Imperial Romans New Zealand
  • WELCOME
    • About us
    • Coming events >
      • Event checklists
      • Overseas Events >
        • Natale di Roma
    • Club page
    • Club checklists
    • Roman Workshop
    • Club Temple
    • Media page
    • Resources >
      • Clothing & Kit Guides
      • Choosing a Name
      • Suppliers
      • Links
    • Tribute to John
  • LEGIO VI
    • Joining the Army
    • Roman Soldiers >
      • Roman armour
      • Roman tunics
      • Roman helmets
      • Roman weapons
      • Roman shields >
        • Dura-Europos Shield
      • Marching kit
      • Roman tents
      • Camp items
      • Ballista scorpion
      • Legionary insigna
      • War trophy
    • Club training
    • Leg VI History >
      • Roman Archaeology
      • Antony coinage
    • Marching Songs
    • Sister Clubs
    • Roman Auxiliaries
    • Roman Cavalry
    • Enemies of Rome
    • Roman Navy
    • Military Religion >
      • Military Oath
      • Military Altars
  • GLADIATORS
    • Becoming a Gladiator
    • Outline of Games
    • History of Gladiators
    • Gladiator weapons
    • The Gladiatrix
    • Gladiator Tombstone
  • ROMANS
    • Roman Time Period >
      • Chinese-Romans
    • Club Celebrations >
      • Lupercalia
    • Roman Women >
      • Roman hairstyles
    • Educational Assets >
      • Peutinger Map
      • Codex manuscript
      • Roman Lararium
      • Roman Coinage
      • Roman Elephant Plate
      • Roman wax tablets
      • Roman triremes
      • Roman fasces
      • Vicarello cup
      • Dura-Europos Map
      • Ravenna Cosmography
      • Wind-Rose Map
      • Roman bow-puller
      • Roman dice tower
      • Roman Dodecahedron
      • Board games
      • Roman torc
      • Jeweled helmet
      • Praetorian guard
    • Great Library of Rome >
      • De Re Militari
      • Hyginus Roman Camp
      • Notitia Dignitatum
    • Simple Latin
    • Roman dress
    • Cooking with Apicius
    • Roman Music
  • GALLERY
    • 2019 Gallery >
      • Tauranga Romans
    • 2018 Gallery >
      • Saturnalia MMXVIII
      • Papatoetoe Xmas
      • Glen Eden Xmas
      • Grey Lynn Festival
      • Highland Games
      • Armistice in Cambridge
      • Italian Festival
      • Auckgeddon
      • School Visit
      • Spring training
      • Hadrian's Wall
      • Augusta Raurica
      • Chedworth Villa
      • Archeon
      • Netflix Master of Rome
      • Kristin School
      • Rome's Birthday
      • Nimes Gladiator
      • HMB Rome
      • Autumn Festival
      • Cultural Festival
      • Autumn training
      • Lantern Festival
      • Howick Festival
      • Fringe Festival 3
      • Fringe Festival 2
      • Fringe Festival 1
      • Roman fighting
      • Julius Caesar
      • Battering Ram
      • NZ Police Romans
      • Roman workshop
      • Roman training
      • Forest Romans
      • Summer training
    • 2017 Gallery >
      • Saturnalia Party
      • Papatoetoe Santa
      • Summer Training
      • Glen Eden Santa
      • Queen St Santa Pd
      • Grey Lynn Festival
      • Highland Games
      • Armistice Cambridge
      • Armageddon
      • Festival Italiano
      • Roman Hobby
      • Film Shoot
      • Leg III Cyrenaica
      • Model X Romans
      • Armageddon Tauranga
      • Natale di Roma
      • Cultural festival
      • Autumn training
      • Summer Festival
      • School visit
      • Lantern Festival
      • Summer training
      • Medieval Faire
      • Roman school
    • 2016 Gallery >
      • Papatoetoe Santa
      • St Cuthbert's Girls
      • REIGN OF BLOOD
      • Queen St Santa Pd
      • Grey Lynn Festival
      • Glen Eden Xmas
      • Armistice Cambridge
      • Italian Pavilion
      • Auckageddon
      • 4 Flat Whites in Italy
      • Dave LXX Natalis
      • Festival Italiano
      • John Nagels
      • Roman Training
      • CLASSOC Quiz Night
      • Rutherford Romans
      • School Temple Visit >
        • Lays of Ancient Rome
      • Waldorf Faire
      • K Rd Romans
      • Cambridge Festival
      • Antony & Cleopatra
      • Easter Show
      • Hamilton Gardens
      • Cultural Festival
      • Roma-geddon
      • Military Tattoo
      • Art in a Day
      • NZ Lantern Festival
      • NZ Medieval Faire
    • 2015 Gallery >
      • Saturnalia
      • Roman Film Shoot
      • NZ Xmas Parade
      • Armistice Cambridge
      • Armageddon
      • Albany Mall
      • Wald Medieval Faire
      • King's College
      • Dr Sketchy Romans
      • NZ Medieval Faire
      • Helensville Show
      • Military Tattoo
      • Vikings TV show
      • Camp Quality
    • 2014 Gallery >
      • NZ Xmas Parade
      • GE Xmas Parade
      • Armistice Cambridge
      • Waikato Museum
      • Roman Cavalry
    • 2013 Gallery >
      • Saturnalia
      • GE Xmas Parade
      • Armistice Cambridge
      • O'Hara Estate Camp
      • Roman Cavalry
      • TV Commercial
      • Music Video
      • Wald Medieval Faire
      • Military Tattoo
    • 2012 Gallery >
      • NZ Xmas Parade
      • GE Xmas Parade
      • Armistice Cambridge
      • Armageddon
      • Good Morning TV
      • McLean's School
      • Hamilton Gardens
      • Military Tattoo
      • Taupo Medieval
      • Club gear
    • 2011 Gallery
    • 2010 Gallery
    • 2009 Gallery
    • 2008 Gallery
    • 2007 Gallery
    • 2006 Gallery
  • CONTACT
    • Membership
    • Book us for an Event
    • School Visits

