DECU´RSIO
DECU´RSIO,
DECURSUS,
DECURRERE.
1. These words were used to signify the manœuvres of the Roman
army, by which the soldiers were taught to make long marches in a given
time, under arms and without quitting their ranks. They are frequently
mentioned by Livy (
23.35,
6;
24.48,
11;
26.51,
4;
42.52,
4). These
manœuvres sometimes consisted of a sham fight between two
divisions of the army. ( “Mos erat . . . exercitum
decurrere et divisas bifariam duas acies concurrere ad
simulacrum pugnae,”
Liv. 40.6,
5.) With
the standing armies under the empire these manœuvres assumed a
more regular form, and were constantly practised. Augustus and subsequently
Hadrian ordered that the infantry and cavalry were to march out three times
a month ten miles from the camp and ten miles back fully armed and equipped.
This is called by Vegetius
campicursio (Veget.
1.27 ; 3.4), and by Suetonius
campestris
decursio (Suet.
Galb. 6: cf.
Ner. 7;
Tac. Ann. 2.55).
Maximinus ordered that these manœuvres should take place every
five days (Capitol.
Maxim. duo, 6). (Cf. Marquardt,
Röm. Staatsverw. ii. p. 548.)
2. The same words were used to signify the military honours paid by soldiers
at the funeral of distinguished generals or emperors. Such a
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Decursio on coin of Nero. (British Museum.)
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decursio is first mentioned in connexion with
the funeral of Sempronius Gracchus, killed in the second Punic war (
Liv. 25.17,
4,
5). The soldiers marched three times round the
funeral pyre (
Verg. A. 11.188;
Tac. Ann. 2.7;
Suet. Cl.
1;
Lucan 8.735; Herodian. 4.2, 19).
On the base of the Antonine Column this
decursio is represented.
3. The
decursio, which occurs on the coins of
Nero, probably refers to the military manœuvres or sham fights in
the circus. The preceding cut represents a horseman with a spear, and
another carrying a standard. These games date from the time of the republic,
and were continued under the empire. (
Liv. 44.9,
3; Eckhel, vi. pp. 271, 503; Becq de
Fouquières,
Les Jeux des Anciens, p. 256; Saglio,
Dict. s. v.)
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W.S]
