Sarmatians in Roman service by Gerry Embleton 2002

"The Scythian banners are dracontes held aloft on standard-length poles. They are made of colored cloths stitched together, and from the head along the entire body to the tail, they look like snakes. When the horses bearing these devices are not in motion, you see only variegated streamers hanging down. During the charge is when they most resemble creatures: they are inflated by the wind, and even make a sort of hissing sound as the air is forced through them." (Arrian, Ars Tactica 35.2-4)

"The draco standard: Arrian (Ars Tact. 35) believed the windsock-like dragon standard to be a Sarmatian invention, and such standards were being adopted by the Roman cavalry just as he was writing (c.AD 137). Their geographical origins are lost among the horse-archer societies of Central Asia, but their original purpose was probably to provide wind-direction for archery.

The dragon of the Sarmatians seems to have differed from that known to the Romans, which evolved into its present form only in the Middle Ages. The Sarmatian images were more Oriental, with more prominent ears, dog-like teeth and even fins; they did not usually have scales or the distinctive crest of the Niederbieber draco.

Such standards were also employed by the Parthians and Sassanians; Parthian standards were said to glisten with gold and silk (Florus 1.46). In AD 357 the Roman emperors Julian and Constantius both had personal draco standards sewn from a purple material (Amm. 16.10.7; 16.12.39). Writing in the 390s AD, Vegetius (2.13) notes that the Roman infantry now also employed draco standards."

-The Sarmatians 600 BC-AD 450. R. Brzezinski & M. Mielczarek & G. Embleton. Osprey Publishing.

Source:

https://diletant.media/upload/medialibrary/de9/de92365ec3eb0cc9a25cfbc50f42a4dc.jpg

Quote:

The Sarmatians 600 BC-AD 450. R. Brzezinski & M. Mielczarek & G. Embleton. Osprey Publishing