A new and easy method to understand the Roman history with an exact chronology of the reign of the emperors, an account of the most eminent authors, when they flourished, and an abridgment of the Roman antiquities and customs : by way of dialogue, for the use of the Duke of Burgundy / done out of French, with very large additions and amendments, by Mr. Tho. Brown.

Of their Army.

Q OF how many several parts was the Roman Army compos'd?

A. Of three parts: The first were the Roman Legions, wherein none but the Ro∣man Citizens served. The second consisted of the Allies, that is to say, the People of Italy. And the third was made up of Auxiliary Troops sent by Foreigners.

Q. How were the Allies paid?

A. They s••rved gratis, and had nothing but a certain quantity of Corn given them: As for the Auxiliary Troops, they were daily paid, but they did not take the Military Oath, as the Allies did.

Q. What did a Legion comprehend?

A. A certain number of Horse and Foot.

Q. Into how many Companies were the Infantry and Cavalry divided?

A. Into Ten; in every Company of Foot there were three Bands of Soldiers, and in every Band two Centuries.

Q. Into how many Centuries were the Troops of Horse divided?

A. Each into three Centuries, and so there was consequently sixty Centuries, and thirty Decuries in every Legion.

Q. Who commanded the Infantry?

A. Six Tribunes, with sixty Centurions, one to each Century.

Q. By whom were the Decuries com∣manded?

A. By thirty Decurions, and by one Offi∣cer to whom they gave the name of Praefect, and this Praefect was at the head of a whole entire Wing.

Q. How many men had they in each Company of Foot?

A. Sometimes four hundred and twenty, and sometimes they amounted to six hundred men.

Q. How many men were there in each Turma, or Troop of Horse?

A. No more than thirty, ten in each De∣cury, but in the Wing three or four hundred.

Q From whence did the Roman Legions take their name?

A. From their Rank; thus, for instance,

those that were of the first, call'd themselves Soldiers of the first, and those that were of the second, call'd themselves Soldiers of the second Legion.

Q. What Authority had the first more than the second Legion?

A. It was superior to all the rest as well for Quality as Number, because it was com∣manded by the most experienc'd Officers.

Q. Had they not another very considera∣ble Body besides this?

A. Right; and that was the Praetorian Regiment, which always follow'd the Com∣mander in chief, who as he rais'd this Com∣pany, so he often pickt out the best men he could find in the other Troops, or at least his best Friends, to compose it. Augustus had Nine of these Troops of Guards; but they became afterwards so unruly, that instead of guarding the Emperors, they frequently displaced and killed them.

Q. How many Legions had the Romans in the time of the Consuls?

A. At first there were only four, that were equally divided between the two Consuls; afterwards the Allies were oblig'd to furnish them with four more.

Q. Did not the number of them rise con∣siderably higher in following Ages?

A. Yes, for in the second Punic War the Romans had in Italy, Sicily, and Spain, Twen∣ty five Legions; but in the Civil War be∣tween Caesar and Pompey, they amounted to

forty; and at the Siege of Mutina, the Ar∣my of Anthony, and that of the Consuls, was compos'd of Fifty Legions

Q How were the Allies ranked?

A. They were disposed after such a man∣ner, that they cover'd the two sides of the Roman Legions, which made these Troops be call'd Alae, or Wings; their Commanders not calling themselves Tribunes, but Prae∣fects.

Q. What difference did they make be∣tween a Wing, and a Cornu?

A. They indifferently used the latter, when they spoke of the Roman Legions and their Allies; whereas they seldom made use of the former when they spoke of Legions, but almost always when they spoke of the Troops of Horse furnished by the Allies.

Q. What was a Wing at that time when the Republic flourish'd?

A. Nothing but the Horse of the Allies; but under the Emperors they g••ve this name to the Auxiliary Troops.