soldiers among the Romans, who having served their full time in the army, went afterwards volunteers at the request of some favourite general; on which account they were called by the honourable names of Emeriti and Beneficiarii.

EVCVATION (Evocatio), among the Romans, a religious ceremony always observed by them at the undertaking a siege, wherein they solemnly called upon the gods and goddesses of the place to forsake it and come over to them. Without the performance of this ceremony, they either thought that the place could not be taken, or that it would be a sacrilege to take the gods prisoners. They always took it for granted that their prayer was heard, and that the gods had deserted the place and come over to them, provided they were able to make themselves masters of it.