Republican Army
During the Roman Republic a "Polybian" legion (ca. 300–88 BC) of citizen-levies had a cavalry complement of 300 horse, divided into 10 turmae (squadrons) of 30 men each. Each turma was led by 3 decurions, who were elected by the squadron members themselves. Although decurio literally means "leader of 10 men", it does not appear that a turma was sub-divided into 3 troops of 10 men each. Instead, one decurion would act as squadron commander and the other two as his deputies. All decurions were members of the Roman equestrian order, as were many of their subordinates.
Read more about this topic: Decurion (Roman Cavalry Officer)
Famous quotes containing the words republican and/or army:
“A man of great employments and excellent performance used to assure me that he did not think a man worth anything until he was sixty; although this smacks a little of the resolution of a certain “Young Men’s Republican Club,” that all men should be held eligible who are under seventy.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Roach, foulest of creatures,
who attacks with yellow teeth
and an army of cousins big as shoes ...”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)