Septimus Flavius Galarius Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 Legionnaires who were wounded in combat especially severely wounded veterans who lost a arm leg or both, how were they compensated if at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 Not officially, although I wonder if the burial clubs might help them? A generous officer might help a soldier he deems worthy, or perhaps his mates would club together and assist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Publius Nonius Severus Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 Interesting topic...I am researching further. There are statistics to support that amongst career soldiers there was an approximate 15% discharge rate dute to invalidity (incapacitation) which is a significant enough a number to think that this issue was addressed somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Publius Nonius Severus Posted February 27, 2007 Report Share Posted February 27, 2007 Ok, I have found a little more, but not much. A discharge from service on medical grounds was called a missio causaria. This doesn't imply incapacitated because of wounds or debilitating injury though, it could be because of sickness or disease as well I think. There are a lot of sources that deal with the other primary form of honorable discharge (at the completion of service), missio honesta and dishonorable missio ignominiosa , whereas in the former you received your grant of land and money upon retirement and in the latter you were lucky to escape with your life but I cannot find anything specific if you received compensation for missio causaria. I think Caldrail may have been on to something when he mentioned burial clubs. There is reference to an inscription that lends suport to the idea that the roman military clubs did support discharged veterans. If anyone has access to the Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum this incsription may yield some futher insight: C.I.L. viii. 2552 foll Also, there is a publication in JSTOR (which I don't have access to) that may also discuss further the connection between military clubs and discharged veterans Roman Military Clubs and Their Social Functions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moodringer10 Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 I'm surprised that an administration that would "decimate" their army for discipline and motivation would dole out any compensation for being injured in battle. "the more you know" *star* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted March 20, 2007 Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 The decimation in question was very rarely used and apart from the loss of life involved, it causes deep emotional response in those who have to beat their comrades to death. A general needs the loyalty of his army. Its all very well giving them the most shameful punishment possible but these men must also go into battle for him. Also a general wouldn't normally pay compensation - that was down to charitable payments that a burial club might make if the soldier was a member. Death and injury are an accepted risk of roman service in return for which they can expect pay, perks, donatives, land grants, retirement lump sum, citizenship, and hopefully plenty of booty during a successful campaign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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