Pensions are a roman invention

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_retirement

Looks like it was just for those who served in the military, what did other people do?

In 1881,[3][4] the conservative German chancellor, Otto Von Bismarck, in a maneuver against Marxists who were burgeoning in power and popularity, announced that anyone over 70 years old would be forced to retire and that he would pay a pension to them

What did they do before 1881? Just keep working?