One of the bigger changes from the pre-Marian reform Roman army was that the soldiery were not expected too bring their own arms and armor. The poor who enlisted for pay had to have that provided to them, which represented an additional public expense and need to more public armories and manufacturers of arms. The costs were deducted from a soldier’s pay, but the up-front cost was publicly borne.
Thanks p. The Roman Empire wouldn't have come about if Rome's none-too-neighborly neighbors hadn't been invading, sacking, or burning the city every once in a while.