A legionary had to be a Roman citizen, though in the legions of the East he might have been given the citizenship on enrollment. If he had the opportunity he would bring a letter of recommendation.If accepted, he received a small sum of money to cover traveling expenses to the legion. When he arrived at the fortress he took the military oath. He was then posted to a Century. The oath was renewed every New Year Day.

The new recruit would need much training and experience before he could be reckoned the equal of the veteran legionary. He must be taught to march:during his years of service he would be expected to go on a 30km route march three times a month. He was taught how to build a camp and was drilled twice a day. (The fully trained legionary had to drill once a day.) He was given a general training in stone slinging, swimming and riding. He learned how to vault on to horseback and to mount and dismount fully armed, with shield, from either side- quite a feat before stirrups appeared.

For weapons training, a stake about the height of a man was set up. The recruit was armed with a wicker shield and wooden sword, both of twice standard weight, and attacked the stake, learning to thrust and not slash with his sword. Once fundementals had been instilled, mock battles were arranged for which the sword and pilum had their points covered to avoid serious accidents.

Pay had been raised by Caesar. It was not raised again until the time of Domtian 150 years later, and then there was a further gap of a century before the next increase. The pay was about three times that of an auxiliary infantryman, although the auxiliary cavalryman's pay may have been close to that of the legionary infantryman.

Large monetary awards were paid after a victory, or when a new emperor came to the throne. These rises and gifts (donatives) are often criticized by historians, but as opportunities for booty dwindled some occasional supplements to pay might well be needed to make army life attractive.

Soldiers could and did save money, even though they had to pay for food clothing, bedding, boots and arms and armour out of their pay, not to mention 'Christmas Dinner' and their burial club. Food and clothing were standardized payments; arms no doubt after the initial outlay, rarely loomed large, although soldiers adorned their armour with gold and silver.

Savings were deposited with the standard bearers, who handled pay and savings in addition to their other duties. Some were compulsory deductions which were set off against debts for food etc., or half of any donatives to be kept for the soldier against the day of retirement.

An official regulation stated that soldiers were not allowed to marry, and enlistment was one form of divorce. In fact soldiers contracted marriages which were technically illegal but accepted as binding by the people most concerned. The soldier could leave his property to his wife by will, which could be made orally, rather as in modem armies a simple form of will is a soldiers documents. Another problem was the status of the children. The legionary might well have married a non-citizen and his children would therefore lack Roman citizenship. The legion, however,was happy to accept these disenfranchised sons of legionaries as citizens- on enrollment.

Service was for 25/26 years as discharge was carried out every other year. On retirement the legionary was given a gratuity in the the form of land and money. The grant of land died out in the 2nd century as land became scarce, so the soldiers settled around the towns in colonies.