Hey man, haven't commented in a while but LOVE your videos. I'm ancient history buff and your videos have really helped me learn more. Keep up the great work 👍
Thank you Diego! Glad that it's bringing History to life! Don't worry I appreciate it when people have the time to write a message but don't expect it. Hope all is well with you and keep enjoying history!
I like how you included the different levels of pay from the soldiers as well as skilled workers. What would you recommend to learn more about that economy?
It's all down to the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest - where three legions were lost. Up until then soldiers had been allowed to marry, but they moved with their wives and children and had a huge baggage train with them. This meant they're incredibly susceptible to ambush and free legions were destroyed alongside the baggage train and the families. From then on soldiers below Centurion rank we're not allowed to marry. It was an additional perk of the job if you like and an incentive. Without marriage your children were not legitimate and you were not allowed to leave things in your will to them. This meant make your property couldn't be passed to your kids until you write a citizen and married at the end of 25 years or you were a Centurion!
@@leah890 I am not too certain. Concepts of the state are different to how we understand it today. More than likely it would go to your friends in the barrack's if you were a soldier. If you had managed to sell it, you were more than able to give coins to others to use after your death.
As far as we can tell they didn't have special accommodation, but some comments below have said that they think they were in with the Centurion. I think they would have just lived with the rest of the men!
If the Centurion did NOT bring his family or if he was single, it was common to have his Optio lodge with him along with a servant or two. If the Centurion brought his family all Ng he most likely would also have brought a servant/slave.
Hi Conald, which source are you referring too for that? I did say that they could have slaves as well. I've not come across the Optio lodging with him one before we though.
@@AlexIlesUK Quora, which does not make it accurate. However Centurions usually picked their own Optio. We do have other proofs of high ranking officers sharing lodging with other officers who were a lower rank. I'm wondering did the Signifer, Cornicen, Tesserarius, & Optio share one barracks room just the 4 of them?
@@AlexIlesUK I don't want to be critical but Auxiliary Cavalry was paid equal or more to Legionnaires, however Auxiliary Infantry we're paid about 1/3rd the the pay of Roman Legionnaires pay.
That would be an interesting way of looking at things. I'll have a look at archeology reports to see if there's comments on finds within the centurion barracks that could suggest that.
It depends on which point in the empire you're referring too and pay is something we don't have empire wide information on. I think there is a source for 220 Denali a year, but not a 1/3 of a Legionnaire pay. Again what's your source for that? The cavalry likely used the extra pay on their horses so it's not as much a bonus as it looks on paper. Also don't worry, it's not critical at all - good to discuss and debate. I'd point you towards other sources than quora though, it's so-so.
@@AlexIlesUK Haha nonsense; we all know the divine Little Boot's reputation has been deliberately distorted by jealous mortals :p Q: how much more previleged a centurion is compared to his men? A: yes. The differences are truly something. I'm really grateful for you focusing on that. I see that in social media people usually gloss over these important details and only focus on the technical aspects of the military structures.
I love looking at the day to day lives and structures of how things worked back in the past (and compare them to today). I honestly think it was a two pronged decision. 1) soldiers were paid less as a lot didn't make it very far - not because of warfare, but because of illness and other risks (half of all the emperor's bodyguard died before they reached 30) 2) if you have someone who's made it, you want to reward that and retain that! Also it incentivises soldiers to want to be promoted and become centurions as well. We also know you could be sent to other units and there was good carrier progression, so it was very much worth it!
P.s I agree Caligula was smeared, but what got him killed was trying to make himself a God. Oh and trusting his bodyguard. Constantine had the right idea of getting rid of that lot!!
Hey man, haven't commented in a while but LOVE your videos. I'm ancient history buff and your videos have really helped me learn more. Keep up the great work 👍
Thank you Diego! Glad that it's bringing History to life! Don't worry I appreciate it when people have the time to write a message but don't expect it. Hope all is well with you and keep enjoying history!
These are great. I too really enjoyed having the income discussion laid out.
Thank you! I think you will like the next one then too!
