Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume I.djvu/778

 742 ARMY The use of the intrenching tools, and the throw- ins up of intrenched camps in a short time, also formed part of the military education ; and not only the recruit, but even the legions of vet- erans, had to undergo all these exercises in order to keep their bodies fresh and stipple, and to remain inured to fatigue and want. In the best times of the republic there were gen- erally two consular armies, each consisting of two legions and the contingents of the allies (in infantry of equal strength, cavalry double the strength of the Romans). The levy of the troops was made in a general assembly of the citizens at the capitol or on the Campus Mar- tius ; an equal number of men was taken from every tribe, which was again equally subdivid- ed among the four legions, until the number was completed. Very often citizens, freed from service by age or their numerous cam- paigns, entered again as volunteers. The re- cruits were then sworn in and dismissed until required. When called in, the youngest and poorest were taken for the velites, the next in age and means for the hastati and jirincipes, the oldest and wealthiest for the triarii. Every legion counted 1,200 velites, 1,200 hastati, 1,200 principes, 600 triarii, and 300 horsemen (knights); in all, 4,500. The hastati, prin- cipes, and triarii were each divided into ten manipuli or companies, and an equal number of velites attached to each. The velites (ro- rarii, accensi, fcrentarii) formed the light in- fantry of the legion, and stood on its wings along with the cavalry. The hastati formed the first, the principes the second line ; they were originally armed with spears. The triarii formed the reserve, and were armed with the pilum, a short but extremely heavy and danger- ous spear, which they threw into the front ranks of the enemy immediately before enga- ging him sword in hand. Every manipulus was commanded by a centurion, having a second centurion for his lieutenant. The centurions ranked through the whole of the legion, from the second centurion of the last or tenth ma- nipulus of the hastati to the first centurion of the first manipulus of the triarii (primus pilu#), who, in the absence of a superior officer, even took the command of the whole legion. Com- monly, the primus pilus commanded all the triarii, the same as the primus princeps (first centurion of first manipulus of principes), all the principes and the primus hastatus, and all the hastati of the legion. The legion was com- manded in the earlier times in turns by its six military tribunes ; each of them held the com- mand for two months. After the first civil war, legates were placed as standing chiefs at the head of every legion ; the tribunes now were mostly officers intrusted with the staff or ad- ministrative business. The difference of arma- ment of the three lines had disappeared before the time of Marius. The pilum had been given to all three lines of the legion ; it was now the na- tional arm of the Romans. The qualitative dis- tinction between the three lines, as far as it was based upon age and length of service, soon dis- appeared too. In the battle of Metellus against Jugurtha, there appeared, according to Sallust, for the last time hastati, principes, and triarii. Marius now formed out of the 30 manipuli of the legion 10 cohorts, and disposed them in two lines of five cohorts each. At the same time, the nonnal strength of the cohort was raised to 600 men ; the first cohort, under the primus pilus, carried the legionary eagle. The cavalry re- mained formed in turma of 30 rank and file and three decurions, the first of whom com- manded the turma. The armature of the Ro- man infantry consisted of a shield of serai- cylindric shape, 4 feet by 2i, made of wood, covered with leather and strengthened with iron fastenings; in the middle it had a boss (umbo) to parry off spear thrusts. The helmet was of brass, generally with a prolongation be- hind to protect the neck, and fastened on with leather bands covered with brass scales. The breastplate, about a foot square, was fastened on a leather corslet with scaled straps passing over the shoulder ; for the centurions, it con- sisted of a coat of mail covered with brass scales. The right leg, exposed when advanced for the sword thrust, was protected by a brass plate. Besides the short sword, which was used for thrusting more than for cutting, the soldier carried the pilum, a heavy spear 4 feet wood with a projecting iron point of 1 foot, or nearly 6 feet in all long, but 2^ inches square in the wood, and weighing about 10 or 11 Ibs. When thrown at 10 or 15 paces distance, it often penetrated shield and breastplate, and al- most always threw down its man. The velites, lightly equipped, carried light short javelins. In the later periods of the republic, when bar- baric auxiliaries undertook the light service, this class of troops disappeared entirely. The cavalry were provided with defensive armor similar to that of the infantry, a lance, and a longer sword. But the Roman national cavalry was not very good, and preferred to fight dis- mounted. In later periods Numidian, Spanish, Gallic, and German horsemen supplanted it. The tactical disposition of the troops admitted of great mobility. The manipuli were formed at intervals equal to their extent of front ; the depth varied from 5 or 6 to 10 men. The ma- nipuli of the second line were placed behind the intervals of the first ; the triarii still fur- ther to the rear, but in one unbroken line. According to circumstances, the manipuli of each line could close up or form line without intervals, or those of the second line could march up to fill the intervals of the first ; or else, where greater depth was required, the manipuli of the principes closed up each in rear of the corresponding manipulus of the hastati, doubling its depth. When opposed to the ele- phants of Pyrrhus, the three lines all formed with intervals, each manipulus covering the one in its front, so as to leave room for the an- imals to pass straight through the order of battle. In this formation the clumsiness of the