Well to give somewhat of an answer it is hard to determine as most writers do not mention to any great deal their views of the common solider. One of the few that mentions them is Caesar in his Gallic commentaries. Now one of the few soldiers mentioned by name is a soldier by the name of Gaius Fango who was a common soldier that impressed Caesar enough to be named as a senator. Now as best we can tell he was simply a soldier of simple birth who rose to become a senator and a high ranking official in the African provinces.

The other point of view that is mentioned is in Dio where he expresses a low view of soldiers he says the following about them.

"Indeed, some knights should be received into the senate, even if they have seen service only as company commanders in the citizen legions, except such as have served in the rank and file. For it is both a shame and a reproach that men of this sort, who have carried faggots and charcoal, should be found on the roll of the senate; but in the case of knights who began their service with the rank of centurion, there is nothing to prevent the most notable of them from belonging to the senate."

Lucius Cassius Dio Cocceianus, Roman History xl.viii. 22-24. Appianus, Bellum Civile v. 26. Dio 52.25