02-24-2013, 02:26 PM
Actually the veterans prefered land in Italy or the already romanized provinces. But in Caesars time land in Italy was rare.
Technically, when the romans conquered a new province, the entire land became property of SPQR (ager publicus). Now they gave some cities and/or tribes, which have been amici/allies their land back by contract (foedus). These free cities had sometimes even not to pay tax or had other beneficial rights and immunities. Other cities got their land back, too, but they had to pay tax on land (and other tax objects). Technically they have been tenants of roman land paying tenancy, but this traditional view was just shown in juridical analysis (e.g. Cicero, Ulpian). The third kind of land became officially ager publicus and was leased to big tenants, which further leased it fully or partially to smaller tenants (coloni). You should also consider, that in the wars thousand of local landwowners died or went into slavery. So they lost their property anyways.
When the roman state needed land for their veterans, they took usually this 3rd type of land and assigned it to the veterans. So it became private property of a roman citizen now. In Italy and the prefered provinces like Sicily and Africa, land was already property again, or it was leased by powerful romans, mostly of senatorial rank. The approach of the Grachi to cancel/restrict the lease-contracts of the big landowners failed in the late 2nd century BC. So in Caesars times, the prefered method was to found roman colonies as free cities of roman or latin right, and assign ager publicus in the provinces to these colonies and their veterans. Also additional measures for a better infrastructure and land reclamation was done.
That does not mean neccessarily, that the locals living on this land as coloni became homeless. Often veterans simply leased the land to the locals again. So for them nothing changed. Just the former big tenant was kicked out of business, if he did not cut a deal with the veterans. Some veterans prefered cash anyways, which became the rule in early empire.
The pension plan for the army was always a big issue in late republican times. The aristocrats tried to protect the big tenants, which were often of senatorial rank themselves and members of the senate. While the generals fighted for the rights of their soldiers (superficially). This conflict strengthened the influence of the big warlords over their legions and finally was one of many nails into the coffin of the republic. This changed with the emperors.
Technically, when the romans conquered a new province, the entire land became property of SPQR (ager publicus). Now they gave some cities and/or tribes, which have been amici/allies their land back by contract (foedus). These free cities had sometimes even not to pay tax or had other beneficial rights and immunities. Other cities got their land back, too, but they had to pay tax on land (and other tax objects). Technically they have been tenants of roman land paying tenancy, but this traditional view was just shown in juridical analysis (e.g. Cicero, Ulpian). The third kind of land became officially ager publicus and was leased to big tenants, which further leased it fully or partially to smaller tenants (coloni). You should also consider, that in the wars thousand of local landwowners died or went into slavery. So they lost their property anyways.
When the roman state needed land for their veterans, they took usually this 3rd type of land and assigned it to the veterans. So it became private property of a roman citizen now. In Italy and the prefered provinces like Sicily and Africa, land was already property again, or it was leased by powerful romans, mostly of senatorial rank. The approach of the Grachi to cancel/restrict the lease-contracts of the big landowners failed in the late 2nd century BC. So in Caesars times, the prefered method was to found roman colonies as free cities of roman or latin right, and assign ager publicus in the provinces to these colonies and their veterans. Also additional measures for a better infrastructure and land reclamation was done.
That does not mean neccessarily, that the locals living on this land as coloni became homeless. Often veterans simply leased the land to the locals again. So for them nothing changed. Just the former big tenant was kicked out of business, if he did not cut a deal with the veterans. Some veterans prefered cash anyways, which became the rule in early empire.
The pension plan for the army was always a big issue in late republican times. The aristocrats tried to protect the big tenants, which were often of senatorial rank themselves and members of the senate. While the generals fighted for the rights of their soldiers (superficially). This conflict strengthened the influence of the big warlords over their legions and finally was one of many nails into the coffin of the republic. This changed with the emperors.
Ut desint vires, tamen est laudanda voluntas
