Signaculum

A signaculum ( pl.: Signaculi ) was a precursor of a soldier dog tags inside the Roman legions.

The signaculum were members of the Roman army after the screening ( probatio ) and their military oath ( sagramentum ). The signaculum had the recruit, who was called from there to signatus ( of Featured ), carry in a leather pouch around his neck. With this recognition mark a legionnaire could always identify and could even after his death on the battlefield, even with mutilation, are identified.