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together。 The old men； the women and children； at least； must
remain at home to take care of the habitation。 All the men of the
military age； however； may take the field； and； in small nations
of this kind； have frequently done so。 In every nation the men of
the military age are supposed to amount to about a fourth or a
fifth part of the whole body of the people。 If the campaign；
should begin after seed…time； and end before harvest； both the
husbandman and his principal labourers can be spared from the
farm without much loss。 He trusts that the work which must be
done in the meantime can be well enough executed by the old men；
the women； and the children。 He is not unwilling； therefore； to
serve without pay during a short campaign； and it frequently
costs the sovereign or commonwealth as little to maintain him in
the field as to prepare him for it。 The citizens of all the
different states of ancient Greece seem to have served in this
manner till after the second Persian war； and the people of
Peloponnesus till after the Peloponnesian war。 The
Peloponnesians； Thucydides observes； generally left the field in
the summer； and returned home to reap the harvest。 The Roman
people under their kings； and during the first ages of the
republic； served in the same manner。 It was not till the siege of
Veii that they who stayed at home began to contribute something
towards maintaining those who went to war。 In the European
monarchies； which were founded upon the ruins of the Roman
empire； both before and for some time after the establishment of
what is properly called the feudal law； the great lords； with all
their immediate dependents； used to serve the crown at their own
expense。 In the field； in the same manner as at home； they
maintained themselves by their own revenue； and not by any
stipend or pay which they received from the king upon that
particular occasion。
In a more advanced state of society； two different causes
contribute to render it altogether impossible that they who take
the field should maintain themselves at their own expense。 Those
two causes are； the progress of manufactures； and the improvement
in the art of war。
Though a husbandman should be employed in an expedition；
provided it begins after seed…time and ends before harvest； the
interruption of his business will not always occasion any
considerable diminution of his revenue。 Without the intervention
of his labour； nature does herself the greater part of the work
which remains to be done。 But the moment that an artificer； a
smith； a carpenter； or a weaver； for example； quits his
workhouse； the sole source of his revenue is completely dried up。
Nature does nothing for him； he does all for himself。 When he
takes the field； therefore； in defence of the public； as he has
no revenue to maintain himself； he must necessarily be maintained
by the public。 But in a country of which a great part of the
inhabitants are artificers and manufacturers； a great part of the
people who go to war must be drawn from those classes； and must
therefore be maintained by the public as long as they are
employed in its service。
When the art of war； too； has gradually grown up to be a
very intricate and complicated science； when the event of war
ceases to be determined； as in the first ages of society； by a
single irregular skirmish or battle； but when the contest is
generally spun out through several different campaigns； each of
which lasts during the greater part of the year； it becomes
universally necessary that the public should maintain those who
serve the public in war； at least while they are employed in that
service。 Whatever in time of peace might be the ordinary
occupation of those who go to war； so very tedious and expensive
a service would otherwise be far too heavy a burden upon them。
After the second Persian war； accordingly； the armies of Athens
seem to have been generally composed of mercenary troops；
consisting； indeed； partly of citizens； but partly too of
foreigners； and all of them equally hired and paid at the expense
of the state。 From the time of the siege of Veii； the armies of
Rome received pay for their service during the time which they
remained in the field。 Under the feudal governments the military
service both of the great lords and of their immediate dependants
was； after a certain period； universally exchanged for a payment
in money； which was employed to maintain those who served in
their stead。
The number of those who can go to war； in proportion to the
whole number of the people； is necessarily much smaller in a
civilised than in a rude state of society。 In a civilised
society； as the soldiers are maintained altogether by the labour
of those who are not soldiers； the number of the former can never
exceed what the latter can maintain； over and above maintaining；
in a manner suitable to their respective stations； both
themselves and the other officers of government and law whom they
are obliged to maintain。 In the little agrarian states of ancient
Greece； a fourth or a fifth part of the whole body of the people
considered themselves as soldiers； and would sometimes； it is
said； take a field。 Among the civilised nations of modern Europe；
it is commonly computed that not more than one…hundredth part of
the inhabitants in any country can be employed as soldiers
without ruin to the country which pays the expenses of their
service。
The expense of preparing the army for the field seems not to
have become considerable in any nation till long after that of
maintaining it in the field had devolved entirely upon the
sovereign or commonwealth。 In all the different republics of
ancient Greece； to learn his military exercises was a necessary
part of education imposed by the state upon every free citizen。
In every city there seems to have been a public field； in which；
under the protection of the public magistrate； the young people
were taught their different exercises by different masters。 In
this very simple institution consisted the whole expense which
any Grecian state seems ever to have been at in preparing its
citizens for war。 In ancient Rome the exercises of the Campus
Martius answered the same purpose with those of the Gymnasium in
ancient Greece。 Under the feudal governments； the many public
ordinances that the citizens of every district should practise
archery as well as several other military exercises were intended
for promoting the same purpose； but do not seem to have promoted
it so well。 Either from want of interest in the officers
entrusted with the execution of those ordinances； or from some
other cause； they appear to have been universally neglected； and
in the progress of all those governments； military exercises seem
to have gone gradually into disuse among the great body of the
people。
In the republics of ancient Greece and Rome； during the
whole period of their existence； and under the feuda