20

THE DECLINE AND FALL

chap. The camp of a Roman legion prefented thei. appearance of a fortified city*'’. As foon as theKflcamjiinent. fpace was marked out, the pioneers carefullylevelled the ground, and removed every impedi-ment that might interrupt its perfect regularity.Its form was an exadt quadrangle; and we maycalculate, that a fquare of about feven hundredyards was fufficient for the encampment of twentythoufand Romans ; though a fimilar number of ourown troops would expofe to the enemy a front ofmore than treble that extent. In the midft of thecamp, the pnetorium , or general’s quarters, rofeabove the others; the cavalry, the infantry, andthe auxiliaries occupied their refpective ftations ; the{fleets were broad, and perfectly ftraight, and avacant fpace of two hundred feet was left on all{ides, between the tents and the rampart. Therampart itfelf was ufually twelve feet high , armedwith a line of flrong and intricate palifades , anddefended by a ditch of twelve feet in depth aswell as in breadth. This important labour wasperformed by the hands of the legionaries them-felves; to whom the ufe of the fpade and thepick-axe was no lefs familiar than that of thefword or pilum. Adtive valour may often be theprefent of nature; but fuch patient diligen ce can bethe fruit only of habit and difcipline* 1 .

M eh Whenever the trumpet gave the fignal of depar-

ture , the camp was almoft inftantly broke up , andthe troops, fell into their ranks without delay or con-fufion. Befides their arms, which the legionariesfcarcely confidered as an encumbrance, they were