62 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRY, 



[period I. 



the flank of the Koman line, about GOO cavalry of two 

 legions leaped froir their horses and rushed forward and 

 restored the battle, then remounted their horses and 

 gallopped across to the other wing announcing their 

 success, and by a charge contributing also to victory in 

 that portion of the field. ^ 



Another remarkable instance of the good services of 

 the Koman knights occurred in a battle fought in the 

 year 422 B.C., between the Romans under the Consul 

 Caius Sempronius, and the Volscians. The Roman 

 infantry in the battle do not appear to have been in a 

 good state of efficiency, the historian complaining thfit 

 there was more Roman discipline in the Volscian than in 

 the Roman army. The Volscians attacked boldly, the 

 Romans hesitated, wavered, and although there was no 

 absolute flight, they were giving way at all points, when 

 Sextus Tempanius, a commander of a troop of horse, 

 called to his men to leap from their horses, to follow his 

 spear as their standard, and to show that no cavalry 

 were equal to them as cavalry, no infantry as infantry. 

 Their onset was made with such spirit that the fight was 

 restored, the Volscians were obliged to make way for 

 them, and they broke through the lines which closed 

 behind them, cutting them off" from their own army. 

 The Volscians showed front both ways, opposing Tem- 

 panius in the rear, and still continuing the battle against 

 the Romans, who made desperate efl'orts to rescue their 

 horsemen. Tempanius, unable to cut his way back, 

 succeeded in reaching an eminence, where these young 

 Roman knights formed a circle as the Scottish knights 

 and nobles did at Flodden, and fought till night 

 separated them, when both armies took a panic and fled 

 in opposite directions, leaving Tempanius in undisputed 

 possession of the field. ^ He did not move till daylight, 

 fearing an ambush, but then, finding the neighbourhood 

 deserted, he led his little band back to Rome, where a 

 warm welcome was accorded to them. 



These actions, the details of which are fully recorded 

 in Livy, show that it was sometimes the custom of the 

 1 Livy, iii. 62. 2 ibid. iv. 38, 39. 



