Ill] AND HISTORIC TIMES 101 



discarded the chariot by Caesar's time, though their kinsfolk 

 who had crossed into south-eastern Britain still retained it in 

 use side by side with cavalry. 



Later on it will be shown that the Celts of Noricum and 

 the Danube had begun to ride on horseback in the early Iron 

 age, though retaining the use of the chariot, and that by 

 the beginning of the third century B.C. the Celtic tribes of 

 this region had developed a highly organised cavalry system. 

 Furthermore, it will be shown that this change from chariot- 

 eering to riding went pari passu with the importation of 

 superior horses from the Mediterranean area into the Upper 

 Balkan and into the countries beyond the Alps. 



When Hannibal arrived in north Italy (B.C. 218) ho first 

 came into contact with the Romans in the cavalry engagement 

 on the Ticinus (Ticino). Here his Numidian horsemen, who 

 rode without either bridle or saddle, and his Spanish cavalry 

 who used bridles, at once proved their superiority not only to 

 the Gallic horsemen, whom Scipio^ had placed with his javelin- 

 throwers in his front line, but also to the cavalry of the Romans 

 and the best of their Italian allies which were superior to that 

 of his Gallic auxiliaries. 



In the year 170 B.C. envoys arrived in Rome from Cinci- 

 bulus, a king of the Gauls. One of the king's brothers addressed 

 the Senate and complained that C. Cassius, one of the consuls 

 of the previous year, had ravaged the lands of the Alpine 

 peoples, who were in alliance with Rome, and had carried 

 thousands of persons into slavery. At the same time envoys 

 came also from the Carni, the Istri, and lapodes with similar 

 complaints. As Cassius was absent in command of an army in 

 Macedonia, the Senate could not take any immediate action, 

 but wishing to appease the anger of the injured tribes they not 

 only sent commissioners to examine on the spot into the 

 charges brought against Cassius, but also loaded the Gaulish 

 envoys with presents, especially the two brothers of Cincibulus. 

 It was decreed that they should be given two torques made out 

 of five pounds of gold, five vases made out of 20 pounds of 



1 Livy, XXI. 46, " Scipio iaculatores et Gallos equites in fronte locat ; Romanos 

 sociorumque quod roboris fuit, in subsidiis." 



