The Gracchi were the first to attach to this order the separate appellation of “judices,” their object being at the same moment a seditious popularity and the humiliation of the senate. After the fall of these men, in consequence of the varying results of seditious movements, the name and influence of the equestrian order were lost, and became merged in those of the publicani,[764] who, for some time, were the men that constituted the third class in the state. At last, however, Marcus Cicero, during his consulship, and at the period of the Catilinarian troubles, re-established the equestrian name, it being his vaunt that he himself had sprung from that order, and he, by certain acts of popularity peculiar to himself, having conciliated its support. Since that period, it is very clear that the equites have formed the third body in the state, and the name of the equestrian order has been added to the formula—“The Senate and People of Rome.” Hence[765] it is, too, that at the present day even, the name of this order is written after that of the people, it being the one that was the last instituted. CHAP. 9.—HOW OFTEN THE NAME OF THE EQUESTRIAN ORDER HAS BEEN CHANGED. Indeed, the name itself of the equites even, has been frequently changed, and that too, in the case of those who only owed their name to the fact of their service on horseback. Under Romulus and the other kings, the equites were known as “Celeres,”[766] then again as “Flexuntes,”[767] and after that as “Trossuli,”[768] from the fact of their having taken a certain town of Etruria, situate nine miles on this side of Volsinii, without any assistance from the infantry; a name too which survived till after the death of C. Gracchus. At all events, in the writings left by Junius, who, from his affection for C. Gracchus, took the name of Gracchanus,[769] we find the following words—“As regards the equestrian order, its members were formerly called ‘Trossuli,’ but at the present day they have the name of ‘Equites;’ because it is not understood what the appellation ‘Trossuli’ really means, and many feel ashamed at being called by that name.”[770]—He[771] then goes on to explain the reason, as above mentioned, and adds that, though much against their will, those persons are still called “Trossuli.” CHAP. 10.—GIFTS FOR MILITARY SERVICES, IN GOLD AND SILVER. There are also some other distinctions connected with gold, the mention of which ought not to be omitted. Our ancestors, for instance, presented torcs[772] of gold to the auxiliaries and foreign troops, while to Roman citizens they only granted silver[773] ones: bracelets[774] too, were given by them to citizens, but never to foreigners. CHAP. 11.—AT WHAT PERIOD THE FIRST CROWN OF GOLD WAS PRESENTED.