Roman tuba

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
  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.