Last night I found myself wondering why so many of Caesars legionaries had money- more than most in the wastes, even.
Are they not slaves? Furthermore are they not slaves of a group whose ideology is strictly against consumerism?

It is understandable that if they have any neutral parties to trade with, they would need some form of currency, but practically every legionary has a pretty decent amount of money that is of greater value than a bottle cap.

Anyone else wonder about that?

They can't all be slaves, that wouldn't make any sense at all. They are a nation of Slavers that has formed an army, and those in the army need money.

"
The Legion is first and foremost a slave army, the sole owner of which is Caesar. As Caesar conquers the peoples of the wasteland, he strips them of their tribal identities and merges them into his forces. There is no other tribe than the Legion itself.
As it is a slave army, it maintains a very strict hierarchy and division of roles. All able bodied males become slave soldiers, with only one purpose: to fight for Caesar until they fall in battle. This simple purpose is imprinted into each legionary during his reconditioning or (if one was born into the Legion) upbringing and training. As such, each of the legionaries are unconditionally devoted to their leader, living to fight. Contrary to what one may expect, one's experience and veterancy has no bearing on his position in the Legion. While they receive better equipment and more dangerous tasks to fulfill, at the end of the day, they are still slaves, disposable tools that are discarded the moment they stop fulfilling their purpose.^[1] "

?


Even if you can get around that and consider that there are differing levels of slavery, it is a non-consumer entity. But seems to have more coin than anyone else you encounter other than merchants. Seems odd

We should assume that not every member of the Legion is a soldier. We haven't seen any of their territories East of the Colorado, we've only seen their military camp, Fortification Hill.

The merchant at the fort also mentions doing good business in Legion territory and he says he even sells to the soldiers at the fort, so yes, they do use money and are payed.

Well obviously they have money. Thats why i made a thread.
What i am getting at is that it is counter intuitive to their factions makeup and ideology.
You mention they spend a lot of money, but they are maligned with the NCR because they feel that consumerism and mercantile dominated societies were the downfall of man. Do you see why i am puzzled?

what we have to remember here is that trade =/= consumerism.

trade is simply exchanging one good for another of similar or identical value, while consumerism is a system where consumption of goods and services is required to motivate people into producing more goods and providing further sevices, essentially it's a continuous, self reinforcing loop, but, whenever consumption of goods/ services falls below the "point of no return" then the whole society follows.

so, in a nutshell, cesar's legion practices trade, while NCR practice consumerism.

Fair enough.
But i still find it odd that individuals in a slave nation would all have so much money readily available.
Why would you carry that much on you inless you aimed at spending it? and if you have more money than others and are planning on spending it, wouldnt that be the biggest example of consumerism in the setting?

Well, from what we're told in-game and what they do if they win, I think it's safe to assume that the two dominant social classes are the military and the slaves. Since they don'te enslave everybody, I assume there is a civillian population, just not a very large one.


Well, I'm no economist, but generally when someone provides a good or a service, no matter under what governmental system, there has to be some sort of reciprocity, whether it be in barter or with currency. Even self-proclaimed "socialist" countries needed currency of some sort. But then again, economics isn't my forte, if someone with knowledge in business, finance, or economics could weigh in on this, that would be greatly helpful.

I would think that as well.
Some sort of recogntion. Then again, they are kinda brainwashed.
I know when I was in the military, i didnt get paid jack, while living on base. I did not pay for room or board and therefore didnt really make a great deal, I did make some, because i signed a voluntary contract with the US governemnt which stipulated compensation. The legionaries are not afforded such s luxury.

I dont think this can be looked at in a normal economic light. Are there other examples of slavery where the slaves are compensated that anyone can think of?.

I don't know how you guys feel about the fallout wiki, but they do mention Ceasar's Legion is an ARMY of slaves (by tribes they captured), they didn't say their society as a whole were composed of slaves, and given how there were likely some non-tribal communities in Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado, I'd believe their citizens are taxed less than the NCR citizens currency-wise, but they probably have to provide more for the Legion in terms of materials and food. Even Cass, Raul, and that one trader at the fort said that trading roads in Legion territory is virtually safe enough to travel alone.