Roman music and Musicians


We are putting together a display of ancient Roman music. So far we have a cornu, tuba, drums, flute, and lyre. We will be acquiring panpipes, sistrum rattle, and a double-flute.

The most important musical instrument in the Roman Military was the tuba (straight trumpet) made from copper or iron with a conical bore about 140 cm in length formed of three sections with a mouthpiece. It announced troop movements during battle, so was played a loudly as possible. The tuba was also used at sacrifices, processions, and funerals.  

The second most important Roman military musical instrument was the cornu (horn) shaped like a large letter G with a crossbar for support. It was used primarily to direct the movements of soldiers under a certain sign. An original instrument unearthed in Pompeii was 320cm long, 140cm in diameter and had a detachable mouthpiece approximately 15cm long. In civilian life, the cornu was used to call the Roman people to assemble at important meetings, and later became associated with announcing the presence of the emperor. It was also played at the theater and gladiator fights.

The buccina (bugle) was similar to the cornu, except that it had a slightly smaller bore and a more flared bell opening at the end. It was used to signal changes of watch during the night, wake up calls and for announcing mealtimes. Buccina players were not as high ranking as the soldiers who played tuba or cornu, so in addition to their musical responsibilities they also had to dig graves and cut wood.

The Roman historian Vegetius, in his work De Re Militari, wrote:
​
"The music of the legion consists of trumpets, cornets and buccinae. The trumpet sounds the charge and the retreat. The cornets are used only to regulate the motions of the colors; the trumpets serve when the soldiers are ordered out to any work without the colors; but in time of action, the trumpets and cornets sound together. The classicum, which is a particular sound of the buccina or horn, is appropriated to the commander-in-chief and is used in the presence of the general, or at the execution of a soldier, as a mark of its being done by his authority. The ordinary guards and outposts are always mounted and relieved by the sound of trumpet, which also directs the motions of the soldiers on working parties and on field days. The cornets sound whenever the colors are to be struck or planted. These rules must be punctually observed in all exercises and reviews so that the soldiers may be ready to obey them in action without hesitation according to the general's orders either to charge or halt, to pursue the enemy or to retire. For reason will convince us that what is necessary to be performed in the heat of action should constantly be practiced in the leisure of peace."

The Romans played double-flutes, hand-drums and tambourines during stage-plays and festivals, and at the gladiator games, besides the regular musicians, they played a large water-powered pipe-organ, as shown in the pics below.  

Video of the Roman musical instruments, including the cornu, tuba, buccina, double-flute, stringed-lyre, and a bellows-powered pipe-organ.

Musica Romana - German group musical archaeology.

The Greek aulos or Roman tibia flute, commonly joined into a double-flute in most artworks, was made of carved bone, ivory or wood. The example below from the Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford, of six segments is 250 mm long x 40 mm diameter. The top section has a hole right through, while each other section has a hole at the narrowest point, and a flared end.

Picture