vexillum

Forms

vēxillum n (genitive vēxillī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is the diminutive of vēlum (“sail, cloth”).^[2][1][3] De Vaan derives ⟨vēlum⟩ from Proto-Italic *wekslo-, perhaps Proto-Indo-European *ueg-slo-, and notes that the diminutive shows a stem with a consonant before ⟨-slo-⟩; the root may be “to weave”, as in Welsh gwëu (“to weave”) and Old English wice (“wick”), or less likely “to convey”.^[4] The OLD also compares the Welsh verb.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler gives Cicero as its first author,^[3] who asks “do you think desperate citizens will ever lack a standard to rally to?”.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It is a military standard, a piece of cloth hanging from a crossbar on a pole, as in Cicero and Caesar;^[5][2][1] Tacitus uses apud vexillum of veterans kept in service under the standard, and Cicero of the banner set up at the founding of a colony.^[5] It is a banner given for distinguished service, as Suetonius' sea-blue banner that Augustus gave Agrippa after his naval victory, and a detachment of troops, as Livy's rank made up of three vexilla.^[5][1]

In Christian Latin it is the standard of the Cross, vexillum crucis, the sign of the Cross;^[6][7] Stelten describes the Vexillum as the Roman cavalry standard bearing a cross instead of an eagle.^[6][7] In Medieval Latin it is also the banner that stands for the power of military command.^[6]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero of a standard to rally to.^[5][3]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar.^[2][3]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of a detachment.^[5][3]
• c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius of a banner given to Agrippa.^[5][3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A military standard, banner, flag.^[5][2][1][7]
2. A banner awarded for distinguished service.^[5]
3. A detachment of troops.^[5]
4. (Ecclesiastical Latin) vexillum crucis, the sign of the Cross.^[6][7]

Related words

• vēlum
• vexillārius
• signum
• aquila

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
6. ^ a b c d Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ a b c d Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson