Why did Rome hire mercenaries?

Answer 1

"to bolster the numbers of their army. plus they were considered an expendable asset. they would much rather have other people die than their own citizens"

This answer is mostly true; Rome would much rather foreigners die than their own citizens, but simplistic.

According to many Roman writers, including Tacitus and Julius Caesar himself, barbarian mercenaries were in many ways preferable to their own citizens in battle because the very civilization that Romans held so dear was conversely viewed as a means by which men were made "soft". The fiercest fighters, in their eyes, were barbarians, who had not yet learned to love the relative ease of city life, and were made rough by the savagery of their native lands. In addition, diets rich in protein, as opposed to carbohydrates, also meant barbarians, particularly northern barbarians, were generally much taller and larger in stature than their Roman counterparts.

It was also believed by many ancient Graeco-Roman scholars that cold weather made men fearsome and more courageous.

The Roman writer Vitruvius echoed the beliefs of many Greek writers before him, like Hippocrates and Posidonius, when he said, "... those races nearest to the southern half of the axis are of lower stature, with swarthy complexions, curly hair, black eyes, and little blood, on account of the sun. This poverty of blood makes them over-timid to stand up against the sword... On the other hand, men born in cold countries are, indeed, ready to meet the shock of arms with great courage and without timidity".

It can also be said that barbarian mercenaries did not have the same biases and allegiances that many of the Roman soldiers had, meaning they were less likely to betray their leaders in support of a Roman rival. In this they were believed to be more loyal and dependable than Roman citizens, who had a greater interest in the intrigues of politics.

Answer 2

Auxiliaries were needed because of the great size of the empire. There simply were not enough Roman citizens to supply the manpower that was needed. Also, some of the auxiliaries were more skilled in certain aspects of battle than the Romans and the practical Romans took advantage of their skills. For example the Roman cavalry consisted mostly of auxiliaries commanded by Roman officers.

Auxiliaries were needed because of the great size of the empire. There simply were not enough Roman citizens to supply the manpower that was needed. Also, some of the auxiliaries were more skilled in certain aspects of battle than the Romans and the practical Romans took advantage of their skills. For example the Roman cavalry consisted mostly of auxiliaries commanded by Roman officers.

Auxiliaries were needed because of the great size of the empire. There simply were not enough Roman citizens to supply the manpower that was needed. Also, some of the auxiliaries were more skilled in certain aspects of battle than the Romans and the practical Romans took advantage of their skills. For example the Roman cavalry consisted mostly of auxiliaries commanded by Roman officers.

Auxiliaries were needed because of the great size of the empire. There simply were not enough Roman citizens to supply the manpower that was needed. Also, some of the auxiliaries were more skilled in certain aspects of battle than the Romans and the practical Romans took advantage of their skills. For example the Roman cavalry consisted mostly of auxiliaries commanded by Roman officers.

Auxiliaries were needed because of the great size of the empire. There simply were not enough Roman citizens to supply the manpower that was needed. Also, some of the auxiliaries were more skilled in certain aspects of battle than the Romans and the practical Romans took advantage of their skills. For example the Roman cavalry consisted mostly of auxiliaries commanded by Roman officers.

Auxiliaries were needed because of the great size of the empire. There simply were not enough Roman citizens to supply the manpower that was needed. Also, some of the auxiliaries were more skilled in certain aspects of battle than the Romans and the practical Romans took advantage of their skills. For example the Roman cavalry consisted mostly of auxiliaries commanded by Roman officers.

Auxiliaries were needed because of the great size of the empire. There simply were not enough Roman citizens to supply the manpower that was needed. Also, some of the auxiliaries were more skilled in certain aspects of battle than the Romans and the practical Romans took advantage of their skills. For example the Roman cavalry consisted mostly of auxiliaries commanded by Roman officers.

Auxiliaries were needed because of the great size of the empire. There simply were not enough Roman citizens to supply the manpower that was needed. Also, some of the auxiliaries were more skilled in certain aspects of battle than the Romans and the practical Romans took advantage of their skills. For example the Roman cavalry consisted mostly of auxiliaries commanded by Roman officers.

Auxiliaries were needed because of the great size of the empire. There simply were not enough Roman citizens to supply the manpower that was needed. Also, some of the auxiliaries were more skilled in certain aspects of battle than the Romans and the practical Romans took advantage of their skills. For example the Roman cavalry consisted mostly of auxiliaries commanded by Roman officers.

Answer 3

The hiring of mercenaries to supplement an army was common in antiquity. The Romans did this through much of their history. They hired especially types of soldiers they did not have, such as slingers (usually from the Balearic Islands and, later, Ligurians) and archers (from Crete and, later, from Syria). In the period of the Later Empire the Romans found it increasingly difficult to recruit enough soldiers for their army. The reasons for this are unclear. One factor was that the Roman army was greatly increased. It nearly doubled by the time of Septimius Severus (reigned 193-211), it shrunk during the Crisis of the Third Century due to continuous civil wars, outbreaks of smallpox and the Plague of Cyprianus, but it was increased again, probably by a third, by Diocletian (reigned 284-305). It has been speculated that the number of volunteers decreased. Population levela probably decreased due to plagues (pandemics) and famines. In 387 the Roman army was routed by the Visigoths in the Battle of Adrianople and lost some 20,000 men.

The increased reliance on foreign soldiers was only partially met by hiring of mercenaries. The Romans did recruit mercenaries form the Germanic peoples who lived near the frontier of the empire and the Huns. However, the majority of foreign soldiers (mostly Germanics) were recruited as allied (foederati) troops

Answer 4

Auxiliaries were needed because of the great size of the empire. There simply were not enough Roman citizens to supply the manpower that was needed. Also, some of the auxiliaries were more skilled in certain aspects of battle than the Romans and the practical Romans took advantage of their skills. For example the Roman cavalry consisted mostly of auxiliaries commanded by Roman officers.

Answer 5

To do things the Romans would be thought as hanous acts of violenece