Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

EXERCITUS. EXERCITUS. 491
comp. xl. 18), whence the legionaries are styled distinct idea of the changes gradually introduced
oi EK ToV KcaTaXd-you V'rpaTeuoVUeVol (lv. 24, lii. 22, into the Roman military system. The Roman
lix. 2), or simply Ka'TaXeydC6zeo' (liv. 25). armies for a long period consisted entirely of what
Neither Livy nor Dionysius notice the first es- we might term militia. Every citizen was, to a
tablishment of the legion, but they both take for certain extent, trained to arms during a fixed
granted that it existed from the very foundation of'period of his life; he was, at all times, liable to
the city, while Varro (L. L. v. ~ 89) and Plutarch be called upon to serve; but the legion in which
(Rom. 13) expressly ascribe the institution to he was enlrolled was disbanded as soon as the
Romulus. The latter speaks of the band led by special service for which it had been levied, was
Romulus against Amulius as being divided into performed.; and although these calls were frequent
centuries (8bdsyaluv ouvXEAoXLoX-,sVv ei's Eareo- in the early ages of.the kingdom and the commonrd'as), giving at the same time the origin of the wealth, when the enemies of the republic were
term maniple, and the former states that Romulus, almost at the gates, yet a few months, or more
to establish his legion, took 1000 men from each frequently, a few weeks or even days, sufficed to
tribe. decide the fortunes of the campaign. The Roman
Constitution ofthe Legion. The legion for many annalists assure us that a Roman army had never
centuries was composed exclusively of Roman wintered in the field, until more than three cencitizens. By the ordinances of Servius Tullius turies after the foundation of the city, when the
those alone who were enrolled in the five classes blockade of Veii required the constant presence of
were eligible, and one of the greatest changes in- the besiegers. As the scene of action became
troduced by Marius was the admission of all by degrees farther removed from Latium, when
orders of citizens, including the lowest, into the southern Italy and Sicily were now the seat of
ranks. (Sall. Jug. 86; Plut. Mar. 9; Flor. iii. 1; war-when the existence of Rome was menaced
Gell. xvi. 10.) Up to the year B. c. 107 no one by the Carthaginian invasions when her armies
was permitted to serve among the regular troops of were opposed to such leaders as Pyrrhus, Hamilcar,
the state except those who were regarded as pos- and Hannibal- it was, of course, impossible to
sessing a strong personal interest in the stability of leave the foe for a moment unwatched; and the
the commonwealth, but the principle having been exigencies of the state rendered it necessary that
at this period abandoned, the privilege was ex- the same legions and the same soldiers should
tended after the close of the Social War (B. c. 87) remain in activity for several years in succession.'to nearly the whole of the free population of Italy, This protracted service became inevitable as the
and by the famous edict of Caracalla (or perhaps dominion of Rome extended over Greece and Asia,
of M. Aurelius), to the whole Roman world. Long when the distances rendered frequent relief imbefore this, however, the legions were raised chiefly practicable; but down to the very termination of
in the provinces, and hence are ranked by I-yginus the republic, the ancient principle was recognised,
among the provincialis militia (legioncs quoniam that when a campaign was concluded, the soldier
sunZ militiae provincialis fidelissimna). Even under was entitled to return home and to resume the
Augustus, the youth of Latium, Umbria, Etruria, occupation of a. peaceful citizen. It was a conand the ancient colonies, served chiefly in the viction that their leader had broken faith with
household troops (Tac. Ann. iv. 5), who for this them by commencing a new war against Tigranes,
reason are complimented by Otho as Italie alumnti after the defeat of Mithridates, their proper and
et vere Romana juzventus (Tac. Hist. i. 84). But legitimate opponent, which induced the troops of
although the legions contained comparatively few Lucullus to mutiny, and compelled their leader to
native Italians, it does not appear that the admis- abandon his Armenian conquests. Hence, for upsion of foreigners not subjects was ever practised wards of seven centuries, there was no such thing
upon a large scale until the reign of:the second as the military profession, and no man considered
Claudius (A. D. 268-270), who incorporated a himself as a soldier in contradistinction to other
large body of vanquished Goths, and of Probus callings. Every individual knew that he was
(A. D. 276-282), who distributed 16,000 Germans bound as a member of the body politic to perform
among legionary and frontier battalions (numeris et certain duties; but these duties were performed
-limitaneis militibus, Vopisc. Prob. 14.). From this without distinction by all -at least by all whose
time forward what had originally been the leading stake in the prosperity of their country was concharacteristic of the legion was rapidly obliterated, sidered sufficient to insure their zeal in defending
so that under Diocletian, Constantine, and their it; and each man, when his share of this obligation
successors, the best soldiers in the Roman armies was discharged, returned to take his place in
were barbarians. The name Legion was still re- society, and to pursue his ordinary avocations.
tained in the fifth century, since it appears in an The admission of the Capite Censi into the ranks,
edict addressed by the emperors Arcadius and persons who, probably, found their condition as
Honorius to the prefect Romulianus (Cod. Justin. soldiers much superior to their position as civilians,
12. tit. 36. s. 13) and also in the tract known as and who could now cherish hopes of amassing
the Notitia Dignitatusn Imperii (c. 59). It pro- wealth by plunder, or of rising to honour as officers,
bably did not fall into total disuse until the epoch tended to create a numerous class disposed to deof Justinian's sway; but in the numerous ordi- vote themselves permanently to a military life as
nances of that prince with regard to military affairs the only source from whence they could secure
nothing bears in any way upon the constitution of comfort and distinction. The long-continued
the legion, not does the name occur in legal docu- operations of Caesar in Gaul, and the necessity
ments subsequent to the above-mentioned edict of imposed upon Pompeius of keeping up a large
Arcadius and Honorius. force as a check on his dreaded rival, contributed
There is yet another circumstance connected strongly to nourish this feeling, which was, at
with the social position of the soldier to which it length, fully developed and confirmed by the civil
is very necessary to advert, if we desire to form a broils which lasted for twenty years, and by the