This is why I am asking. I havent gone thoguh all dialogue options or found all in game content, so I am in part basing what I find on the wiki.

Slave to the legion doesn't necessarily mean there's no permissiveness in anything. It just means everyone does exactly what the legion says to the letter.
They're still lifelong property.
I would say the legion soldier would spend it's pay on small comforts of life.

The question of why they carry around so much is easy enough. Because they're "slave"-soldiers. It's that or stuff it under a rock. Nowhere to put it. They have to.

They aren't really carrying around that much, anyway. The maximum you could find on a legion npc, would equal out to be about 60 caps worth in value. That wouldn't feed a person beyond a week.


I would see legion currency being paid out to the soldiers as a way of giving them rare opportunity for some barebones luxuries like an occasional snack or something.
Ceasar doesn't necessarily have to pay them, it's just an idea that greases the wheels.

I agree with Victor Grey. The Soldiers in the Legion are slaves in the sense that they do what ever Caesar wants to the letter, but they would still get something for their troubles. They might just see it as Caesar being generous for a hard day of enslaving people. He gives out enough for them to blow off alittle steam or get something to eat.

We haven't seen legion towns or cities and as other pointed out they can't all be slaves. I also doubt that the Legion runs purly on the barter system. If they did then why have money at all? They do sell to merchants and they most likely sell slaves to one another back in Legion territory. They must practice consumerism, we just don't see much of it cause all we really see are the Legion's warriors.

I always thought that their money came from looted equipment, which they would give for compensation to a higher ranking member. But I haven't thought it that much, as it never bothered me enough.

There are probably places to spend the money they earn back east, but not so much on the front lines. so they just hold onto their pay until they go back or until they conquer new areas and vendors are assimilated or new ones spring up as the area is Legion-ized.

The question I have to ask is what do the soldiers spend their money on exactly? They have no vices, no need for brothels, don't use meds, use pretty uniform weapons and don't have lives outside the army (which caters all their natural needs).

Now that's a good question! I doubt they stop in a town and buy a bottle of purified water or a box of ammo... lol

slave or slaves.... you have to define what type of slaves we talk about !
you cant compare USA′s 1850′s slave system whit the Romans or Latin american slaves or the way the Vikings "tr?lar" way to have them in the society, even the to day-es six-trade and traficing slave system is something completely different form...

the only similarity is 1 human belong to someone (in form of money and not by love tho) ells whit or without support from the law book

Its loot. Thats my theory. One of the reasons it never gets old killing those [censored]ers.

Considering the ties they had to the Omertas, I think it makes sense why the're carrying currency in the Mojave Wastes. It doesn't mean they gamble it away, but they may be paying for slaves or weapons from the Omertas with it. It doesn't fully explain why many soldiers carry it, but that's all I could think of.

Legion money isn't loot, unless there is another faction out there putting the Legion's Bull and Caesar's head on gold coins. The Legion has money, they tried to buy energy weapons from the Van Graffs and they sell to merchants.


Money for food, ammo, healing powder, poisons and anything else they might need.

What would have been more interesting is if you killed some legion and found NCR money on them. Using it for when they sneak into NCR territory and vice versa for NCR troops such as Rangers having Legion coins.

The Legion still has to buy and sell stuff. They bought a slave from Jeannie May.(granted the note said they paid in caps)

And who says the Legion soldiers don't have any vices? Just because they are not suppose to doesn't mean they aren't gonna. They were working with the Omertas, I'm sure a few Legion boys mounted some of the girls there. The casinos also accept Legion coins to exchange for chips. Though the chips thing could be for the Vegas citizens who get payed in Legion coins.

Im saying its loot for me. I tend to kill millions of Legions so u see im used to make money from them.

This is false as it is directly contrary to what we are told in the game. The higher the position, the more experience they have and more battles they have been in. Chief Hanlon confirms its, himself, we speaking about the centurions. The only group of the legion this may not apply to, is the frumentarii, as they are hand picked by Caesar and Vulpes.