WARFARE OF ANTIQUITY. 19 



place was supplied by a dagger, hung at first from a belt, but afterwards 

 from a baldric ; its short blade was broad and strong, very sharp and 

 pointed for cut or thrust ; it had a cross-guard, and usually a richly deco- 

 rated scabbard {pi S,fg. 50). 



The cavalry armament, at first very simple, was subsequently arranged 

 after the pattern of the Greek cavalry. Their defensive arms were helmet, 

 cuirass, round or oval shield of about three feet diameter, and half-boots, 

 usually set with scales. The offensive arms were, a sword, longer than that 

 of the infantry, and adapted for striking only ; a dagger, and a two-pointed 

 lance, which was used, however, only at the first onset. The horses had 

 leather housings, strengthened often about the head and breast with iron 

 scales. PI. 9, fig. 47, shows an ancient Roman saddle. 



The arms of the allies were very various. PL S.figs. 22 to 35 give those of 

 the Samnites and Etruscans ; fig. 22 is a Samnite leathern cuirass, with metal 

 neck-band or ring-collar; figs. 31 to 35 are various forms of Etruscan cui- 

 rass, as well leathern {figs. 31 and 32) as scaled {fig. 33) ; cross-plated, as 

 fig. 34, or with plates running up and down, as fig. 35. Of the helmets 

 figs. 23 and 24 are Samnite ; these leathern, metal-plated helms are 

 distinguished by having a protection for the face, which with the Romans 

 was always left free. The helm {fig. 23) is evidently the prototype of the 

 knight's helmet in the middle ages. Figs. 29 and 30 are Etruscan helmets ; 

 fig. 29 is a leather cap, with a large crest of plate-iron ; fig. 30 resembles 

 the old Grecian helmet. Fig. 26 is the leather cap of the Samnite archer. 

 The Samnite shield {fig. 25) is entirely of wicker-work, covered on both 

 sides with leather, and has the cylindrical form {fig. 47); the Etruscan cir- 

 cular wooden shield, metal plated throughout, was about three feet in 

 diameter. The Samnite bow {fig. 27) is simply cut from curved wood, 

 with hardly any artificial bend. 



The arms of the Gauls and Franks we find on pi. 9. Fig. 1 is a Gallic 

 cuirass, as Julius Caesar found it ; fig. 2, a Gallic shield of wicker-work, 

 covered with leather, and richly painted ; fig. 3, the Gallic spear, nearly like 

 the Roman, only shorter ironed, and with a four-edged head ; figs. 4 and 

 5, bows and arrows, like the Greek. The Gallic sword {fig. 6) was either 

 short, with a small cross-guard and broad blade, for the infantry alone, and 

 for striking only ; or considerably longer, with a large cross-guard, and 

 blade often three inches broad, for cut and thrust, for the cavalry. Besides 

 the sword, the Gauls carried maces {pi. 9, fig. 7), strong, heavy blocks of 

 wood or iron, set round with points, and on a short handle ; a terrible wea- 

 pon, which neither shield nor helm could easily withstand. The Gallic 

 helmet was cast or hammered from bronze, in rather rude forms, and 

 exhibiting, in almost all cases, the head of some animal as its pattern. 

 Thus the helmet, fig. 10, displays two horns; fig. 11, with the rough, bell- 

 like form, a horse-plume and mane ; fig. 9, approximating to the Roman 

 form ; a horse-hair comb, with the ears and mane of a horse. A singular 

 form is that of fig. 8, which is set like a war-club, with long, stout, iron 

 point-s. The Gallic troops had, like the Romans, field badges ; but instead 

 of the Roman eagle they carried the Gallic cock {fig. 12), which is at this 



495 



