Sometimes, of course, capital penalties were demanded. Once a private was guilty of gross insubordination; he had to “run the gantlet” (_fustuarium_) between two long files of soldiers who beat him with cudgels while he dashed vainly down the line, perishing ere he could reach the end. Once a detachment of half-drilled auxiliaries fled in an outrageous manner before the enemy. To teach a stern lesson these irregulars were “decimated”; being forced to stand disarmed before the whole legion, while lots were cast selecting every tenth man, who was forthwith dragged from the ranks and beheaded. [Illustration: SWORD.] =272. Pay and Rations in the Army: Soldiers’ Savings Banks.=--While a private Quadratus, of course, drew the private’s pay, 1200 sesterces ($48) a year,[166] out of which, however, was deducted a certain part of his upkeep and equipment. Even as it was, however, this gave fairly ample spending money, and every soldier was required to deposit a part of his wages in the legionary savings bank, accumulating against the day of his happy discharge, and protected from barrack-room gambling and squandering. Besides this, brave service often won an increase of stipend, more valuable than many medals; and Quadratus was presently a _duplarius_, a “double-pay man,” to the great envy of certain comrades. Army rations would have seemed to another age extremely monotonous, a mere succession of huge portions of coarse bread or of wheat porridge. There were also distributions of salt pork, vegetables, etc., but the legionaries did not care greatly for meat. There were even cases when they protested against “too much beef and too little wheat.” As for drink, everybody in camp enjoyed plenty of _posca_--the dilution of cheap wine and vinegar.[167] [Illustration: HELMET.] =273. The Training of Soldiers: Non-Military Labors.=--Drilling went on incessantly. Even soldiers versed in their spear play seemed forever under arms merely to keep up the camp routine and morale. Every man was trained to be a good swimmer, to run, jump, and indulge in acrobatic feats like the _testudo_ (when one group of men climbed upon their comrades’ heads) so useful in storming walls. Thrice a month the whole legion went on a forced practice march, going at least twenty miles at four miles (or more) per hour, each man bearing, besides his heavy armor, an elaborate baggage kit, half a bushel of grain, one or two tall intrenching stakes, a spade, axe, rope, and other tools--a weight of sixty pounds.