Via RealClear, a lively article on false etymology.
We’re accustomed to thinking that salary comes from the Roman habit of paying soldiers in salt. The author goes through the history in detail and finds no evidence. Soldiers were paid in coins along with food and housing, like modern soldiers. In fact very few things have changed! Soldiers signed up for 25 years, got hardship bonuses, and got a large severance pay at the end. Emperors who underpaid their soldiers didn’t last long.
BUT! The author stops there and doesn’t tell us how the false origin happened. If soldiers didn’t receive salt for pay, who did?
Polistra's Mill 