Mann John C. Legionary Recruitment and Veteran Settlement During the Principate

Left Coast Press, 1983. — 184 p.This volume describes the pattern of recruitment of soldiers to the Roman legions and the settlement of legion veterans in Roman colonies during the period of the principate. This work began as a study of the settlement of legionary veterans during the Principate. Its aim was to discover why legionary veterans were settled in colonies, when such settlements ceased to be made, and where the men preferred to settle when the choice was left to them. It soon became evident that this would not be achieved without a new and full study of legionary recruitment with particular reference to the growth of hereditary service. Veterans from the City units were rarely officially settled outside Italy, nor did many of them voluntarily choose to do so, unless they were returning to their homes. It would be possible to produce a study similar to the present work for the auxiliaries and the fleets. Veterans from these formations were only exceptionally settled in colonies: otherwise it seems clear that their settlement patterns were closely similar to those of legionary veterans. The evidence regarding them would complement rather than contrast with that for legionary veteran settlement.