The manipular legion was a major improvement over the phalanx on which it was based, providing a flexibility and responsiveness unequalled before that time.
Soon a legion of political exiles, former intelligence officers, ex-agents, and sundry entrepreneurs became brokers of fabricated-to-order information.
It was named from the standard carried by legionary detachments, the "vexillum" (plural "vexilla"), which bore the emblem and name of the parent legion.
They elected tribuni plebis, tribunes of the people, as well as 24 tribuni militares -- 6 per legion -- who were careerists with at least 5 or 6 years' service experience.
