The Maniple, was a very ancient sub-division of a Roman legion and consisted of two centuries. This section of the legion had it's own standard, the Manus (hand). The hand at the top of this standard could have represented military salute, or divine protection. Below the hand was a crossbar from which wreaths and other decorations hung vertically. Attached to the staff were sometimes discs, with numbers. The use of these numbers have not been entirely identified, but some think they represented the specific cohort, maniple, or century (sub-divisions of a Roman legion). |