the Italians because the pope's ceremonial umbrella was often depicted on the banner. ''Gonf ...
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Vexillology
Vexillology ( ) is the study of the history, symbolism and usage of flags or, by extension, any interest in flags in general.Smith, Whitney. ''Flags Through the Ages and Across the World'' New York: McGraw-Hill, 1975. Print. The word is a synthesis of the Latin word (which refers to a kind of square flag which was carried by Roman cavalry) and the Greek suffix ("study"). The first known usage of the word ''vexillology'' was in 1959. A person who studies flags is a vexillologist, one who designs flags is a vexillographer, and the art of designing flags is called vexillography. One who is a hobbyist or general admirer of flags is a vexillophile. History The study of flags, or vexillology, was formalized by the U.S. scholar and student of flags Whitney Smith in 1961 with the publication of ''The Flag Bulletin''. During his lifetime, Smith organized various flag organizations and meetings including the first International Congress of Vexillology (ICV), the North American Vexillo ...
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Vexillum (gastropod)
''Vexillum'' is a genus of small to medium-sized sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Costellariidae. This genus is not monophyletic. It is considered a "dumping ground" for an array of unrelated forms.Cernohorsky WO. 1966. ''A study of mitrid radulae and a tentative generic arrangement of the family Mitridae.'' The Veliger 9: 101–126 Species Species within the genus ''Vexillum'' include: * '' Vexillum acromiale'' (Hedley, 1915) * '' Vexillum acuminatum'' (Gmelin, 1791) * '' Vexillum acupictum'' (Reeve, 1845) * '' Vexillum adamsianum'' Cernohorsky, 1978 * '' Vexillum aemula'' (E. A. Smith, 1879) * '' Vexillum aequatoriense'' Herrmann & Stossier, 2011 * '' Vexillum albofulvum'' Herrmann, 2007 * '' Vexillum albolineatum'' Cossignani & Cossignani, 2007 * '' Vexillum albotaeniatum'' (Hervier, 1897) * '' Vexillum altisuturatum'' Chino & Herrmann, 2014 * '' Vexillum alvinobalani'' Guillot de Suduiraut, 1999 * '' Vexillum amabile'' (Reeve, 1845) * '' Vexillum aman ...
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Genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family (taxonomy), family. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial species name for each species within the genus. :E.g. ''Panthera leo'' (lion) and ''Panthera onca'' (jaguar) are two species within the genus ''Panthera''. ''Panthera'' is a genus within the family Felidae. The composition of a genus is determined by taxonomy (biology), taxonomists. The standards for genus classification are not strictly codified, so different authorities often produce different classifications for genera. There are some general practices used, however, including the idea that a newly defined genus should fulfill these three criteria to be descriptively useful: # monophyly – all descendants ...
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Gonfalon
The gonfalon, gonfanon, gonfalone (from the early Italian language, Italian ''confalone'') is a type of heraldic flag or banner, often pointed, swallow-tailed, or with several streamers, and suspended from a crossbar in an identical manner to the ancient Roman vexillum. It was first adopted by Italian medieval communes, and later, by local guilds, corporations and districts. The difference between a gonfalon with long tails and a standard is that a gonfalon displays the device on the non-tailed area, and the standard displays badges down the whole length of the flag. Background A gonfalon can include a badge or coat of arms, or decoration. Today, every Italian comune (municipality) has a gonfalon sporting its coat of arms. The gonfalon has long been used for ecclesiastical ceremonies and processions. The papal "ombrellino", a symbol of the pope, is often mistakenly called "gonfalone" by the Italians because the pope's ceremonial umbrella was often depicted on the banner. ''Gonf ...
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