Very interesting. Very informative. Very enjoyable. Your efforts are much appreciated. Thank you.
Thank you David.
Very interesting stuff. Thanks man
You're welcome!
I like how you included the different levels of pay from the soldiers as well as skilled workers. What would you recommend to learn more about that economy?
Hi John,
I'll look for more books but a good online source is from Oxford university: www.romaneconomy.ox.ac.uk/
Interesting information about why they couldn't be married until they were established
It's all down to the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest - where three legions were lost. Up until then soldiers had been allowed to marry, but they moved with their wives and children and had a huge baggage train with them. This meant they're incredibly susceptible to ambush and free legions were destroyed alongside the baggage train and the families. From then on soldiers below Centurion rank we're not allowed to marry. It was an additional perk of the job if you like and an incentive. Without marriage your children were not legitimate and you were not allowed to leave things in your will to them. This meant make your property couldn't be passed to your kids until you write a citizen and married at the end of 25 years or you were a Centurion!
@@AlexIlesUK Who would inherit? The government or siblings, I take it you couldn't just leave things to anyone upon death.
@@leah890 I am not too certain. Concepts of the state are different to how we understand it today. More than likely it would go to your friends in the barrack's if you were a soldier. If you had managed to sell it, you were more than able to give coins to others to use after your death.
I am just curious how the Optio's accommodation was like in comparison
As far as we can tell they didn't have special accommodation, but some comments below have said that they think they were in with the Centurion. I think they would have just lived with the rest of the men!
If the Centurion did NOT bring his family or if he was single, it was common to have his Optio lodge with him along with a servant or two.
If the Centurion brought his family all Ng he most likely would also have brought a servant/slave.
Hi Conald, which source are you referring too for that? I did say that they could have slaves as well. I've not come across the Optio lodging with him one before we though.
@@AlexIlesUK
Quora, which does not make it accurate. However Centurions usually picked their own Optio.
We do have other proofs of high ranking officers sharing lodging with other officers who were a lower rank.
I'm wondering did the Signifer, Cornicen, Tesserarius, & Optio share one barracks room just the 4 of them?
@@AlexIlesUK I don't want to be critical but Auxiliary Cavalry was paid equal or more to Legionnaires, however Auxiliary Infantry we're paid about 1/3rd the the pay of Roman Legionnaires pay.
That would be an interesting way of looking at things. I'll have a look at archeology reports to see if there's comments on finds within the centurion barracks that could suggest that.
It depends on which point in the empire you're referring too and pay is something we don't have empire wide information on. I think there is a source for 220 Denali a year, but not a 1/3 of a Legionnaire pay. Again what's your source for that? The cavalry likely used the extra pay on their horses so it's not as much a bonus as it looks on paper. Also don't worry, it's not critical at all - good to discuss and debate. I'd point you towards other sources than quora though, it's so-so.
Damn, that's a bit unfair isn't it.
Which part? The difference in pay? Being able to get married? Having the power of life and death over eighty men?
Also I find it quite funny that Caligula is saying this!!
@@AlexIlesUK Haha nonsense; we all know the divine Little Boot's reputation has been deliberately distorted by jealous mortals :p
Q: how much more previleged a centurion is compared to his men?
A: yes.
The differences are truly something. I'm really grateful for you focusing on that. I see that in social media people usually gloss over these important details and only focus on the technical aspects of the military structures.
I love looking at the day to day lives and structures of how things worked back in the past (and compare them to today). I honestly think it was a two pronged decision. 1) soldiers were paid less as a lot didn't make it very far - not because of warfare, but because of illness and other risks (half of all the emperor's bodyguard died before they reached 30) 2) if you have someone who's made it, you want to reward that and retain that! Also it incentivises soldiers to want to be promoted and become centurions as well. We also know you could be sent to other units and there was good carrier progression, so it was very much worth it!
P.s I agree Caligula was smeared, but what got him killed was trying to make himself a God. Oh and trusting his bodyguard. Constantine had the right idea of getting rid of that lot!!