Vexillation

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /vɛksɪˈleɪʃən/

Definitions

1. A group that serves as a tactical unit, particularly in ancient military contexts, can be referred to by this term while also implying a standard or banner featured in such formations
2. This term denotes both a small military detachment and the banner that represents its identity or allegiance in historical battles
3. In historical contexts, it signifies not only a contingent of soldiers but also the flag that symbolizes their troop or unit in warfare

Etymology: "Vexillation" comes from Latin "vexillatio," itself built on "vexillum," the Roman word for a military standard. A vexillum was a square cloth banner hung from a crossbar on a pole, and it was a tool of command as much as a symbol: soldiers rallied to it, and the standard was the point around which a unit gathered and moved. The Romans used "vexillatio" for a detachment drawn from one or more legions and formed into a temporary force under its own banner, sent out for a specific task such as a campaign, a siege or a garrison duty. The name thus described a body of troops defined by the flag they followed, so the standard and the unit were effectively one idea. English borrowed the word for this specialised military sense, and it remains a technical term for classical Roman forces.