THEORGANIZATIONOFTHELEGION
Allourwritersagreethatnevermorethantwolegions,besidesauxiliaries,www.xiaoshuodaquan.com.Butifthedescriptionappearobscureorimperfect,itisnottobeimputedtome,buttothedifficultyofthesubjectitself,whichisthereforetobeexaminedwiththegreaterattention.Aprince,skilledhimselfinmilitaryaffairs,hasitinhispowertomakehimselfinvinciblebykeepingupwhatevernumberofwelldisciplinedforceshethinksproper.
Therecruitshavingthusbeencarefullychosenwithproperattentiontotheirpersonsanddispositions,andhavingbeendailyexercisedforthespaceoffourmonthsatleast,thelegionisformedbythecommandandundertheauspicesoftheEmperor.Themilitarymark,whichisindelible,isfirstimprintedonthehandsofthenewlevies,andastheirnamesare‘edintherollofthelegionstheytaketheusualoath,calledthemilitaryoath.TheyswearbyGod,byChristandbytheHolyGhost;andbytheMajestyoftheEmperorwho,afterGod,shouldbethechiefobjectoftheloveandvenerationofmankind.ForwhenhehasoncereceivedthetitleofAugust,hissubjectsareboundtopayhimthemostsinceredevotionandhomage,astherepresentativeofGodonearth.Andeveryman,whetherinaprivateormilitarystation,servesGodinservinghimfaithfullywhoreignsbyHisauthority.Thesoldiers,therefore,sweartheywillobeytheEmperorwillinglyandimplicitlyinallhiscommands,thattheywillneverdesertandwillalwaysbereadytosacrificetheirlivesfortheRomanEmpire.
Thelegionshouldconsistoftencohorts,thefirstofwhichexceedstheothersbothinnumberandqualityofitssoldiers,whoare‘edtoserveinitasmenofsomefamilyandeducation.Thiscohorthasthecareoftheeagle,thechiefensignintheRomanarmiesandthestandardofthewholelegion,aswellasoftheimagesoftheemperorswhicharealwaysconsideredassacred.Itconsistsofelevenhundredandfivefootandonehundredandthirty－twohorsecuirassiers,andisdistinguishedbythenameoftheMillarianCohort.Itistheheadofthelegionandisalwaysfirstformedontherightofthefirstlinewhenthelegiondrawsupinorderofbattle.
Thesecondcohortcontainsfivehundredandfifty－fivefootandsixty－sixhorse,andiscalledtheQuingentarianCohort.Thethirdiscomposedoffivehundredandfiftyfivefootandsixty－sixhorse,generallychosenmen,onaccountofitssituationinthecenterofthefirstline.Thefourthconsistsofthesamenumberoffivehundredandfifty－fivefootandsixty－sixhorse.Thefifthhaslikewisefivehundredandfifty－fivefootandsixty－sixhorse,whichshouldbesomeofthebestmen,beingpostedontheleftflankasthefirstcohortisontheright.Thesefivecohortscomposethefirstline.
Thesixthincludesfivehundredandfifty－fivefootandsixty－sixhorse,whichshouldbethefloweroftheyoungsoldiersasitdrawsupintherearoftheeagleandtheimagesoftheemperors,andontherightofthesecondline.Theseventhcontainsfivehundredandfifty－fivefootandsixty－sixhorse.Theeighthiscomposedoffivehundredandfifty－fivefootandsixty－sixhorse,all‘edtroops,asitoccupiesthecenterofthesecondline.Theninthhasfivehundredandfifty－fivefootandsixty－sixhorse.Thetenthconsistsofthesamenumberoffivehundredandfifty－fivefootandsixty－sixhorseandrequiresgoodmen,asitclosestheleftflankofthesecondline.Thesetencohortsformthecompletelegions,consistinginthewholeofsixthousandonehundredfootandsevenhundredandtwenty－sixhorses.Alegionshouldneverbecomposedofalessnumberofmen,butitissometimesstrongerbytheadditionofotherMillarianCohorts.
