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A HISTORY OF CAVALRY. 



[period I. 



either to their camp or to the town of Aquilonia, but 

 the cavalry, contahiing all the chiefs and nobility of 

 the nation, escaped to Bovianum.^ 



In Kome the class of equites existed long after it 

 was used as a distinct corps of cavalry serving in the 

 army. In the later periods of the Republic the cavalry 

 were supplied almost entirely by the allied states. In 

 the Gallic war Caesar had no body of Roman cavalry, 

 for he was escorted to his interview with Ariovistus by 

 a number of his legionary soldiers whom he mounted 

 upon the horses of his Gallic cavalry, as he was afraid 

 to trust his safety to the horsemen furnished by his 

 allies.2 



The equites, although not serving as a distinct corps 

 in :he later wars, are frequently mentioned, for they 

 cj-^.ear to have been employed almost altogether in 

 positions of trust,^ either as officers in the cavalry of 

 the allies,- or in command of the legions, or as staff- 

 officers assisting the general-in-chief, or as singularii or 

 volunteers, who were employed as they might be most 

 useful.* 



In the time of Augustus the knights occupied a most 

 important position, all the higher officers of the army 

 were chosen from among them, as well as the chief 

 magistrates, so that it was esteemed a great privilege 

 to be admitted into the order.^ It was also the best 

 introduction into public life, as without it a young 

 man was excluded from all military rank above that of 

 centurion, as well as from all civil offices of any 

 importance. 



All those equites who were on active service were 

 obliged to live in Rome, and during the Empire they 

 still retained a considerable degree of social importance. 

 As late as Valentinianus and Valens they occupied the 

 second rank in the city and were not subject to corporal 

 punishment.^ 



The officers of the cavalry ranked higher than those 



^ Arnold, 345. ^ Caesar, i. ch. 42. ^ Roman Antiquities, Equites, 

 * Bardin, 4887. ' Roman Antiquities, Equites. ^ Roman 



Antiquities. 



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