03-10-2018, 11:43 PM
Soldiers in ancient Rome weren't slaves, they were paid. Footsoldiers came from the lower or Plebian classes, and mounted soldiers from the higher Patrician class (because they had to buy their own horses). Depending on era, the Roman legions were either all professional or a mix of pro and drafted, but they were all free and either Roman citizens or non-Romans who served in order to become citizens.