THEOFFICERSOFTHELEGION
Havingshowntheancientestablishmentofthelegion,weshallnowexplainthenamesoftheprincipalsoldiersor,tousetheproperterm,theofficers,www.xiaoshuodaquan.com.Thetribunesaresocalledfromtheircommandoverthesoldiers,www.xiaoshuodaquan.com;andtheFlavialeswereappointedbyFlaviusVespasiantodoublethenumberoftheAugustales.Theeagle－bearersandtheimage－bearersarethosewhocarrytheeaglesandimagesoftheEmperors.TheOptionesaresubalternofficers,sodenominatedfromtheirbeing‘edbytheoptionoftheirsuperiorofficers,todotheirdutyastheirsubstitutesorlieutenantsincaseofsicknessorotheraccident.Theensign－www.xiaoshuodaquan.com.www.xiaoshuodaquan.com.TheTubicines,Cornicines,andBuccinatoresderivetheirappellationsfromblowingthetrumpet,cornet,andbuccina.Thosewho,expertintheirexercises,receiveadoubleallowanceofprovisions,arecalledArmaturaeDuplares,andthosewhohavebutasingleportion,Simplares.TheMensoresmarkoutthegroundbymeasureforthetentsinanencampment,andassignthetroopstheirrespectivequartersingarrison.TheTorquati,sodenominatedfromthegoldcollarsgiventheminrewardfortheirbravery,hadbesidesthishonordifferentallowances.ThosewhoreceiveddoublewerecalledTorquatiDuplares,andthosewhohadonlysingle,Simplares.Therewere,forthesamereason,CandidatiiDuplares,www.xiaoshuodaquan.com,orworkingsoldiers,www.xiaoshuodaquan.com,thatis,www.xiaoshuodaquan.com,andisnowcalledDucenarius.ThePrincepsofthefirstcohortcommandedacenturyandahalf,thatis,onehundredandfiftymen,andkeptinagreatmeasurethegeneraldetailofthelegion.ThesecondHastatushadlikewiseacenturyandahalf,www.xiaoshuodaquan.com,whobytheancientestablishmentenjoyedgreathonorsandemolumentsthatwereannexedtothisrankinordertoinspirethesoldiersofthelegionswithemulationtoattainsuchampleandconsiderablerewards.TheyhadalsoCenturionsappointedtoeachcentury,nowcalledCentenariiandDecani,whocommandedtenmen,nowcalledheadsofmesses.ThesecondcohorthadfiveCenturions;andalltheresttothetenthinclusivelythesamenumber.Inthewholelegiontherewerefiftyfive.
Lieutenantsofconsulardignitywereformerlysenttocommandinthearmiesunderthegeneral,andtheirauthorityextendedoverboththelegionsandauxiliariesinpeaceandwar.Insteadoftheseofficers,personsofhighrankarenowsubstitutedwiththetitleofMastersoftheForces.Theyarenotlimitedtothecommandoftwolegionsonly,buthaveoftenagreaternumber.ButthepeculiarofficerofthelegionwasthePraefect,www.xiaoshuodaquan.com,Centurions,andallthesoldiersingeneralwereunderhisorders:Hegaveouttheparoleandorderforthemarchandfortheguards.Andifasoldiercommittedacrime,byhisauthoritytheTribuneadjudgedhimtopunishment.Hehadchargeofthearms,horses,www.xiaoshuodaquan.com,asthesolechargeofformingthelegiontoregularityandobediencedependedonhimandtheexcellenceofthesoldiersredoundedentirelytohisownhonorandcredit.
ThePraefectofthecamp,thoughinferiorinranktotheformer,hadapostofnosmallimportance.Thepositionofthecamp,thedirectionoftheentrenchments,theinspectionofthetentsorhutsofthesoldiersandthebaggagewerecomprehendedinhisprovince.Hisauthorityextendedoverthesick,andthephysicianswhohadthecareofthem;andheregulatedtheexpensesrelativethereto.Hehadthechargeofprovidingcarriages,bathorsesandthepropertoolsforsawingandcuttingwood,diggingtrenches,raisingparapets,sinkingwellsandbringingwaterintothecamp.Helikewisehadthecareoffurnishingthetroopswithwoodandstraw,aswellastherams,onagri,balistaeandalltheotherenginesofwarunderhisdirection.Thispostwasalwaysconferredonanofficerofgreatskill,experienceandlongservice,andwhoconsequentlywascapableofinstructingothersinthosebranchesoftheprofessioninwhichhehaddistinguishedhimself.
THEPRAEFECTOFTHEWORKMEN
Thelegionhadatrainofjoiners,masons,carpenters,smiths,painters,andworkmenofeverykindfortheconstructionofbarracksinthewinter－campsandformakingorrepairingthewoodentowers,arms,carriagesandthevarioussortsofmachinesandenginesfortheattackordefenseofplaces.Theyhadalsotravelingworkshopsinwhichtheymadeshields,cuirasses,helmets,bows,arrows,www.xiaoshuodaquan.com,byworkingundergroundandpiercingthefoundationsofwalls,accordingtothepracticeoftheBeffi,penetratedintothebodyofaplace.Allthesewereunderthedirectionoftheofficercalledthepraefectoftheworkmen.
书书网手机版 m.1pwx.com