Does this confusion with the value of money not boil down to the same kind of situation we have today? The rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer, or at best staying at the same level.

The example of the legionaires pay I think just proves something which I have believed throughout my studying of military history, that even the best soldiers in possibly the greatest war machine the world has ever seen was seriously under-paid. No matter how good a legionaires pay was compared to the ordinary Roman citizen, compared to the Republic's politicians it is a pittance.

IMO if a state or empire is built on its military, like undoubtedly Rome was despite her trade resources, then the military and those who make up the armies should get the largest share of that states profits