There were three Roman instruments that one might consider to be their version of the trumpet. They were the tuba, the cornu, and the buccina. The cornu and the buccina were long and curved around the player's shoulder, a bit like the modern Sousaphone. The tuba, despite its name, was straight, about four feet long, and rather resembled a modern fanfare trumpet.

All three instruments were used for military signaling and for similar ceremonial purposes. As keys had not been invented they had few playable notes.Vetetius' book on the military describes the use of the types of horn and their calls.

Roman music for entertainment was based on stringed instruments and flutes, not the horns.
Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornu_(horn)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buccina
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_tuba
http://www.aug.edu/~cshotwel/2001.Rome.htm


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