Typically, tattooing was associated with lower classes (criminals, slaves and gladiators) as well as Thracian (Southeastern Indo-European tribe) infantry.Īdditionally, tribal warriors of the British Isles embraced the practice of tattooing. The Greek word Stizein meant tattoo, and it evolved into the Latin word Stigma meaning a mark or brand. Roman soldiers were tattooed with permanent dots-the mark of SPQR, or Senatus Populusque Romanus-and used as a means of identification and membership in a certain unit. In Western culture, tattoos find roots in the Roman Empire.

“Tattoos and other permanent forms of body modification have been paramount in establishing the status and reputation of warriors for hundreds, if not thousands, of years,” Lars Krutak, a tattoo anthropologist and the host of Discovery Channel’s Tattoo Hunter, told Medium’s “War is Boring” blog in 2014. Furthermore, some anthropologists argue that early tattooing was a form of therapy. Outside of religious or ancient ceremonial trends-especially among tribal people worldwide-the connection of the body with patriotic sentiments has, for centuries, been a motivating factor in perpetuating the art of tattoo among warriors. Cultural anthropologists attribute the spread of tattooing or body-marking culture to a variety of human traits, ranging from religion to magic to experience and memory. The age-old practice of tattooing can be found on mummies dating as far back as 4000 B.C. The tradition of tattooing is a mainstay in American military history, from the Revolution to today.

While anthropologists cannot pinpoint one reason tattooing began or held fast over the course of humanity, one reason tattooing persists is to signify a warrior. This article originally appeared in the August 2016 issue of the VFW magazine.

Rome 2 army traditions