The Roman Ability to basically conquer half of the world, from their beginnings as a small city on the Italian peninsula is amazing. Most of their success is based solely on their military might. The Roman army was officially deemed professional in the year 13 BC, when Augustus laid out the regular period of legionary service at sixteen years. This term of service was to be followed by a four-year term of service exempt from daily …showed first 75 words of 634 total…

…showed last 75 words of 634 total…This was due to the loss of manpower due to plague, and the financial instability resulting from the inflation that became standard practice during the wars fought by M. Aurelius. When a soldier's term of service was completed, he would in the early republic be paid in land. Later, soldiers would be paid intermittently with land or money. The early veterans were settled in Italy, and later they were sent to provinces to form colonies.