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

:'}t; cEX EPCITUS. EXERCI TI S.
sections, according to the order of their election, divisions; and here, we must remark in passing,
in the following mannler: -The four junior tri- that Polybius has fallen into a slight inconsistenc:y,
bunes first elected, and the two senior tribunes first for while in the passage quoted above he fixes the
elected were assigned to the first legion, the three number of the legion when he wrote, under ordijuniors and the three seniors next in order to the nary circumstances, at 4200, in describing the
second; the four juniors and the two seniors next arrangements which follow he supposes it to conin order to the third, the last three juniors and sist of 4000 only (vi. 21).
the last three seniors to the fourth legion. (Polyb. (1) One thousand of the youngest and poorest
vi. 14.) were set apart to form the Velites (rpoorpolMdXoe,
The tribunes being thus distributed into four rpoo'poqdpoo), or skirmishers of the legion.
parties of six, those belonging to each legion seated (2) Twelve hundred who came next in age (or
themselves apart, and the tribes were summoned in who were of the same age with the preceding but
succession by lot. The tribe whose lot came out more wealthy-the words of Polybius are not very
first being called up, they picked out from it four distinct) formed the Hastati ('Aoi-droL).
youths as nearly matched as possible in age and (3) Twelve hundred, consisting of those in the
form; out of these four, the tribunes of the first full vigour of manhood, formed the Psrincipes
legion chose one, the tribunes of the second legion (Ilpyrln7res).
one of the remaining three; the tribunes of the (4) Six hundred, consisting of the oldest and
third legion, one of the remaining two, and the last most experienced, formed the Triarii (TpLdotor).
fell to the fourth legion. Upon the next tribe When the numlber of soldiers in the legion exbeing called up, the first choice was given to the ceeded 4000, the first three divisions were increased
tribunes of the second legion, the second choice to proportionally, but the number of the Triarii rethose of the third, and the last man fell to the first mained always the same.
legion. On the next tribe being called up, the The equipment of these corps was as follows -
tribunes of the third legion had the first choice, For defensive armour the Velites were firnished
and so on in succession, the object in view being with a plain head-piece (XL'orE 7rEpscexpaAaer),
that the four legions should be as nearly alike as sometimes covered with the hide of a wolf (Xvpossible, not in the number only, but in the quality cKEav) or any similar material, and a strong circular
of the soldiers. This process was continued until buckler (parma - 7rndps), three feet in diameter.
the ranks were complete, the regular number, ac- Their offensive weapons were a sword (jUdXaLpa),
cording to Polybius in this passage, being 4200, and the light javelin (hasta velitaris — p6apdpos),
but when any danger greater than usual was im- the shaft of which (hastile -Trb i5Aov) was genepending, 5000. rally two cubits (617rcXv), that is, about three feet
In ancient times, the cavalry were not chosen in length, and in thickness a finger's breadth (Tr
until after the infantry levy was concluded, but e 7rdXeL 3aKcrTvAmov), i. e. about'7584 of an inch;
when Polybius wrote the cavalry were. picked in the iron point a span in length (Tb Ve KCE'TpOV artthe first place from the list on which they were Oatas7ov), i. e. about nine inches, hammered out so
enrolled by the censor according to their fortune, fine that it was of necessity bent at the first cast,
and 300 were apportioned to each legion. (Polyb. and therefore could not be hurled back by the
vi. 20.) enemy.
3. The levy being completed (E7r'reXeOe[GoirS The Hastati wore a full suit of defensive armour,ris IcaTrapaepns), the tribunes collected the men (mravoirXia), consisting of shield, helmet, breastbelonging to their respective legions, and making plate, and greave. Their shield, termed Scutetn
one individual stand out from the rest administered (avpeds), was formed of two rectangular boards
to him an oath (epoprtiLovauw) "' that he would obey from four feet to four feet three inches long by two
orders and execute to the best of his ability the and a half feet broad, the one laid over the other,
command of his officers." (Sacramenteur s. Jusju- and united with strong glue; the outer surface was
randum minilittre, Cic. dce ff. i. 11; Liv. xxii. 38; then covered with coarse canvas, and over this a
sacramzneto nzilites adigere s. togare, Liv. vii. 11; calf's hide was stretched, and a curvature was
secramentesm s. sacranzento dicere, Fest. s.v.; given to the whole, the convexity being turned
Caes. B. C. i. 23; Liv. ii. 24, iv. 53; Gell. xvi. 4.) outwards. The upper and under edge was
The rest of the soldiers then came forward one by strengthened by an iron rim (ar1slpov, osAxeso~a),
one, and swore to do what the first had bound the former, that it might resist the downward
himself to perform. They were then dismissed, a stroke, of a sword; the latter, that it might not be
day and place having been appointed where each injured by resting upon the ground. In addition,
legion was to assemble without arms. (Polyb. vi. it was still further fortified by an iron boss (rtsrpa
21; Caes. B. C. i. 76.) The words uttered by icoyXos), which served to render it more secure
each soldier after the first were probably simply against blows from stones, against thrusts from the
"idem in me," (see Fest. s. a. Praejurationes). long pikes of the phalanx, and, in general, from all
4. At the same time the consuls gave notice to heavy missiles. [See a figure of the ScvUTUr
the magistrates of those towns in Italy in alliance under that article.] One leg was protected by a
with Rome, from whom they desired to receive a greave (ocresa-7rapatct',uls), and the head by a
contingent, of the number which each would be bronze helhnet (galea-sreparespaXama XeaXic), with
required to furnish, and of the day and place of a crest composed of three scarlet or black feathers,
gathering. The allied cities levied their troops standing erect to the height of about eighteen
and-administered the oath much in the same manner inches, so that the casque added greatly to the
as the Romans, and then sent them forth after apparent stature and imposing carriage of the
appointing a commander and a pay-master (XooXvTa soldier. The greater number of tile Hastati wore
tral Loe0Ooe'Tr-Y). [SOCI.] (Polyb. vi. 21.) in front of their breast a brass plate nine inches
5. The soldiers having again assembled, the men square, which was called the Ilecart-preserver (1Kapbelonging to each legion were separated into fouren otpi,<x,$ ); but those whose fortune exceeded