=Ærarium Militare.= In Roman antiquity, the war treasury of Rome, founded by Augustus; in addition to other revenues, the one-hundredth part of all merchandise sold in Rome was paid into it. =Æro.= A basket used by the Roman soldiers to carry earth in to construct fortifications. =Ærumnula.= A wooden pole or fork, introduced among the Romans by Consul Marius. Each soldier was provided with one of these poles, which had attached thereto a saw, hatchet, a sack of wheat, and baggage; and he was compelled to carry it on a march. =Affair.= An action or engagement, not of sufficient magnitude to be termed a battle. =Affamer= (_Fr._). To besiege a place so closely as to starve the garrison and inhabitants. =Affidavit.= In military law is an oath duly subscribed before any person authorized to administer it. In the U. S. service, in the absence of a civil officer any commissioned officer is empowered to administer an oath. =Afforciament.= An old term for a fortress or stronghold. =Afghanistan.= A large country in Central Asia, at war with England 1838, and 1878-79. =Afrancesados= (_Sp._). Name given to the Spaniards who upheld the oath of allegiance to king Joseph Bonaparte; also called Josephins (in the Peninsular war). =Aga.= Rank of an officer in the Turkish army; the same as a general with us. =Age.= In a military sense, a young man must be 14 years old before he can become an officer in the English army, or be entered as a cadet at Woolwich, in the English military academy. For admission to the military academy at West Point, U. S., the age is from 17 to 22 years. Men are enlisted for soldiers at from 17 to 45 in the English army, and in the U. S. army at from 18 to 35. Officers in the U. S. army may be retired, at the discretion of the President, at 62 years of age. =Agema= (_Gr._). In the ancient military art, a kind of soldiery, chiefly in the Macedonian army. The word is Greek, and denotes vehemence, to express the strength and eagerness of this corps. =Agen.= Principal place of the department Lot-et-Garonne, France, on the right bank of the river Garonne, which has a city of the same name, and was the scene of many battles. =Agency.= A certain proportion of money which is ordered to be subtracted from the pay and allowances of the British army, for transacting the business of the several regiments comprising it. =Agent, Army.= A person in the civil department of the British army, between the paymaster-general and the paymaster of the regiment, through whom every regimental concern of a pecuniary nature is transacted.