itizens. They were, however, kept perfectly distinct, both
in the camp and in the battle-field.

The men belonging to each legion were separated into four divisions. 1.
1000 of the youngest and poorest were set apart to form the Velites, the
light-armed troops or skirmishers of the legion. 2. 1200 who came next
in age (or who were of the same age with the preceding, but more
wealthy) formed the Hastati. 3. 1200, consisting of those in the full
vigor of manhood, formed the Principes. 4. 600 of the oldest and most
experienced formed the Triarii. When the number of soldiers in the
legion exceeded 4000, the first three divisions were increased
proportionally, but the number of the Triarii remained always the same.
The Hastati, Principes, and Triarii were each divided into 10 companies,
called Maniples. The Velites were not divided into companies, but were
distributed equally among the Hastati, Principes, and Triarii. Each
maniple was subdivided into two centuries, commanded by a centurion.
Each legion had six superior officers, called Tribuni Militum. The
legion was also divided into 10 cohorts; and as the cohorts were all
equal to each other, the strength of the cohort varied from time to time
with the strength of the legion, and thus at different periods ranged
between the limits of 300 and 600.

Three hundred horse-soldiers were apportioned to each legion, divided
into 10 troops (_turmae_), out of which three officers were chosen named
Decuriones.

The infantry furnished by the Socii was for the most part equal in
number to the Roman legions, the cavalry twice or thrice as numerous,
and the whole were divided equally between the two consular armies. Each
Consul named 12 superior officers, who were termed Praefecti Sociorum,
and corresponded by the Legionary Tribunes.

_Fourth Period. From the times of the Gracchi until the downfall of the
Republic._[50]--After the times of the Gracchi the following changes in
military affairs may be noticed: In the first consulship of Marius the
legions were thrown open to citizens of all grades, without distinction
of fortune. The whole of the legionaries were armed and equipped in the
same manner, all being now furnished with the pilum. The legionaries,
when in battle-order, were no longer arranged in three lines, each
consisting of ten maniples with an open space between each maniple, but
in two lines, each consisting of five cohorts, with a space between each
cohort. The younger