Corona Civica - the "Civic Crown" was awarded for the rescue of a Roman citizen from danger in the face of the enemy. This was the highest award available to the Legion and apparently was limited to the centuriate* and higher ranks. Though it could be worn on the recipient’s head, and might have been on initial a- warding, it was thereafter attached to the leather harness or worn clipped on to the armor breast plate. This award was later known as the Corona Civica Aurea.~* Corona Vallaris - this crown was awarded to the Unit Commander or entire units for capturing an enemy camp or fortification. This decoration was also known as the Corona Castrensis. Corona Myrtaea - this was originally a wreath of grass or flowers awarded to those who raised a siege of a Roman camp. Also known as the Corona Graminaea or the Corona Obsidionalis, this award later became an actual metal crown awarded to the Unit Commander and entire units for rescuing their fellow besieged soldiers. Pliny the Elder lists only eight individual recipients, including Caesar Augustus. The scarceness of this award is attributable to either the high status of this decoration or the fact that there were few Roman Army units that needed rescuing. Corona Triumphalis - the "Crown of Triumph." Also referred to as the Corona Aurea,e** or Golden Crown, it was awarded to Com- manders of Armies (muces) who were victors of great battles and campaigns. These crowns were first made of laurel leaves, but later fashioned of gold. The crown was worn during the Triumph Parade, then given to the Temple of Jove. Julius Caesar collected several thousand of these crowns during his victorious campaigns and later had them melted down to pay the army.7 Hasta Pura - this award was a short blunt javelin made of silver. Awarded only to members of the centuriate and higher ranks, it was the second highest decoration for bravery. Vexillum - this award was the highest decoration available in the Roman Army. No examples remain, but it is described as a small purple banner affixed to a short staff set in a silver orb. While it is hard to envision such a decoration, it is possible that it was carried by an aide or servant much like a personal standard. Apparently this decoration was available only to those of sena- torial rank, which would have limited it to Army Commanders, etc. *Centurigns were the commissioned officers of the Roman Army. They held their commissions from the Emperor and their records were kept in Rome. They were commissioned after Training School in Rome, directly from the ranks, and in some rare cases were elected by their soldiers. eeThere are various references to an award known as the Corona Aurea, a plain golden crown awarded for bravery. However, the Romans were fairly particular in using proper titles for decora- tions. Thus, I believe that references to a golden crown mean any decoration that was signified by such a crown, not a ~- lar decoration of that name. This area is certainly open both to speculation and to further research. ~**See my prior note relative to the possible existence of a de- coration known as the Corona Aurea. FIGURE 2 This is an artist’s conception of a Legion’s Eagle belong- ing to Legion II Augustus, stationed in upper Britain from circa 68 A. D. until 215 A.D. There is no des- cription of the various types of eoronae. However, it is to be assumed that each looked different so as to dis- tinguish the one from the other. For example, the Corona Civiea had oak leaves and acorns intermixed. The Eagle might have other additions; streamers, phaZerae, etc. It was carried by a hand-picked soldier known as an eagle-bearer ~Aquilifer), who was a senior non-com- missioned officer. Those decorations which were meant to be affixed to the wearer’s person (~ora~s and corinne) came with ribbons ~ ~nisei~ which were considered a part of the decoration itself. In the absence of oak leaf clusters or stars, repeat decorations were awarded and worn. Units, which were awarded various coronae had them attached to their eagle {see Figure 2). It is believed that members of the unit received and wore the coronae or pha!aerae awarded to the unit on their person - much the same procedure as exists today with the award of Unit Citations and the like. The eagle also bore the name of the Legion and any titles won in battle or a- warded by the Emperor8. For example, Legions If, Ill, and VIII had the title Augusta added to their names for loyalty to Octav- ian during the civil war. More often we see an honorific such as pia fideZis, "devoted and loyal," added to a Legion’s name. Thus, when the Emperor Domitian honored the Legio f Minervia in 83 A. D., it became Legio i Minervia pia fidelis Domitiana. After Domi- tian’s death, his na e was dropped and the Legion became Legio I Minervia pia fidelis . The name of the reigning sovereign was equivalent to the prefix "Royal" in the British Army. The eagle was the symbol of the Legion, guarded by picked troops, and rare- ly lost to the enemy. It is said that when Varus lost three Legions and their eagles to the Germans in 92 A. D. at the ambush of Saltus Teutoburgensis, Augustus brooded over the fate of the eagles and could not rest until punitive expeditions were sent to recover them.* He also refused to reconstitute the numbers of the Legions involved since he believed them disgraced forever for losing their eagles. There have been very few of these decorations preserved. A few phalerae were found; perhaps not over a dozen exist today. What we know of the awards and how they looked is from written reports at the time and sepulchral stele of marble and stone {see Figures 3, 4, and S). These reliefs show the stern visages of long-dead Roman soldiers wearing their ceremonial armor and their decora- tions. One of the most famous was L. Siecius Dentatus, who be- came Tribunus PZebei in 4S4 B. C. He was a veteran of 120 battles and had 45 scars on the front of his body (none on his back). He had been awarded 18 hastae purae, 25 ~hagerae, 83 torques, 160 armilZae, and 26 coronae, of which 14 were coronae civicae, three corona murales, and one corona graminaea. Of such men were the Legions made and by them were the frontiers of Rome secured. The Romans left us many reminders of their passing. Not only the crumbling ruins of their baths, arches, aqueducts, bridges, and roads, but also traditions of laws, language, and civilization. In the military sphere, the Romans left us the first system of military decorations, some of which still exist in altered forms today.** Lastly, the Roman Army left many great military tradi- tions, chief among which was centuries of world peace. *Only two of the three were recovered by Germanicus. **e.g., if you look at the former ~leritorious Unit Citation (the patch with golden crown), you will see the present day version of the co~onae awarded in the Armies of Rome. The crown and eagle still exSst as a basic part of many of our current awards and decorations. .