A dictionary of Greek and Roman . called Testudo Arietaria.(Vitruv. x. 19. p. 322, Bip.) Vitruvius also men-tions and explains the construction of several othermilitary machines to which the name of Testudineswas given (x. 20, 21 ; compare Polyb. ). 4. The name of Testudo was also applied to thecovering made by a close body of soldiers whoplaced their shields over their heads to securethemselves against the darts of the enemy. Theshields fitted so closely together as to present oneunbroken surface without any interstices betweenthem, and were also so firm that men could walk
A dictionary of Greek and Roman . called Testudo Arietaria.(Vitruv. x. 19. p. 322, Bip.) Vitruvius also men-tions and explains the construction of several othermilitary machines to which the name of Testudineswas given (x. 20, 21 ; compare Polyb. ). 4. The name of Testudo was also applied to thecovering made by a close body of soldiers whoplaced their shields over their heads to securethemselves against the darts of the enemy. Theshields fitted so closely together as to present oneunbroken surface without any interstices betweenthem, and were also so firm that men could walkupon them, and even horses and chariots be drivenover them. (Dion Cass. xlix. 30.) A testudo wasformed (testudinem facere) either in battle to wardoff the arrows and other missiles of the enemy, or,which was more frequently the case, to form a pro-tection to the soldiers when they advanced to thewalls or gates of a town for the purpose of attack-ing them. (Dion Cass. I. c.; Liv. x. 43 ; Caes. ii. 6 ; Sail. Jug. 94 ; see cut annexed, taken. from the Antonine column.) Sometimes the shieldswere disposed in such a way as to make the testudoslope. The soldiers in the first line stood up-right, those in the second stooped a little, and eachline successively was a little lower than the pre-ceding down to the last, where the soldiers restedon one knee. Such a disposition of the shieldswas called Fastigata Testudo, on account of theirsloping like the roof of a building. The advan-tages of this plan were obvious: the stones andmissiles thrown upon the shields rolled off themlike water from a roof; besides which, other sol-diers frequently advanced upon them to attack theenemy upon the walls. The Romans were accus- THALAMITAE. 1119tomed to form this kind of testudo, as an exercise,in the games of the Circus. (Liv. xliv. 9 ; 12.) TETRADRACHMON. [Drachma.] TETRARCHA or TETRARCHES (r^pdp-XVs). This word was originally used, according toits etymological meaning, to signify
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