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dragon. The Imperial standard, or that of the general in chief command, was a purple banner embroidered with gold and of exceptional size. The vexilla were dependent horizontally from a cross-bar fixed to the pole or spear by which they were elevated. Mounted lancers displayed small pennons or streamers near the points of their weapons,[1] but these were removed as an encumbrance on the eve of battle.[2] Full armour was worn, in some troops even by the horses.[3] Besides the weapons adapted for close conflict, much reliance was placed on missiles, javelins and slings, but especially bows and arrows in the hands of mounted archers.[4] In replenishing the ranks great discrimination was exercised; and not only the physical fitness of the recruit,[5] but the social atmosphere in which he had sprung up was made the subject of strict inquiry. No slave was accepted as a soldier,[6] nor any youth whose mind had been debased by menial employment or by traffic for petty gains in the slums of a city.[7] The

  1. ↑ The general appearance was probably: "The tuft of the helmet, the lance pennon, and the surcoat were all of a fixed colour for each band; Oman, Art of War, p. 186.
  2. ↑ For the ensign see Ammianus, xvi, 10; Vegetius, ii, 7, 13, 14, etc.; Cod., I, xxvii, 1 (8); Jn. Lydus, De Magistr., i, 46; Maurice, Strategikon, ii, 9, 13, 14, 19; Cedrenus, i, p. 298. The dragons were hollow so as to become inflated with the wind; Gregory Naz., Adv. Julian, i, 66.
  3. ↑ The cavalry with mail-clad horses were called cataphractarii or clibanarii; Ammianus, xvi, 10; Cod. Theod., XIV, xxvii, 9.
  4. ↑ Ammianus, xx, 11; xxix, 5; Procopius, De Bel. Pers., i, 1; Maurice, op. cit., XII, viii, 2, 4, 11, etc. There were fifteen factories for the forging of arms; Notitia; see below.
  5. ↑ Vegetius, i, 4, 5, 6; Cod. Theod., VII, xiii, 3; xx, 12, etc.
  6. ↑ Cod. Theod., VII, xiii, 8; Pand., XLIX, xvi, 11, etc.
  7. ↑ Vegetius, i, 7; Cod. Theod., VII, xiii, etc.; eighteen was the usual age for the recruit, 5 ft. 8 in. the height. They were branded in a conspicuous part of the body; Cod. Theod., X, xxi, 4, and Godefroy ad loc.
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