The Roman Army began as a hoplite army. It was composed of citizens who were able to pay for the equipment of a heavy infantry man. The base of the Roman Army for recruiting consisted of Roman citizens, farmers, who were, in fact, the basis of the Roman political establishment of the ancient Kingdom Era and the Early Republic. This imposed certain severe limitations to the operational capability of the Army, because the farmers, who formed the biggest part of the armed forces, could only be away for several weeks at a time before they had to return to their farm duties.