eir heads, and secures them against
those darts which may be carried in their flight beyond the first
ranks, and fall upon those that are behind. But when the whole body
advances to charge the enemy, even the hindmost ranks are of no small
use and moment. For as they press continually upon those that are
before them, they add by their weight alone great force to the attack,
and deprive also the foremost ranks of the power of drawing themselves
backwards or retreating. Such, then, is the disposition of the
phalanx, with regard both to the whole and the several parts. Let us
now consider the arms, and the order of battle, of the Romans; that we
may see by the comparison in what respects they are different from
those of the Macedonians.

"To each of the Roman soldiers, as he stands in arms, is allotted the
same space likewise of three feet. But as every soldier in the time of
action is constantly in motion, being forced to shift his shield
continually, that he may cover any part of his body against which a
stroke is aimed, and so vary the position of his sword, so as either
to push, or to make a falling stroke, there must also be a distance of
three feet, the least that can be allowed for performing these motions
with advantage, between each soldier and the man that stands next to
him, both upon his side and behind him. In charging, therefore,
against the phalanx, every single Roman, as he has two Macedonians
opposite to him, has also ten spears, which he is forced to encounter.
But it is not possible for a single man to cut down these spears with
his sword, before they can take their effect, against him. Nor is it
easy on the other hand to force his way through them. For the men that
are behind add no weight to the pressure, nor any strength to the
swords of those that are in the foremost rank. It will be easy,
therefore, to conceive, that, while the phalanx retains its own proper
position and strength, no troops, as I before observed, can ever
support the attack of it in front."

Polybius, Book xvii. Ex. iii. in Hampden's translation, 1773.]

[Footnote 35: The 'pileum,' a close-fitting felt cap, was given by the
Romans to slaves on the occasion of their enfranchisement, as a sign
of freedom.]

[Footnote 36: Livy xxxix, chapter 51.]

[Footnote 37: In Greek warfare, any one who killed an enemy in battle
was entitled to dispose of his body and arms as he thought fit.
Plutarch means that by the laws of war Hannibal bel