I.a newly-levied soldier, a young soldier, recruit.
I. Lit.: “aetas tironum,” Cic. Tusc. 2, 16, 38: “legio tironum,” Caes. B. C. 3, 28; 3, 29; 3, 34; Auct. B. Afr. 31, 7; Suet. Tib. 42; id. Ner. 19; id. Vit. 15.—Trop.: “multaque tironi non patienda feret (opp. vetus miles),” Ov. A. A. 3, 566.—Esp., in appos. like an adj.: “tirones milites (opp. veterani),” Cic. Phil. 11, 15, 39: “miles, Auct. B. Afr. 16, 1: exercitus,” Cic. Fam. 7, 3, 2; Liv. 21, 39, 3; 21, 43, 14.—
II. Transf., in gen., a beginner, tiro in any thing: “nullā in re tiro ac rudis,” Cic. de Or. 1, 50, 218: “provinciae rudis et tiro,” Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 6, § 17: “homo non aetate sed usu forensi atque exercitatione tiro,” id. Div. in Caecil. 15, 47; id. Rosc. Am. 6, 17: “in scholis exercitati, tirones in foro,” Quint. 2, 10, 9: deductus in forum tiro, as a young man, after putting on the toga virilis, Suet. Ner. 7; Plin. 8, 48, 74, § 194; Ov. F. 3, 787: “tirones gladiatorum,” Suet. Caes. 26; “for which, adject.: tirones gladiatores, Auct. B. Afr. 71, 1.—Of animals: ut tironem (bovem) cum veterano adjungant,” Varr. R. R. 1, 20, 2.
