The Second Oldest Profession: Mercenaries (Part 2: Middle Ages to Renaissance)

Max Brebner
Nov 5 · 6 min read

End of Rome

The need for experienced soldiers did not die out with the Roman Empire. As imperial authority waned across the territories, wars became increasingly frequent in the resulting power vacuum left by Roman absence. By the late imperial era, when Emperor Theodosius I divided the vast and unwieldy empire into two halves along the Danube river, Rome was already in its death throes. The armies, especially in the case of the Western Roman Empire, were stretched to their absolute breaking…

Keep the story going. Sign up for an extra free read.

You've completed your member preview for this month, but when you sign up for a free Medium account, you get one more story.
Already have an account? Sign in

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade