 The Cisalpine Celtic and Ligurian populations were sought after as mercenaries in the wars of the ancient world, until they were subjected to Rome between the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C.The early Roman army (c. 500 BC) was, like those of other contemporary city-states influenced by Greek civilization, a citizen "militia" which practiced hoplite tactics.It was small (the population of free males of military age was then about 9,000) and organized in five classes (in parallel to the "comitia centuriata", the body of citizens organized politically), with three providing hoplites and two providing light infantry.