NOTES. 139 



It merely kept the bit in place and the mouth- 

 piece from slipping through, and would cause no 

 pain if pulled down by the halter. The nose-band 

 was of leather or metal. On the bits, see note 53. 



40. (Page 39.) The Roman soldier referred to 

 in note 37 has his hand here. This remark of 

 Xenophon's throws light on the height of the 

 Greek cavalry horse. (See p. 95.) Mounting- 

 blocks were often used. There are several on 

 the frieze of the Parthenon, and one on the 

 Gjolbaschi Heroon (Taf. 23, b. 2). They were 

 placed at convenient intervals along the streets 

 in Rome by Gaius Gracchus (Plutarch, 7, 2). 



41. (Page 39.) In this method of mounting, 

 the spear must have been used much as we use a 

 vaulting- pole (but of course with only one hand) . 

 It is absurd to suppose that there was a little pro- 

 jection or crossbar towards the butt of the spear, 

 which served as a step in mounting. The athletic 

 Greek would have scorned such a thing. A gem 

 in the Stosch collection, supposed to represent a 

 warrior mounting in that fashion, is capable of a 

 different interpretation ; and the spears in Stuart 

 and Revett (Antiquities of Athens, iii, p. 47) have 

 nothing on them but the common thong to help 

 in hurling. Yet the crossbar theory has found 

 credence with Ginzrot, Berenger, Winckelmann, 

 Jacobs, Schlieben, and Martin, as well as with all 



