During his reign as emperor, Caracalla raised the annual pay of an average legionary from 2000 "sesterces" (500 "denarii") to 2700–3000 "sesterces" (675–750 "denarii"). He lavished many benefits on the army, which he both feared and admired, in accordance with the advice given by his father on his deathbed always to heed the welfare of the soldiers and ignore everyone else. Caracalla needed to gain and keep the trust of the military, and he did so with generous pay raises and popular gestures. He spent much of his time with the soldiers, so much so that he began to imitate their dress and adopt their manners.