The Gracchi Marius and Sulla: Epochs of Ancient HistoryBeesly, A. H. (Augustus Henry)
History
The Gracchi Marius and Sulla: Epochs of Ancient History
Beesly, A. H. (Augustus Henry)
Rome -- History -- Republic, 265-30 B.C.
by 'legati' of his own, to one of whom he would entrust a legion, and
appointed some, but probably not all, of the tribunes, and Marius, it
seems likely, did the same. [Sidenote: Numbers of the legion.] The
normal number of a legion had been 4,200 men and 300 horse, but was
often larger. [Sidenote: The pay.] The pay of a legionary was in
the time of Polybius two obols a day for the private, four for a
centurion, and six for a horse soldier, besides an allowance of corn.
But deductions were made for clothing, arms, and food. Hence the law
of Caius Gracchus (cf. p. 51); but from the first book of the Annals
of Tacitus we find that such deductions long continued to be the
soldier's grievance. Auxiliary troops received an allowance of corn,
but no pay from Rome. [Sidenote: The engineers.] The engineers of the
army were called Fabri, under a 'praefectus,' the 'Fabri Lignarii'
having the woodwork, and the 'Fabri Ferrarii' the ironwork of the
enginery under their special charge, [Sidenote: The staff.] and all
were attached to the staff of the army, which consisted of the general
and certain officers, such as the legati, or generals of division, and
the quaestors, or managers of the commissariat. [Sidenote: The Cohors
Praetoria.] One of the most significant changes that had sprung up
of late years was one which was introduced by Scipio Aemilianus at
Numantia--the institution of a body-guard, or Cohors Praetoria. It
consisted of young men of rank, who went with the general to learn
their profession, or as volunteers of troops specially enlisted for
the post, who would often be veterans from his former armies. The term
Evocati was applied to such veterans strictly, but also to any men
specially enlisted for the purpose. [Sidenote: The equites.] It is
probable that the equites no longer formed the cavalry of a legion,
but only served in the general's body-guard, as tribunes and
praefects, or on extraordinary commissions. The cavalry in Caesar's
time appears to have consisted entirely of auxiliaries.
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