Not to glorify the gig economy, but if you are a freelancer, you are a mercenary.

The earliest recorded use of the term (so far discovered) comes from Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe, in which a feudal lord declares, in reference to his paid army:

I offered Richard the service of my Free Lances, and he refused them—I will lead them to Hull, seize on shipping, and embark for Flanders; thanks to the bustling times, a man of action will always find employment.

cover image by Taras Susak