The Career of a Roman Soldier - Recruitment to Retirement (All Parts) DOCUMENTARY
All parts of our documentary series on the career of a Roman soldier. Thanks to Storyblocks for sponsoring this video! Download unlimited stock media at one set price with Storyblocks: storyblocks.com/Invicta
This documentary is a compillation of all parts of our series on the career of a roman legionary. This begins with a review of how one joined the Roman army in the first place, including requirements and inspections. We then join a Roman legionary to see what legionary training was like in a Roman army boot camp. We next trace the progress of pay and promotion over the course of a soldier's career. This includes a huge number of awards and medals. And finally we conclude with the retirement of a Roman soldier. (Check out our friends @ImperiumRomanumYT)
Timestamp:
00:00 Intro
02:28 Recruitment
15:38 Boot Camp
25:01 Pay and Promotion
46:58 Medals of Honor
01:10:36 Retirement
Works Cited:
Goldsworthy, A. K. (1998). Roman Warfare
Goldsworthy, A. K. (1998). The Roman Army at War, 100 BC-AD 200. Oxford - N.Y.
Duncan-Jones, Richard (1994). Money and Government in the Roman Empire.
Webster, G. (1998). The Roman Imperial Army. London
Credits:
Research = Chris Das Neves
Script = invicta
Narration = Guy Michaels
Reenactment = Veteres Milites, Imperium Romanum
#history #documentary #rome
It's never too late to make your own documentaries. I can highly recommend our sponsor, Storyblocks! Download unlimited stock media at one set price with Storyblocks: storyblocks.com/Invicta
Are you guys going to make a another fantasy video? I love ❤️ when you guys make those and Don’t get me wrong I love ❤️ the history videos to
When you say that the soldiers would surely find a way to mark them in a way of hazing it looks like he drew a dick on his arm
@@gregoryminor5823 didnt see any comment nor delete any in this video besides some of those obvious porn ad accounts. Not sure what happened to yours. Might be because I re-ded this pinned comment with an edit.
@@InvictaHistory hell there's no telling then either way it's a good video looking forward to your next one
can you do another warhammer one?
I am continually amazed by the Roman Empire, like by how incredibly advanced they were compared to their contemporaries. So many of their practices are still used today, one that stuck out to me is how you mentioned they were compensated for travel. At least in the US government, compensation for travel costs is still known as ‘Per Diem’ to this day
14:10 nothing like a phallus tattoo to keep track of who is who 😂
I said the same thing earlier I guess he didn't like the word I used because my comment was deleted but yeah that's one hell of a way to Haze someone
@@gregoryminor5823 youtube often deletes comments, so it is unlikely the creator. Sorry if this sounds....well annoying.
@@S.P.Q.Rrespublicas the Creator's already responded to me and explain to me that he did not delete my comment and I believe him I understand that KZhead likes to screw with people
Drawing dicks on a new Boot, is probably the meldest form of hazing in military history...@@gregoryminor5823
Getting popular again...
“What was the name of our Roman source again?” “Forgetius.” “Yeah, me too!”
Ah, nevermind, we'll just call the soldier Titus Manlius and call it a day.
@@Echiewel 🤣
Incontentia Buttocks
@@johnwatters6922 You all enjoy watching 40's/50's Gladiator movies ?
@@johnwatters6922 Biggus Dickus?
Software Engineer was my second career choice first was to join roman army and become a legionary 😂
Which did you end up going with?
@@nuclearmedicineman6270 unfortunately a software engineer
Im a roman legionary and became a roofer lol probly clisest profession lol s😂
@@maxivisionvermont1333 maybe some day i will open a wood crafting shop and wooden furniture and try to be a roman craftsman
@@maxivisionvermont1333 Don't worry, Hastati, you'll probably be great at building walls, that Caesar fellow loves his walls :)
This has to be one of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen. I put this on to fall asleep to, but I’m so impressed by the quality of information I can’t sleep. Great job! Thank you
After been with this channel for over 5 years. I came to realize it's the voice. It's soo good!
history marche has a terrific voice too 👌
Statistically, English accents are the best for KZhead VO because they are considered neutral and authoritative. When I found out this, I realised I was also biased against videos of US kids yelling at me.
