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Roman tuba

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Mosaic showing the Roman tuba and its size in relation to its player, circa 4th century A.D. Villa Romana del Casale, Piazza Armerina, Sicily, Italy

The Roman tuba (plural: tubae), or trumpet[1][2] was a military signal instrument used by the ancient Roman military and in religious rituals.[3][4][5] They would signal troop movements such as retreating,[6] attacking, or charging,[7][8] as well as when guards should mount, sleep,[9] or change posts.[7][10] Thirty-six or thirty-eight tubicines (tuba players; singular tubicen) were assigned to each Roman legion.[11][12] The tuba would be blown twice each spring in military, governmental, or religious functions. This ceremony was known as the tubilustrium. It was also used in ancient Roman triumphs.[13][14][15] It was considered a symbol of war and battle.[16] The instrument was used by the Etruscans in their funerary rituals.[17] It continued to be used in ancient Roman funerary practices.[18]

Roman tubae were usually straight cylindrical instruments with a bell at the end.[2][5][19][20] They were typically made of metals such as silver,[21] bronze, or lead and measured around 4.33 ft or 1.31 meters.[6][22] Their players, known as the tubicines or tubatores were well-respected in Roman society.[23][24][25] The tuba was only capable of producing rhythmic sounds on one or two pitches.[26] Its noise was often described as terrible, raucous, or hoarse.[27] Ancient writers describe the tuba as invoking fear and terror in those who heard it.[28]

  • Roman tuba found in archaeological site of Roman Villa di San Vincenzino, Italy
    Roman tuba found in archaeological site of Roman Villa di San Vincenzino, Italy
  • Reconstructed Roman tuba
    Reconstructed Roman tuba
  • Musicians playing a Roman tuba, a water organ (hydraulis), and a pair of cornua, detail from the Zliten mosaic, 2nd century AD
    Musicians playing a Roman tuba, a water organ (hydraulis), and a pair of cornua, detail from the Zliten mosaic, 2nd century AD
  • Roman cornu (left) and tuba (right) in a relief from the Museo Ostiense, Ostia Antica, Italy
    Roman cornu (left) and tuba (right) in a relief from the Museo Ostiense, Ostia Antica, Italy

References

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  1. ^ Haarmann 2014, p. 26.
  2. ^ a b Schlesinger 1911, pp. 700–701.
  3. ^ Janniard 2015, p. 1.
  4. ^ Rüpke 2011, p. 28.
  5. ^ a b Ziolkowski 1999, p. 371.
  6. ^ a b Vincent 2015, p. [page needed].
  7. ^ a b Renatus 1767, p. 214.
  8. ^ Sage 2014, p. 1.
  9. ^ Rankov 2015, p. 1.
  10. ^ Cross 2013, p. 10.
  11. ^ Wallace & McGrattan 2012.
  12. ^ Southern 2007, p. 158.
  13. ^ Perot 2020, p. 91.
  14. ^ Naumann, Ouseley & Praeger 2013, p. 161.
  15. ^ López 2012, p. 15.
  16. ^ Alexandrescu 2007, p. 40.
  17. ^ Griffith 2013, p. 237.
  18. ^ Wyslucha 2018, pp. 75–95.
  19. ^ Coulston 2015, p. 629.
  20. ^ Rance 2015, p. 629.
  21. ^ Meucci 1989, p. 88.
  22. ^ Ceulemans 2002, pp. 1–35.
  23. ^ Koehler 2015, p. 170.
  24. ^ Howley 2018, p. 161.
  25. ^ Bohec 2013, p. 46.
  26. ^ Williams 2014, p. 7.
  27. ^ Wootton 2004, p. 249.
  28. ^ Betts 2017, pp. 153–156.

Sources

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