floman Jf0rlifkftti0n, foith 

 to the fUmran l^ftmas of 



uituntt 



By the Rev. W. MILES BARNES. 



studying Roman fortification two books will be 

 found of infinite value ; the first the " Arch- 

 itectura" of Yitruvius, the second the " Epitoma 

 rei militaris" of Flavins Yegetius Renatus. 

 Neither of these works is printed in England, and 

 the second seems to be very little known. When 

 Yegetius wrote events were foreshadowing the fall of Rome, the 

 Roman army and the Roman military institutions were already 

 becoming disorganised, and the object of his book was to urge 

 their reconstruction and the restoration of the ancient discipline. 

 To such an extent had discipline been relaxed that the 

 Romans had ceased even to entrench their standing camps, 

 and they had met with disaster in consequence.* Even en- 

 quiries were no longer made after the customs which had 

 formerly prevailed, and had been so long neglected. Yet though 

 the ancient discipline was no longer maintained, it was by no means 

 impossible to recover it ; in former ages the art of war, often 



* Dicat aliquis : Multi anni sunt, qulbus nullus fossa aggere valloque 

 mansurum circumdat exercitum. Respondebitur : Si fuisset ista cautela, 

 nihil nocturni ant diurni superventus hostium nocere potuissent (Lib. 

 iii. c. 10.) 



