There were also basic monetary considerations, which affected such decisions. Life on a farm might be regular, but it was hard. Life as a soldier might be dangerous, but it often gave back far more in the gathering of booty and the sharing of spoils. It also offered excitement and the chance to see the world. It might be uncertain in many ways, but it could also be far more interesting and satisfying than the humdrum life of a small farmer, who would forever be trapped in one place.
