16 MILITARY SCIENCES. 



the highest power, the lictor {pi. S,Jig. 3), an officer of justice, who also exe- 

 cuted the sentence of death, and behind him a crowd of officers and soldiera 

 {pL 8, fig. 4, Bind pi. 5, Jig. 2). He named the legates (pi. S,Jig. 6), whom 

 the Senate confirmed, and who commanded next himself They were men 

 of courage, experience, and foresight, usually had served a consulate, and 

 were employed also in concluding treaties. After the prefects came the 

 tribunes (Jig. 2), whose position we have already mentioned ; but the pro- 

 per magistrate for the army was the prefect of the legion, in the absence 

 of the legate the commander, from whom the tribunes, &c., received the 

 directions for guard-duty, watchword, &c., and the supervisor of all the 

 munitions of war. 



Each of the divisions of the infantry of the legion was subdivided into 15 

 maniples ; in all, therefore, into 45. Each maniple had 60 common soldiers, 

 two (triarii only one) centurions, and a signifer. To each maniple of the 

 hastati belonged also 20 men of light troops. The principes had no light 

 troops, but the triarii had 30 vexilli to every 60 men, a centurion and a 

 standard-bearer ; half of these were called rorarii, the other half accensi. At 

 the time of the Punic wars, however, the number of maniples in the legion 

 was reduced to 30, but their numerical strength, except among the triarii, 

 was doubled ; so that a legion consisted of 1200 hastati, 1200 principes, and 

 600 triarii, to which are to be added 3200 light troops, who were divided 

 equally among the 30 maniples. Each legion was further divided into ten 

 cohorts, each of which contained always three maniples of the three several 

 arms. Every Roman soldier had his prescribed place in time of battle, which 

 he might not change without orders, and thus each decury fought inde- 

 pendently. The auxiliaries were usually attached to the legion, forming, as 

 it were, light troops. They were either Italian nations, as the Etruscans, 

 one of whose archers is shown in pL 2, Jig. 14, and in Jigs. 15, 16, 17, and 

 18, a horn-blower and other soldiers; or Samnites, or other nations in 

 alliance with the Romans. PI. l,Jigs. 1 and 2, show commanders of such 

 Italian allies ; Jig. 3, a Samnite ; Jig. 4, an African ; Jig. 5, a Sarmatian ; 

 Jigs. 6 and 7, German confederates ; and pi. 8, Jig. 5, Sarmatian mailed 

 horsemen. 



Of the other light troops belonging to the Roman armies we mention 

 here: 1. The slingers (ph 7, Jig. 10), who rendered very good service in 

 war; the most renowned were those of the Balearic isles. 2. The javelin- 

 men, who fought with darts and javelins which they threw by hand. The 

 Carthaginians and Romans employed these against cavalry. 3. The archers 

 (pi. 2, Jig. 14), who shot arrows and even short darts from a bow. 4. The 

 dart-men, who had barbed darts which they threw by hand, and which 

 were attached to a thong so as to be drawn back after they had struck, 

 rendering the wound usually fatal. 5. The crossbow-men shot round peb- 

 bles and bolts from crossbows. 6. The ferentarii had slings, javelins, and 

 stones, which they threw with the hand only ; they were always in the 

 van of the army, and a portion were mounted. They were employed also 

 to bring fresh weapons from the magazines to those who had expended 

 their supply. 

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