Talk:Salary/Archives/2021
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Pliny the Elder
The article previously had a reference to Pliny the Elder giving an etymology of the word. I'm using the same reference the false quote linked to - specifically Section 89 [1]
In this, Pliny the Elder claims the origin of the word can be seen in the "Salary of the way". He links it to "largess of the Emperor" ("congiario") which are gifts typically given to soldiers after a campaign, not payment. In this case he specifically mentions Ancus Marcius, 4th king of Rome, giving salt and food to "populis" ("the people" rather than specifically soldiers) when taking the salt works (presumably this refers to those at Ostia that Ancus Marcius took, though it's not mentioned by name in this text) and Ostia wasn't a military conquest.
Pliny the Elder is linking a one-time gift to pre-republic people with the term, not the regular pay of imperial soldiers. For context, the Empire replaced the Republic, and the Republic replaced the Kingdom. The one-time gift was during the Kingdom era, Pliny the Elder was speaking during the Empire, roughly 600 years after the event he was referencing.
I have removed the bad translation for now. If someone feels Pliny the Elder's folk etymology is relevant, please add it in with a correct translation, not claims of soldiers, nor of being "paid in salt". — Preceding unsigned comment added by 168.166.55.11 (talk) 18:52, 7 July 2021 (UTC)