I20 ROMAN HORSEMEN 



the world. Their officials were Cnrules as a class 

 from the word Currus for chariot, whose seats 

 of office were chariot chairs, and their state 

 allowances included chariot horses. Their gentry 

 were known as equites or horsemen. They 

 developed a mania for chariot racing, and their 

 four factions known from the racing colours 

 blue, green, white and red, outlasted the 

 Western Empire to be a public nuisance in Con- 

 stantinople. And yet a people may have money 

 to bet on racing who in their hearts care nothing 

 more for horses than does the sporting cockney. 



Rich youngsters might swank on horseback 

 to impress the girls, but one does not read very 

 much about a mounted aristocracy like our own, 

 with gallant games like polo or manly pleasures 

 such as modern hunting. At heart the Romans 

 of the Empire were anything but horse-proud. 

 In their militar}^ practice they never aspired to 

 the glories of the old Greek Cavalry, or bred 

 a horseman tactician to compare with grand 

 old Xenophon. 



Some fifty years before the Christian era, 

 Livy described the heavy cavalry only as using 

 bridles. This being interpreted means that 

 the Roman dragoons were able for shock action, 

 while their Hussars steered by the knees and 

 fought in open disorder. 



