sB THE HISTORY AND ART 



And now leaving Greece, and her horfes, it may 

 be time to turn our eyes to her admirer and imitator, 

 Rome. 



It is very well known, that the Romans were in- 

 debted to Greece for many of the refined arts, and 

 ufeful improvements of life. Among thefe horfe- 

 manfhip, perhaps, was not the leaft confiderable, and 

 was received and adopted by the Romans with fuch 

 eagernefs, and cultivated with fuch diligence and 

 zeal, that they foon were able to excel their maflers. 



Romulus very early inftituted his order of eguites, or 

 horfemen, as Jtbens and Sparta had done before, on 

 purpofe to encourage the pra«5lice of riding, and en- 

 gage his new fubjetfts to keep horfes at their own ex- 

 pence, which, in thofe times, were fo coftly, that the 

 rich alone were equal to the charge of maintaining 

 them. 



The Certamlna Equejlrlay or horfe and chariot races of 

 the Circus, began very early in Rome, and were formed 

 upon the model of the Olympic races ; like them they 

 were deemed facred fports, performed as atfts of reli- 

 gion, and dedicated to particular deities, of whofe at- 

 tributes they were a myllical reprefentation. And here 

 it muft be acknowledged, that although the Romans 

 did not ufe chariots in battle, it is certain, that in the 

 Circus they preferred them to the races performed by 

 fmgle horfes. 



That horfe was called by the Romans Singu/aris, or 



Single, upon which a man rode without a faddle, ufing 



I only 



