Salvete,
When reading Caesar, one can't help but noticing the amount of times Caesar raises another legion, but how did this work ? Take Gallia Cisalpina for example, at about 60 BC, how does one "raise a legion" in that area ?
Are simply all males between 7 and 77 ordered to join the army ? Who could be excused from duty ? Did they use pamflets of Caesar in a strange hat pointing at the reader, saying "I want YOU" ? How did they get their training so fast ? (for example, in book two of de Bello Gallico, Caesar raises two legions in Gallia Cisalpina that are immediately taken into enemy territory, did they not need training ?) What does such an action mean for an area that will suddenly lose a large number of young men ? etc...
Hmm, after writing all this I must conclude that I actually know nothing about it....enlighten me !
Valete bene
Lupus