{"id":4318,"date":"2023-04-02T15:02:57","date_gmt":"2023-04-02T14:02:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.learnancientrome.com\/?p=4318"},"modified":"2023-04-02T15:02:57","modified_gmt":"2023-04-02T14:02:57","slug":"what-is-a-mercenary-in-ancient-rome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.learnancientrome.com\/what-is-a-mercenary-in-ancient-rome\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a mercenary in ancient rome?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A mercenary in ancient Rome was a professional soldier who was hired to fight in someone else’s army. Mercenaries were typically free men who were not citizens of Rome and were often hired by wealthy landowners to fight in their private armies. Mercenaries were not bound by the same rules and regulations as Roman soldiers, and they often lacked the same loyalty to their employers. This made them unpredictable and dangerous, but also highly sought-after by those in need of military assistance.<\/p>\n

A mercenary was an soldier who was hired to fight for a particular army, usually in exchange for money.<\/p>\n

Why did Romans use mercenaries? <\/h2>\n

The Roman military needed mercenaries and non-Roman auxiliaries because the empire was getting too big to defend without hiring additional help. Romans themselves gradually lost interest in military service as the empire expanded, making it necessary to supplement the army with hired soldiers. This helped to ensure the empire’s continued defense against barbarian invasions and internal rebellion.<\/p>\n

The later empire saw a continued reliance on professional, salaried troops for the military. However, there was an increased use of allied or mercenary troops, which made up a substantial portion of Rome’s forces. This change in the makeup of the military may have been due to a number of factors, including the increasing cost of maintaining a professional army and the need for more troops to defend the empire’s vast territory.<\/p>\n

What is the role of mercenaries <\/h3>\n