 As a result, greater numbers of barbarous and semi-barbarous peoples were gradually admitted to the army.However, whether this regionalisation of the legions was partnered by a drop in the professionalism of the troops is contested.Antonio Santosuosso argues that the strict discipline and high motivation of the days of Marius had lapsed, but Andrew Alfoldi states that the Illyrian troops were both valiant and warlike, and Tacitus described German recruits as being natural mercenaries (Latin