THE HOKSES OF ROME 525 



the Israelites were in Arabia that this country, which has since become so 

 celebrated for them, was at that time entirely without them. The proof 

 is, however, of an entirely negative character, though I confess that it is as- 

 good as any of that nature can well be. Indeed 600 years later Arabia 

 could not in any way have been celebrated for her horses, for Solomon, 

 whilst he resorted to her for silver and gold, mounted his cavalry from 

 Egypt. Yet the latter country could scarcely have been the native land 

 of the horse, not possessing the extensive plains which are so peculiarly 

 suited to his existence in a wild state, and it is considered probable that 

 he was introduced from the central regions of Africa, which are undoubtedly 

 the native plains of the quagga, the zebra, and some other congeners of 

 the horse, but where, curiously enough, he is not found in a wild state." 

 — Stonehenge on the Horse. 



These arguments are based on the sujDposition that the various equine 

 races emanated from one common stock, if not from one pair. But if we 

 accept the theory that different varieties originated in several regions of 

 the world, wdiether by creation or by evolution, it can easily be understood 

 that horses of more than one type existed at one and the same time, and 

 inhabited countries situated at lono; distances one from the other, each 

 country possessing a distinct stock of its own, upon which horses imported 

 from Africa or Arabia, by intermingling, were sure to produce a good cross. 

 Tradition tells us, and history lends its authority to the assertion, that in^ 

 the earliest ages of the world Africa was conspicuous for a celebrated 

 breed of horses. No doubt the Sahara was the birthplace of the barb, 

 which in the past gave as excellent impressions to the equine stock of 

 ancient nations as its descendants, the Oriental horses of the Stuart epoch, 

 did in the production of the British thoroughbred. It is possible that the 

 barb and the arab may have descended from the same stock, but they may 

 have been distinct breeds; and this seems most likely to have Iteen the 

 case, as the Assyrians possessed horses, chariots, and horsemen at the same 

 time as the Egyptians. 



THE HORSES OF EOME 



The Eomans appear not to have been an equestrian nation, though they 

 are said to have possessed a body of cavalry soon after the founding of the 

 city by Romulus (752 B.C.). It is well known that they relied almost 

 entirely on their infantry in the day of battle, and that their horse soldiers 

 were in most instances no match against the cavalry of their enemies. 

 They could not withstand the onslaught of the Numidian and Parthian 

 horse, and had to succumb to the cavalry of Macedonia and Epirus. We 



VOL. HI. 99 



