Ancient armies of Italy

[Xanthias]

Lokks like signifer, a stand bearer of the roman legions

yes but I am talking about the wolf clothing. When was it first taken place by the romans and which people initially brought it ?

[Ianus]

yes but I am talking about the wolf clothing. When was it first taken place by the romans and which people initially brought it ?

Originally wre the velites, light infantry, to wear wolf skin. The wolf was sacred to Mars and connected with the mythological origin of Rome.

[Linebacker]

The best fighting force within Rome itself-The Gladiators

[Ulla]

didn't the Romans also have this ?



and from where and when did it come in Italy ?

They are Roman Signifer and Praetorian Vexillifer or Aquilifer, since the Repubblican period. They wore bears, wolfs, lions...

[Scandalf]

yes but I am talking about the wolf clothing. When was it first taken place by the romans and which people initially brought it ?

I think it was a very ancient practice that predates Rome. Every where in the World tribal hunters and warriors covered themselves with beast's skins. Even the Aztecs wore jaguar skin...

[Ulla]

yes but I am talking about the wolf clothing. When was it first taken place by the romans and which people initially brought it ?

Latins or Sabines, or another Italic people that are all of Indo-European origin. But also Etruscans wore wolfs.

Etruscan Aita (fresco dated 400 BC)

[Ulla]

The Lupercal (from lupa, Latin for she-wolf) is a cave at the foot of the south side of Palatine Hill in Rome, between the Temple of Apollo Palatinus and the Basilica di Sant'Anastasia al Palatino. In the legend of Rome's foundation, Romulus and Remus were found there by the lactating female wolf who suckled them until they were found by Faustulus. The priests of Lupercus later celebrated certain ceremonies of the Lupercalia there, from the earliest days of the City until AD 494, when the practice was ended by Pope Gelasius I.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupercal

[SardiniaAtlantis]

Well, in my honest opinion if the flag recalls the 4 mori would be a very bizarre anachronism. I guess that 4 mori is a more recent symbol, medieval times. Four heads of Moors is even findable in the shields of German medieval cities.

OF COURSE!!! It is simply a very interesting coincidence that people have pointed out is all! The 4 mori is actually traceable to the crown of Aragon. It is however interesting to think that we have could have been represented by a similar design so long ago.

[Ianus]

Venetian stradiotti

[Empecinado]

the 4 Moors Flag has a medieval origin, maybe Spanish, the 4 Moors are found also on the flag of the Kingdom of Aragona, and only 1 Moor on the Corsican Flag

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Sardinia#Origin

Sardinia Flag



Aragon Flag



Corsica Flag

It first appeared in a 1281 stamp of Peter III of Aragon, probably alluding to a personal shield with crusader spirit.



Traditionally, the emblem has been associated with the Battle of Alcoraz as interpretations of their origin arising in the XIV century, which linked it to the miraculous intervention of St. George in the Aragonese conquest of Huesca. So it's also called Cruz de Alcoraz.