EQUITES

In Ancient History, a cla of Roman citizens, commonly represented by the English word knights, but not answering in all respects to its meaning. The origin of the Equites was the body of Celeres, instituted by Romulus; and they originally consisted of those who were rich enough to serve in war on horseback, but afterwards they became a distinct order. They were chosen promiscuously from the patricians and plebeians whose age was above 18 years, and fortune, at least towards the end of the republic, r.ot le than 400 sestertia, or 3229/. The badges of the equites were a golden ring and a robe with a narrow purple border; and to them were appropriated the fourteen rows of seats in the theatres next the orchestra, where the senators sat. This body disputed with the senate the privilege of forming the jury who a isted the praetor in trials; bat, alter repeated transfers of this office from one to the other, it was finally shared between both. The equites also furnished the farmers of the public revenue, or tnibticant; but though they had enjoyed this privilege under the republic,itwas only during the empire that they looked to such offices as their birthright. Cicero affirms that the flower of the Roman chivalry, the ornament of Rome, the strength of the empire, lay In these engro ers of the public revenue: "florem equimm Romanorum, ornamentum civitatis, Ormamentnm relpubliee, puhlicanorumordine continent' (Sen Nlebuhr't Roman History.) [s. 429]