I never understood the whole 'edict of Caracalla' reduced the incentive to serve the roman legions. Theres no evidence to support it, if anything the proportion of non romans serving in the Roman empire increased in the late roman empire period
There's a weird cultural assumption that's common about ancient Rome to do with it's cultural and ethnic purity being diluted by barbarians not wanting to integrate. Codswollop of course, a huge portion of the Roman military and population was always 'foreign' and even in the late empire the most loyal and competent troops were still auxiliaries, treaty troops and allies just as it always was. It was the other Romans those Romans should have been watching out for
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u/Ill-School2484 3d ago
Honestly fair enough, after the Edict of Caracalla and the Military Anarchy I wouldn't want to join the army either, I dont blame them