Roman use of Dacian draco

[guy]

I was watching a video (see below) about Trajan’s column when I saw the Dacian fort with the heads of captured enemies. I also saw the Dacian draco: the hollow dragon-appearing military standard that made a whistling sound. This was later adapted first by the Roman cavalry and later the infantry. 
 

 

Scene from the movie “Gladiator” with the draco standard.

 

 

The whistling shrieking sound of the draco could have had a power effect in demoralizing the enemy:

 

 

Good article on the Roman draco:

Quote

 

The Draco was adopted first into the Roman cavalry during the 2nd century AD, possibly with the introduction of Sarmatian cavalry into the Roman army. Arrian, who was writing c. 137 AD, described it as a Scythian (he most probably meant Sarmatian) invention which was adopted by Roman cavalry.

The choice for the dragon/serpent as model is not so easy to explain, because the steppe cultures used other animal's heads and continued to do so. However, it has been assumed that it was because of the Thracian dominance in Roman cavalry that the latter adopted the serpent shape. These Thracian horsemen had a deity which resembled a 'flying' serpent with scales, teeth and an upstanding crest, which may well have been a draco or something similar.

 

 

http://www.fectio.org.uk/articles/draco.htm

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dacian_draco

 

 

Edited February 6 by guy

[Crispina]

First I've ever heard of the Draco. So interesting, great video demonstrating the  sound.