Just had a pretty frustrating couple of hours searching the web trying to answer the below question. Was showing some late 3rd C Folles to a friend and he simply asked 'How many of these would a soldier get per year and what could he buy with one?' I knew that some (possibly 1/3) of a soldiers pay was made in the form of food and other consumables and that a 25 year contract was not uncommon. I also knew that as rank increased so did pay, often massively! I also know a number of 'bonuses' were paid for things like elevation of Emperors. I would think the info is out there somewhere but I cant seem to find anything definitive. Of all the varied stuff I've found on the web the sites are claiming anything from 2 to 15 Solidi (per annum) for the period just after Diocletians currency reforms. Anyone got any 'good' data or able to just answer: 'How many of these (follis) would a soldier get per year and what could he buy with one?' in about 300AD.
'What Things Cost in Ancient Rome' http://ancientcoinsforeducation.org/content/view/79/98/ The best explanation I've found as yet, an easy and interesting read.
Gives a little info From the time of Gaius Marius onwards, legionaries received 225 denarii a year (equal to 900 Sestertii); this basic rate remained unchanged until Domitian, who increased it to 300 denarii. In spite of the steady inflation during the 2nd century, there was no further rise until the time of Septimius Severus, who increased it to 500 denarii a year. However, the soldiers did not receive all the money in cash, as the state deducted their pay with a clothing and food tax. To this wage, a legionary on active campaign would hope to add the booty of war, from the bodies of their enemies and as plunder from enemy settlements. Slaves could also be claimed from the prisoners of war and divided amongst the legion for later selling, which would bring in a sizeable supplement to their regular pay. All legionary soldiers would also receive a sizeable sum of money on the completion of their term of service: 3000 denarii from the time of Augustus and/or a plot of good farmland (good land was in much demand); farmland given to veterans often helped in establishing control of the frontier regions and over rebellious provinces. Later, under Caracalla, the praemia increased to 5000 denarii.
I wonder if the increases in salaries and bonuses had anything to do with the gradual debasement of the denarius going back to Nero. I mean it's not like they were fooling anyone, and it goes back to what Suarez says about soldiers' pay: why would you risk life and limb for a few shekels?
The 301AD figures as linked to above make for interesting reading. The Empire was seeing hyperinflation at the time and it would continue but its a great snapshot of a soldiers finances at that time. Basic Pay:[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT]1800 Denarii Donative (4 per year): 2500 Denarii Grain Annona: 600 Denarii Total remuneration: 12400 Denarii So thats 12 of these: ...or 250 of these: ...or 1000 of these: ...or even 5000 of these: Admittedly some of this would be paid in grain or equipment but compare this to an average unskilled labourer earning just 7500 denarii a year and soldiering starts to look OK. A 1000 denarii a month was pretty good - a pound of sausages and five pints of Egyptian beer was only 20 denarii :smile For those with more discerning tastes a[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT]fattened goose and a pint of spiced wine would set you back 224 denarii.
So if a legionary earned one aureus per month (about equal to a sovereign), he was better paid than a typical soldier of the British Empire, who famously got "sixpence" (how often, weekly?), or earlier "took the King's shilling" (monthly?).
I'm not sure ffrickey - this is an area I know little about. I think 'taking the kings shilling/sixpence' was only a signing up reward though: £23 would be a huge amount of money at the above time and I would guess a number of other 'freebies' would be included if you did sign up, though oddly, not your uniform!
