he second year of
the Second Punic War the regular number may be fixed at 4000 or 4200
infantry. From the latter period until the consulship of Marius the
ordinary number was from 5000 to 5200. For some centuries after Marius
the numbers varied from 5000 to 6200, generally approaching to the
higher limit. Amid all the variations with regard to the infantry, 300
horsemen formed the regular complement of the legion. The organization
of the legion differed at different periods.

1. _First Period. Servius Tullius._--The legion of Servius is so closely
connected with the Comitia Centuriata that it has already been
discussed,[49] and it is only necessary to state here that it was a
phalanx equipped in the Greek fashion, the front ranks being furnished
with a complete suit of armor, their weapons being long spears, and
their chief defense the round Argolic shield (_clipeus_).

2. _Second Period. The Great Latin War_, B.C. 340.--The legion in B.C.
340 had almost entirely discarded the tactics of the phalanx. It was now
drawn up in three, or perhaps we ought to say, in five lines. The
soldiers of the first line, called Hastati, consisted of youths in the
first bloom of manhood, distributed into 15 companies or maniples
(_manipuli_), a moderate space being left between each. The maniple
contained 60 privates, 2 centurions (_centuriones_), and a
standard-bearer (_vexillarius_). The second line, the Principes, was
composed of men in the full vigor of life, divided in like manner into
15 maniples, all heavily armed. The two lines of the Hastati and
Principes taken together amounted to 30 maniples, and formed the
Antepilani. The third line, the Triarii, composed of tried veterans, was
also in 15 divisions, but each of these was triple, containing 3
maniples. In these triple maniples the veterans, or Triarii proper,
formed the front ranks; immediately behind them stood the Rorarii,
inferior in age and prowess, while the Accensi, or supernumeraries, less
trustworthy than either, were posted in the extreme rear.

3. _Third Period. During the Wars of the younger Scipio._--Under
ordinary circumstances four legions were levied yearly, two being
assigned to each Consul. It must be observed that a regular consular
army no longer consisted of Roman legions only, but, as Italy became
gradually subjugated, the various states under the dominion of Rome were
bound to furnish a contingent, and the number of allies usually exceeded
that of the c