The soldiers were subject to penalties of life and limb at the discretion of the commander-in-chief, without the intervention of a court-martial; but it deserves to be recorded that this power was rarely abused.17.There were several species of rewards to excite emulation; the most honourable were, the civic crown of gold to him who had saved the life of a citizen; the mural crown to him who had first scaled the wall of a besieged town; a gilt spear to him who had severely wounded an enemy; but he who had slain and spoiled his foe, received, if a horseman, an ornamental trapping; if a foot soldier, a goblet.
18.

The lower classes of the centuries were excused from serving in the army, except on dangerous emergencies; but they supplied sailors to the navy.

We learn, from a document preserved by Polyb'ius, that the Romans were a naval power at a very early age.19.

This interesting record is the copy of a treaty concluded with the Carthaginians, in the year after the expulsion of the kings.

It is not mentioned by the Roman historians, because it decisively establishes a fact which they studiously labour to conceal, that is, the weakness and decline of the Roman power during the two centuries that followed the abolition of royalty, when the power of the state was monopolized by a vile aristocracy.