THE FRANKS. • 155 



their adherence to the Roman rule, and in everything, ev^en 

 to their names, had become Roman, became senators, 

 gained a high rank, and in becoming rich became also 

 effeminate, like the Romans themselves. Thus was extin- 

 guished the valorous Gallic nation; and, with its decadence, 

 disappeared its love for the horse. During the Gallo- 

 Roman period the cavalry became so scarce, that at the 

 invasion of the barbarous hordes it can scarcely be 

 traced. 



That the barbarians who overthrew the Roman empire 

 shod their horses we have no proof whatever ; though it 

 has been maintained by eminent authorities that they in- 

 troduced this art. The Sarmatians appear not to have 

 known the use of iron, for they had armour of horn plates 

 sewn on cloth and overlapping each other ; and their horses, 

 so extremely hardy, but which were so numerous that 

 every horseman had two or three to select from when the 

 one he rode was fatigued (as with the Mongol Tartars, who 

 do not shoe their horses), were also covered in the same 

 manner/ 



The confederacy of German tribes who conquered 

 the Lombards, assumed the name of Franks (the Free), 

 and finally obtained possession of Gaul, were not an 

 equestrian people ; their battles were chiefly, if not alto- 

 gether, fought by infantry.^ The Franks had no cavalry, 

 and up to the time of Charles Martel, no evidence of it 

 is to be found in their armies. The nobles alone were 

 mounted on horses, and with the descendants of Clovis the 



' Amm. Mane!/. Lib. xvii. cap. 23, p. 506. 



" H. Martin. Hist, de France, vol. i. p. 377. Sisii/omli. Hist, de 

 Fran^ais, vol. i. p. 340. 



