The roman empire was stretched over a long territorial region and therefore most of the soldiers were loyal to the generals of the legion instead to Rome itself. The soldiers who have never been to Rome shared a unique relationship with their generals alongside whom they fought battles, gained bo*oty, and received other war benefits. Augustus Caesar gained control over the military and thus established a more centralized rule. He became the first emperor to gain the loyalty of his generals and thus the loyalty of the people of Rome.
