Ancient Rome: Start with the legionnaire

Three days later, Brian returned to the 13th Army with three brigades and 1,000 pounds of gold.

Once back at the camp, he ordered his infantry to mint gold into coins.

Because gold is the equivalent currency.

A gold coin weighs 8 grams.

So 8 grams of gold, its value is equivalent to a gold coin.

The Roman Republic allowed the nobility to mint gold coins in private.

Soon 1,000 pounds of gold turned into about 41,000 gold coins, equivalent to 10 tarrants.

1 tarrant = 100 pounds = 33,000 grams

Looking at so many gold coins, Legion Leader Kateus was stunned.

At first, Katius thought that although there was gold in the Red River Valley, you just didn’t expect so much.

Three brigades of Roman soldiers, armed with the most primitive gold mining tools, unexpectedly scooped up 10 tarrants of gold in three days.

These are probably equivalent to half a year’s military budget for the entire corps.

The regiment pays the soldiers every year, which costs about 50,000 or 60,000 gold coins.

Plus the food and clothing of the entire legion.

It is impossible to go without a seventy or eighty thousand gold coins a year.

“Is there still gold in the Red River Valley?”

Seeing so many gold coins, the first thought of the legion leader Kateus was to pull the entire legion over to mine gold.

“And, but not much!”

Brian spread his hands and said.

In fact, what he led the three legions to get was nothing more than the dog’s head gold that was scattered all over the small river.

Brian was convinced that there must be abundant gold ore underground throughout the Red River Valley.

However, there must be professional equipment and a lot of manpower to mine, which will undoubtedly increase the cost.

Leading the legionnaires to mine gold is no longer a cost-effective deal.

In the past few days alone, in order to appease the group of soldiers, Brian needs to pay 10% gold, that is, 4100 gold coins.

This was a considerable sum, with an average Roman soldier receiving two gold coins.

You know, the salary of Roman soldiers is only about 8 gold coins a year.

It is clearly not cost-effective to use soldiers to mine gold.

The best way is to buy a large number of slaves and let them mine for free.

“How do you know if you don’t try?”

Katius clearly disbelieved Brian’s answer.

After all, the golden coins are in front of you, and you say that if you don’t have it, there will be no more.

Kateus, 54 years old, is already considered an advanced age in ancient Rome.

There is not much passion for foreign wars anymore.

However, there is an inexplicable desire for wealth.

Before Brian went out to fight the autumn breeze, the wealth earned would be divided among him, just like this time.

For many things, he turned a blind eye.

Privately mobilizing the forces of the three brigades, if placed in others, would have been crucified long ago.

“Anyway, the Red River Valley is there, old man, you can personally lead the team there.”

Brian shrugged helplessly, anyway, the Red River Valley is there, if you don’t believe it, you can go there and dig it.

“Oh!”

Kateus looked up at Brian.

All along, Rome had an unwritten rule that who discovered the mine belonged to.

Because the Red River Valley, not in Rome, belonged to Gaul, Brian, as the first nobleman to discover the gold mine, had the ownership of the gold mine.

Right now, Brian actually let Katius mine.

“Do you really allow it?”

Kateus still couldn’t believe his ears and asked further.

You must know that his deputy, Brian, is notoriously greedy and lustful.

“Of course, you’re the leader of the 13th legion! But I have a small condition, that is, you have dug a gold mine, how much I score! ”

“Good! According to the old rule, this time it is up to me to lead, I 5 you 4. ”

The habit of working together for a long time is to get 5 or 4 points for the property, and give the remaining part to the soldier.

“Okay, that’s it, but I’m going to take a troop into Barcelona City!”

A brigade can be divided into three formations, namely young soldiers, prime-age soldiers, and elderly soldiers, and is headed by a centurion.

“Barcelona City? What are you leading troops for? ”

Kateus had a bad premonition.

This guy will definitely cause trouble when he leads troops into the city.

Roman law stipulates that if not, the governor of the local province or the head of the legionary orders it.

The Roman army was not allowed to travel to the capital city of the province.

The city of Bassa is the capital of the Iberian province.

“Of course, it’s to buy some equipment and develop the Red River Valley, I suspect they have rich gold mines underground!”

Brian snapped his fingers.

Although Kateus is often uncomfortable with some of Lane’s practices, when it comes to making money, the two will be surprisingly consistent.

The Roman Republic provided less than 20,000 gold coins per legion for its annual military expenses.

The money is not even enough to eat, let alone pay salaries.

Often the senior generals of the legion are all raising the legion out of their own pockets.

Prior to the Malleus reforms, citizens armed themselves to join the legions.

And before that, it was a small legionary configuration, a standard Roman legion of no more than 4,000 men.

After the Malleus reforms, a conscription system was introduced, with the legions providing weapons and equipment.

And the corps establishment was expanded to a large corps of five or six thousand people.

However, the Senate, the military expenses provided for each legion did not change, only a handful of 20,000 gold coins.

The 20,000 gold coins not only had to buy equipment, but also had to pay for the soldiers’ food, clothing, shelter and salaries.

Senior generals who want to hold military power often have to pay out of their own pockets.

So whether it is Brian or Katius, there is an inexplicable attachment to money.

Because as long as you have enough wealth, you can maintain the legion.

With soldiers in hand, you can maintain your status as a nobleman.

In Rome, the status of the nobles with soldiers and the nobles without soldiers was different.

“Okay, you can lead a formation of soldiers into Barcelona City, but you can’t get me in trouble!”

Brian spread his hands helplessly.

“When did I get you in trouble? Those previous troubles were not my personal connections! ”