Roman soldiers were side-hustlers
Found this one interesting. A rare papyrus was discovered in Masada, Israel. It’s the paycheck of a Roman legionary soldier dated to 72 CE, during the period of the Great Revolt of the Jews against the Romans. This is one of three paychecks ever discovered in the Roman Empire, and it includes some interesting info. It details the soldier’s salary over two pay periods (there would have been three periods per year), and includes deductions for boots, a linen tunic, and barley fodder for his horse. Basic equipment would have been covered by the Empire, but apparently, these items weren’t quite basic enough (who needs boots or a shirt, am I right?). The deductions almost exceeded the soldier’s salary, which begs the question, “Why enlist?” From a monetary perspective, apparently looting and various other side-hustles often made it worth their while. One example is a loan between a Roman soldier and a Jewish resident from the time of the Bar Kokhaba Revolt (132-135 CE). The deed was found a while back and the interest rate was so high that it wasn't even legal at the time.