Page:History of Manchester (1771), Volume 1, by John Whitaker.djvu/487

 45a THE HISTORY Book I fix forming, like the al#, as many diftinft garrifons, and being therefore in all probability nearly equal to them in number. And though, as I have formerly (hewn *, fixteen cohorts made tip the complement of auxiliary foot for a couple of legions, the Notitia enumerates feventeen, and mentions befides fix teen auxiliary numeri or bodies that, like the cohorts, formed as many diftinft garrifons, and were therefore in all probability nearly equal to them in number. The number of auxiliary liorfe coincides pretty nearly with the number of auxiliary foot ; and both together compofe pretty nearly the regular complement of auxiliaries for four legions. And the total amount of the forces in Britain at this period in all probability muft have been about twelve thoufand legionary and twenty-four thoufand auxi- liary foot, and about one thoufand fcur • hundred legionary and five thoufand auxiliary horfe, or thirty-fix thoufand infantry and fix or feven thoufand cavalry. Thefe, as I have previously evinced 4, were totally inefficient of themfelves to garrifon the various ftations of the country. This muft have been never in- tended. A confiderable change muft have been defigned in the difpofition of the forces, and a new appearance was a&uaUy given to the military afpeft of the country* The troops wexc no longer difpofed in long lines of ftationary forts, and no longer ffenged acrofs the ifiaad in every dire&iou. The Romans prudently broke up the lines of their encampments* and quar- tered almoft all their troops upon the ^northern and eaftern fron- tiers The interior regioas of the country no longer required any ftationary garrifons, fecured from the fear of infurrefltion* ty the legionary citizens in the colonies and by the Romanized 1 diipofiticn af the Britons, And this change in the arrangement of the Roman forces appears to have happened in the year 394^ The Scottish invafion of Roman Britain which fhall be defcribed hereafter muft certainly have been oocafioned by it ;. that invafion: was made in the year 395, as I fhall foon endeavour to ihew? and one^ winter was Efficient,, and one winter was requifite, to* raife the large army which the Scots colle&ed for the expedition*. In the year 394 therefore the Romans everywhere troke up the- 5 regular