in antiquity, dragon-bearer. Several nations, as the Persians, Parthians, Scythians, &c., bore dragons on their standards; whence the standards themselves were called dracones, "dragons." The Romans borrowed the same custom from the Parthians; or, as Cato has it, from the Daci; or, as Codinus, from the Assyrians.

The Roman dracones were figures of dragons painted in red on their flags, as appears from Ammianus Marcellinus: but among the Persians and Parthians Dracontic they were like the Romans' eagle, figures in full relief; so that the Romans were frequently deceived, and took them for real dragons.

The soldier who bore the dragon or standard was called by the Romans draconarius; and by the Greeks δρακονεις and δρακονειος; for the emperors carried the custom with them to Constantinople.