Our pay is called a ‘salary’, but were Roman soldiers really paid in salt?

Every second Wednesday, like clockwork, my salary arrives in my bank account. By Thursday, most of it is gone.

Recently, though, as I contemplated its fortnightly appearance and disappearance, I started thinking about the origin of the word “salary”. As a historian of the ancient Roman Empire, I often think about the modern legacy it continues to bestow.

It’s a common belief that the English word “salary” derives from the Latin word salarium…

© La Conversation - mercredi 2 septembre 2026