Cornu (Musical Instrument)

Cornicines on the Trajan's Column

The Cornu (Pl .: Cornua, lat., Horn ') was a brass instrument in the Roman Empire.

Like the buccina, it has a circular, approximately 3 m long tube. The instrument was composed of several cast bronze tubes, and had an obliquely diametrical support for stabilization. It looked like the capital letter G.

The Cornu was carried in the Roman army by the Hornbläser (Cornicen), whose rank is comparable to that of a corporal. He translated the commands of his centurion into sound signals and sent them across the battlefield. However, straight horns (tubes) have also been used for the same purpose. Outside of the war, it was also used as a ceremonial instrument. Edit source text Weblinks Edit sourcetext

wiki