Discens

Part of a series on the
Military of ancient Rome 753 BC – AD 476
Structural history Army Unit types and ranks Decorations and punishments Legions Auxilia Generals Navy Fleets Admirals
Campaign history Wars and battles
Technological history Military engineering Castra Siege engines Triumphal arches Roads
Political history
Strategy and tactics Infantry tactics
Frontiers and fortifications Limes Walls Limes Britannicus Antonine Wall Hadrian's Wall Saxon Shore Limes Germanicus Alb Limes Lauter Valley Limes Lower Germanic Limes Main Limes Neckar-Odenwald Limes Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes Wetterau Limes Danube–Iller–Rhine Limes Norican Limes Claustra Alpium Iuliarum Pannonian Limes Limes Alutanus Limes Moesiae Trajan's Wall Anastasian Wall Limes Sarmatiae Limes Arabicus Limes Tripolitanus Limes Mauretaniae
Ancient Rome portal
v t e

A discens (Latin: discens, -entis) was a soldier of the military of ancient Rome who was in training to become an immunis, or specialist within the army.

Immunes took up the trades and skills of engineers, field medics, carpenters, and craftsmen. However, they were also fully trained and would be expected to fight in the infantry or cavalry if necessary. The discentes were probably exempted, like the immunes, from standard combat and camp duties since their main occupation would have been time-consuming technical training.

Some known classes include:

• Discens Architecti - Trainee engineer or artillerist.
• Discens Armaturae - Trainee weapons instructor.
• Discens Aquiliferum (or Aquiliferorum) - Trainee eagle standard-bearer.
• Discens Bucinatorem - Trainee trumpeter.
• Discens Capsariorum - Trainee medical orderly.
• Discens Epibatae - Trainee marine.
• Discens Equitum - Trainee cavalryman.
• Discens Lanchiariorum - Trainee javelin-thrower.
• Discens Mensorem - Trainee surveyor.
• Discens Phalangarium - A soldier training as a phalangarius during the 3rd century AD several experiments were conducted with Macedonian phalanx tactics, apparently requiring special training in weapons handling and drill.
• Discens Signiferorum (or discentes signiferorum) - Trainee standard-bearer.

• Parker, H. M. D. The Roman Legions. Barnes and Noble Books. 1993. ISBN 0-88029-854-5
• Peddie, John. The Roman War Machine. Alan Sutton Publishing Ltd. 1995. ISBN 0-938289-85-3
• Webster, Graham. The Roman Imperial Army A. and C. Black (Publishers) Limited 1979 (2nd edition) ISBN 0-7136-1909-0
• The temetfuture web site: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/temetfutue/^{[permanent dead link‍]}
• UNRV

This article about the military history of Ancient Rome is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e