CHAP. III.] 



ROMAN CAVALRY. 



89 



he had according to Livy, a great number of cavalry, 

 who spread over the country, and performed the duties 

 of advanced guards, patrols, and reconnoitring parties 

 very efficiently.^ 



In the invasion of Italy by the Gauls, which took 

 place in the year 227 B.C., their army consisted of 

 50,000 foot, 20,000 cavalry, and a large number of war- 

 chariots. 



The Gauls estimated their cavalry at much higher 

 value than their infantry. They used every effort to 

 seizure fine horses, and paid very high prices for them.^ 

 T ley were armed with a javelin and a long sword 

 ^ ithout a point, and sometimes with bows and arrows, 

 and at first used only the casque and the buckler, the 

 legs and feet being naked and the body covered with a 

 sack or tunic of leather.^ They afterwards wore large 

 trousers, a shirt with sleeves, and the tunic over them. 

 The maps of the people wore the whole beard, the chiefs 

 and nobles the moustache only.* 



The Gauls afterwards adopted heavier defensive armour, 

 and are said to have invented the cuirass of iron, which 

 they used to a great extent in later years. ^ The casque 

 was ornamented with horns of the deer, or a metal crest 

 with a thick plume of feathers, which added to the 

 appearance of the soldier.^ The buckler, which was 

 rather small, was also adorned with devices. 



Soon the Gauls, in imitation of the Romans, borrowed 

 the heavy armour and equipment of the Greek cataphracti.^ 

 There were also a species of cavalry called crupellarii by 

 Tacitus, who were, according to Roquefort, soldiers or 

 gladiators armed in full armour from head to foot, and 

 appear to have been more heavily armed than the 

 cataphracti. These crupellarii, however, are but rarely 

 mentioned.^ 



The Gauls had very little tactical skill. They usually 

 occupied the wings with their cavalry, a,lthough some- 

 times the chariots were placed on the outer flanks.^ 



^ Livy, V. 37, 39. 2 Csesar, iv. 2. s Humbert, 40. 

 202. 8 Ibid. Bardin, 1767. " Daparcq, 202. 



41. 



8 



* Duparcq, 

 '' Humbert, 



Bardin, 1765. » Humbert, 41. 



