Eventually the Romans, whose proportion of cavalry to infantry had been one-tenth, increased it to one-fourth, with which increase and im proved training, at the battle of Zama, they were enabled to drive back the Carthaginian cavalry and thereupon attacked Hannibal's in fantry in flank and rear, defeating it with a b.ss of 20.000 men. The Roman cavalry rode without saddles, but their horses were equipped with leather housings. They were armed like the Greeks. although the sword had a very broad, sharp blade, and was worn on the right side, suspended by a belt from the shoulder; under Vespasian the sword was removed to the left side, and its place was taken by a. dagger. A helmet, a cuirass (of leather or metal), and a small round buckler completed the soldier's equipment.
The Romans fought with face uncovered; some of the (opposing allies wore a leathern helmet closed in front, and said to be the prototype of the knight's helmet, with visor down, of media.
sal times. The cavalry, when first organized in the regal period, was composed of the better class of eiti,:ens, and the ech ns, or king's body guard, consisted exclusively of young noblemen. Toward the end of the Republic the knights be gan to withdraw from the army, and it was thereafter recruited largely from foreigner-. The Roman legion originally consisted of 30110 infan try and 300 cavalry. This mounted body was, by Servius Tullius, increased to 2100. "The cavalry was divided into ten troops (turma): the first.
as the vompanion of the first cohort. consisted of 132 men, while each of the other nine comprised GU. The entire establishment formed a regiment of 72fi horses, naturally conned ed with its re spective legion, lint occasionally separated to act in the line and to compose a part of the wings of an army." (Gibbon.) These companies. or tarnu•. were formed in various ways—at one time in eizht files and four ranks; afterwards in three sections of three tiles or three ranks, each section commanded by its decurio (lieu tenant), and followed by its uragus (file-closer) ; and at a later period into ten files and three tanks, commanded by the first decurio, the two others being posted, one on either flank.
Hannibal's auxiliaries included hoth Numidian and Gallic horsemen. The first were small mcn. on small, active horses. which were managed solely with a leather thong. In their manner of fighting the Xumidians resembled the Cossacks. "In his formation for battle, Hannibal threw into the centre of his line all the bridled and heavy cavalry, and placed the Numidians on the wing. that they might be ready to surround the Romans." ( l'olybius.) The Gallic cavalry were perhaps the most efficient of the auxiliaries. Like the Greeks and Romans, they had no sad dles, which date only from the time of Con stantine. nor stirrups, which were invented by the Franks. For that reason. cases of hernia, were quite common among these troops.