To provide a drive system for a cold pilger mill which is simplified and inexpensive.

In the drive system 1 for a rolling mill, especially the cold pilger mill, which is equipped with at least one rolling stand 2 which is movable forward or backward, at least one crank drive section 3 having a crank arm 4 provided with a compensation weight 5 for at least partly compensating a body force generated by the rolling stand 2, at least one drive means 6, and at least one thrust rod 7 which articularly interconnects the rolling stand 2 and the crank arm 4 reciprocally, there are two units respectively composed of crank drive sections 3' and 3", crank arms 4' and 4", compensation weights 5' and 5" and thrust rods 7' and 7". These units are placed on both sides of the central plane 8 of the drive system 1 and are driven in opposite directions by at least one drive means 6.