Talk:Tirones

I thought the singular of tirones was tiro: "Antiqui, sicut inuenitur in libris, hoc genere exercuere tirones... Idemque clauas ligneas dupli aeque ponderis pro gladiis tironibus dabant... Contra illum palum tamquam contra aduersarium tiro cum crate illa et claua uelut cum gladio se exercebat et scuto". Will correct unless anyone has an objection.

Also suggest adding some content e.g.: They were not subjected to full rigours of military discipline until they passed out and were registered as full soldiers. In the 4th Century A.D., Vegetius describes his ideal, rigorous weapons training, in contrast to the lax habits of his own day:"Of aspirants for enlistment were required good eyes and sound and vigorous bodies; but no definite height, certain units excepted, seems to have been prescribed... After taking the oath (sacramentum), the recruits entered upon an intensive and apparently endless course of training. The success of Roman arms, like all others, came from drill, discipline and training.... The ancients, as books reveal, trained recruits in the following way. They wove rounded shields of wicker, like basketry, in such a way that the frame would be double the weight of a battle shield. Similarly, they gave the recruits wooden foils, also double weight, instead of swords. Next, they were trained at the stakes not only in the morning but also in the afternoon... Neither the arena nor the field of battle ever proved a man invincible in arms, except those who are carefully taught training at the stake.... The recruit, who is trained at the stake with the foil, is also made to throw spearshafts - heavier than real javelins - against that stake as though against a man... For both muscular strength is increased, and knowledge and experience of throwing are gained by training .... But nearly a third or a quarter of the young men who are more capable must be trained at every opportunity at those same stakes with wooden bows and practise arrows... The young men, who on difficult expeditions had to carry both provisions and arms, must be continuously made to carry a burden with a weight of sixty pounds and to march as often as possible with the military pace. And this is not thought to be difficult, if practiced. For constant practice makes everything easy." (Epitoma Rei Militari 1:I-XVIIII)

Salvianus 23:43, 5 February 2007 (UTC)