How much did Roman auxiliaries get paid?

Wikipedia article says a soldier’s life expectancy was lower than the average for someone in the Roman era. Troops in the auxiliary forces did not get the bonuses or retirement pay. They averaged 188 denarii a year gross and 78 denarii disposable.

What was the difference between legionaries and auxiliaries in the Roman army?

There were two main types of Roman soldiers: legionaries and auxiliaries. The legionaries were the elite (very best) soldiers. A legionary had to be over 17 years old and a Roman citizen. An auxiliary was a soldier who was not a Roman citizen.

What were Roman legionaries paid?

During the Pax Romana, a rank-and-file Roman legionary would be paid 225 denarii per year. This was increased to 300 denarii during the reign of Domitian. However, during the third century crisis, inflation and chaos disrupted a legionary’s pay, with emperors often letting legionaries seize goods from civilians.

What are 2 key differences between a legionary and auxiliary?

By 68 AD, there was little difference between most auxiliary infantry and their legionary counterparts in equipment, training and fighting capability. The main difference was that auxilia contained combat cavalry, both heavy and light, and other specialized units that legions lacked.

Did the Roman army get paid?

Being so valuable, soldiers in the Roman army were sometimes paid with salt instead of money. Their monthly allowance was called “salarium” (“sal” being the Latin word for salt). This Latin root can be recognized in the French word “salaire” — and it eventually made it into the English language as the word “salary.”

How much was a centurion paid?

In the era of Emperor Augustus (27 B.C. to 14 A.D.), a Roman centurion was paid 15,000 sestertii. Given that one gold aureus equaled 1,000 sestertii and given there was eight grams of gold in an aureus, the pay comes to 38.58 ounces of gold. At current prices, this is about $54,000 per year.

What did auxiliaries in the Roman army do?

Auxiliary soldiers were recruited from non-Roman tribes. Their name means ‘helpers’, and they assisted the Roman legionary troops by providing extra manpower and specialised fighting techniques. The Auxiliary soldiers provided the army’s cavalry and light infantry; the soldiers received citizenship when they retired.

How many auxiliaries were in a Roman legion?

The size of a typical legion varied throughout the history of ancient Rome, with complements of 4,200 legionaries and 300 equites (drawn from the wealthier classes – in early Rome all troops provided their own equipment) in the republican period of Rome (the infantry were split into 10 cohorts each of four maniples of …

How much was a Legatus paid?

A legatus was entitled to twelve lictors, who carried out punishments with fasces (bundled rods).

Did Roman soldiers get paid in salt?

Roman soldiers were partly paid in salt. It is said to be from this that we get the word soldier – ‘sal dare’, meaning to give salt. From the same source we get the word salary, ‘salarium’. Salt was a vital commodity to the Roman army and this demand will have been met by establishing military salt works.

Who commanded Roman Auxiliary?

Like their comrades in the legions the auxiliary troops were divided into centuries of 80-100 men commanded by a centurion. The centurions were as likely as not to be Roman citizens in the time-honored tradition of empire officers being placed in command of native troops.

How well paid were Roman soldiers?

Soldiers’ pay was made in three instalments of 75 denarii in January, May and September. Centurion’s pay at the lowest level was in the region of 3,750 denarii a year with the primus pilus (5) earning as much as 15000 denarii, a pay which secured his services and marked his responsibility to the Emperor of the day.