Chapter 8 458-459 Reforms
Chapter 8
Other than the birth of the 2 imperial sons in 458, the year was important for other reasons, the cencus issued by each Prefecture would come back. In total the western empire had roughly 23 million people, of those about two thirds were of taxable age, or about 15 million people. This population was mainly split between Gaul and Italia where 15 million people lived, Hispania had a further 6 million and Dalmatia the last 2 million.
Tax reform began as well, with the new census this gave an accurate number for how much taxes each region should pay. Corruption was quickly snuffed out, the perpetrators having their wealty seized and put into the empires coffers, any lands they had redistributed. One change was the land tax, Majorian would change this tax so that those who farmed grain would recieve smaller taxes than those with Vineyards, this was put in place to make the west less reliant on the grain from africa. As for the taxes and revenues, Gaul and Italy would supply the west with roughly 500,000 Solidi, or 90,000,000 million Folli, the Follis becoming the standard unit of account during this time, and worth 1/180 of the Solidus. Hispania with its mines and only slighlty smaller population than the former two provinces would bring in 250,000 Solidi, or 45,000,000 folli. As for Dalmatia with its small population and minor industries it brought in 25,000 solidi or 4,550,000 folli, giving the west an annual budget of 148,550,000 folli or 775,000 solidi. However instead the empire was bringing in only roughly 81,000,000 folli.
This dramatic drop in revenue was due to several things mainly including corruption, and tax evasion.
Each prefecture contained smaller regions to make the collection of records and taxes quicker and more efficient, Gaul contained 7 of these Provinces. Each of the provinces who had a govenor would submit the revenue records to the prefecture, the prefect after accepting these records would then send them to the emperor, any irregularities found along the way would then be investigated. Over the years, this system had been abused, to the point that the empire was only receiving half of what it should have been. During Majorians reign this system would be kept in tact but vast corruption purges would bring this system back closer to what it had been before.
In 459 Avitus would die, his son Eparchius Avitus would take his place. To a testament of the corruption purges The empire in 459 would receive 130,000,000 folli in 459.
In 459 the Majorians reformist mind would take full effect. Other than the formerly mentioned Land tax where Grain farmers were taxed less then Vineyard farmers, Majorian would put in a tax for those that were of 20 years old and unmarried or without kids. A tax for those whose wealth or land was worth more than 5,000,000 follis would be put in place, this tax would be worth 5% of this wealth. Initially this tax was evaded by some, but others like Eparchius Avitus (one of the richest men in the west) would support it seeing how it could benefit the empire. This tax would bring a potential 40 million follis into the budget in the future.
Following the change in taxes, would be military reform. In the decades following the decay of the west, soldiers had been paid less in coin, and more in food, this was due to the rampant corruption, in 459 Majorian would announce that soldiers would be paid 600 follis a year. The empire at this time had 60,000 soldiers, 13,000 in Dalmatia, 12,000 in Hispania the remaining 35,000 split between Gaul and Hispania, costing the empire 36,000,000 folli a year in wages for soldiers, a further 20,000,000 follis going to food and equipment.
For recruitment reform, Majorian would put this onto shoulders of both the prefecture and the Magister Militum. They were to come up with the required number of men to replace those soldiers discharged due to age or injury, as well as to come up with a number of men needed to grow the army to an effective operating size. For Hispania this was made to be 15,000, for Gaul and Italia 20,000 each, and for Dalmatia 17,000. Then the recruitment of men was to be placed upon the provinces of each prefecture to come up with the required number of men splitting the weight of recruitment.
Other than the birth of the 2 imperial sons in 458, the year was important for other reasons, the cencus issued by each Prefecture would come back. In total the western empire had roughly 23 million people, of those about two thirds were of taxable age, or about 15 million people. This population was mainly split between Gaul and Italia where 15 million people lived, Hispania had a further 6 million and Dalmatia the last 2 million.
Tax reform began as well, with the new census this gave an accurate number for how much taxes each region should pay. Corruption was quickly snuffed out, the perpetrators having their wealty seized and put into the empires coffers, any lands they had redistributed. One change was the land tax, Majorian would change this tax so that those who farmed grain would recieve smaller taxes than those with Vineyards, this was put in place to make the west less reliant on the grain from africa. As for the taxes and revenues, Gaul and Italy would supply the west with roughly 500,000 Solidi, or 90,000,000 million Folli, the Follis becoming the standard unit of account during this time, and worth 1/180 of the Solidus. Hispania with its mines and only slighlty smaller population than the former two provinces would bring in 250,000 Solidi, or 45,000,000 folli. As for Dalmatia with its small population and minor industries it brought in 25,000 solidi or 4,550,000 folli, giving the west an annual budget of 148,550,000 folli or 775,000 solidi. However instead the empire was bringing in only roughly 81,000,000 folli.
This dramatic drop in revenue was due to several things mainly including corruption, and tax evasion.
Each prefecture contained smaller regions to make the collection of records and taxes quicker and more efficient, Gaul contained 7 of these Provinces. Each of the provinces who had a govenor would submit the revenue records to the prefecture, the prefect after accepting these records would then send them to the emperor, any irregularities found along the way would then be investigated. Over the years, this system had been abused, to the point that the empire was only receiving half of what it should have been. During Majorians reign this system would be kept in tact but vast corruption purges would bring this system back closer to what it had been before.
In 459 Avitus would die, his son Eparchius Avitus would take his place. To a testament of the corruption purges The empire in 459 would receive 130,000,000 folli in 459.
In 459 the Majorians reformist mind would take full effect. Other than the formerly mentioned Land tax where Grain farmers were taxed less then Vineyard farmers, Majorian would put in a tax for those that were of 20 years old and unmarried or without kids. A tax for those whose wealth or land was worth more than 5,000,000 follis would be put in place, this tax would be worth 5% of this wealth. Initially this tax was evaded by some, but others like Eparchius Avitus (one of the richest men in the west) would support it seeing how it could benefit the empire. This tax would bring a potential 40 million follis into the budget in the future.
Following the change in taxes, would be military reform. In the decades following the decay of the west, soldiers had been paid less in coin, and more in food, this was due to the rampant corruption, in 459 Majorian would announce that soldiers would be paid 600 follis a year. The empire at this time had 60,000 soldiers, 13,000 in Dalmatia, 12,000 in Hispania the remaining 35,000 split between Gaul and Hispania, costing the empire 36,000,000 folli a year in wages for soldiers, a further 20,000,000 follis going to food and equipment.
For recruitment reform, Majorian would put this onto shoulders of both the prefecture and the Magister Militum. They were to come up with the required number of men to replace those soldiers discharged due to age or injury, as well as to come up with a number of men needed to grow the army to an effective operating size. For Hispania this was made to be 15,000, for Gaul and Italia 20,000 each, and for Dalmatia 17,000. Then the recruitment of men was to be placed upon the provinces of each prefecture to come up with the required number of men splitting the weight of recruitment.
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