Roman soldiers had an important role as surveyors, engineers, carpenters, stonemasons & builders:  The army built their own forts. They built roads & bridges across the province. They built Hadrian's Wall and the Antonine Wall to keep out the Caledonians (Picts). Some units made goods for the rest of the army, like: pottery tiles leather goods quarrying stone They could also be seconded (temporarily moved) to do other jobs for the Emperor, like being: messengers guards for government officials general policemen traffic policemen stewards, running large farming estates managers, running mines general administrators (office workers)