bartieboy

so just some time ago i read the Commentarii de Bello Gallico from Julius Ceasar... however in my translation of the book Ceasar kept reffering to the triarii. That while the Triarii were no longer jused after the marian reforms.
So whats your explination for this?
Is my version of the book bad? Or was the name Triarii at the time still jused as a term for experienced soldiers?

Salah

I think that "triarii" could serve as a generic term for veteran Roman soldiers. That said, I've never seen the word in any of the translations of Caesar I've read. Who translated your copy?

bartieboy

cant remember, just brought the book back to the library... i can tell you who the original writer was :P

it is a dutch translation

tdhigg01

Caesar did use the classic 3-line system when attacking. So possibly it's referring to that third line, which would have been composed of the vets. I haven't read the Commentaries in Latin, so I don't know. That's just a guess.

Isoroku295

I agree with Salah, the Vets.

sylla1

I have found this word in De Bello Civili & De Bello Alexandrino, but never in De Bello Gallico; can you please post the specific passages and references?

bartieboy

i borrowed the book from the library, i no longer have it

Belisarius

The original Cohort unit was created from taking one maniple from each line to create a 'battle group' of Hastati, Principes and Triarii (along with a velite component).

It is possible some of these titles continued in use adfter the Marian Reforms as evidenced for example by such titles of centurions ranging from Primus Pilus Prior to Decimus Hastatus Posterior.

In a more modern context, the British army had units of "Fusiliers" and "Grenadiers" long after the original troop type and function had disappeared.