Crazy how military training is still so similar to how it was conducted centuries ago. Edit: I saw a similarity in training compared to my own military training: First phase: administration and health check, being introduced to NCOs. Then conditioning and physical fitness. Second phase: drill, weapons training and longer, more difficult marches etc. Third phase: getting ready for campaign and/or additional training.
Not really considering the fundamentals of combat have never changed.
The Roman army was particularly organized for the time. They were the old world's masters of logistics..
Almost like it was tried and tested
Yea as the video kept going along I could see more and more comparisons to my experience in the army and the overall general experience of the military and the laws. Amazing how Rome set the groundwork for centuries to come
@@SirFigsAlot "what have the romans ever done for us. " quote Monty python.
It's so interesting that many veterans choose to group together after fighting together, even now when there's no free land and funding to do so. I think war forges bonds between people that only other people who have seen it, suffered it and struggled through it can really understand.
They are your people. They are your tribe. They are your home. Best way to describe it. I fought in three wars and I can say I don’t feel comfortable around anyone else. Other people come off as self interested, comfort-seeking, and therefor untrustworthy. American civilians especially come off as clueless. Sort of like district one people in the hunger games. I don’t think there is anything wrong with that honestly, it’s just not my culture and I’m too old to even want to change. I wish you luck in whatever struggles you face in the future.
@Mantelar same here. After deployment and my time in the military, I don't like being around civilians. Yea, every squad had their 1 knuckleheads, but with civilians, they are everywhere. It's the bond and brotherhood we have created, trusting the man next to you with your life and trusting he knows what he is doing regardless if you met him last night, last month, or last year. Once you're out and integrated back into the civilian world, you don't see it. You only see the self righteous, self centered, and have a different perception of the world.
I cant believe this is for free
You know I was in the military back in the nineties and I found an amazing how they were able to support all of their troops all over the world. I can't imagine doing that back in those days with all those people all the same place.
Thanks for this video! I am currently in the process of writing a historical fiction book about a young soldier joining the legions snd fighting under caesar in Gaul and ultimately becoming an aquilifer. I've been trying to find as much information as I could about a new recruit and the process and this just made it so much easier, thanks! Love your content!
Good for you.👍Nothing better then a good book. Keep up the good work.
Very good for you man. Smash it out! Takes so much work writing a good book. Good luck with the whole process. My cousin has been world building his fictional project for a 5 book series for around 10 years or more now. I've seen his spreadsheets with all the information of the world on and it blows my mind how much work he's done.... after 10 years he's about ready to start writing it now 😂😂
Leap fellow soldiers
Good luck!
U will probably know. Of it But eagle of the empire is such a good book series
Love this series, the effort that goes into them is simply incredible
Outdone yourself again. Thank you for this effort.
This was really well done. Thanks for putting it together!
8:30 very true. My father would beguile me with stories and when my boys and I enlisted, our mothers cried.
always love the ancient rome content. it may feel oversaturated but the more sources that provide information and/or documentaries on it, the more holistically I and others can understand and admire the period. keep going, I say!
One of the most thorough, well put together documentaries on the Tube.
Thank you. This was a great documentary, very informative.
probably the best ancient Rome documentary I've ever seen on you tube keep up the great work
Thank you for a really good video it explains a lot for people that do not know about it. I actually learned a couple new things myself.
Very well done, I really enjoyed this compilation ❤
This was great. I’d ask a question in my head and the next section of the video would answer it. Thanks man🤙🏼
I love you man i really appreciate the work you do
Brilliant. Thank you for the effort.
My guess is that the real Roman soldier was far more impressive than the reenactors. Also, they must have been incredibly fit.
Look at old photos. Noone was as fluffy as we are today even some thirty years ago. And people did not have these "strap on muscles" that some have nowadays. Look at Johnny wiesmuller playing tarsan. He was a swimmer at that time.
Excellent way to spend an hour and a half.. i really enjoyed this
awesome, finally!
Excellent and comprehensive presentation.
This was fantastic
Surviving 25 years is insane
Imagine doing that the entire time as a private. 25 yrs is senior NCO time as Sargeant Majors in modern armies.
Depends what kind of service they got I guess. 25 years as a regular infantryman fighting campaigns with no promotion has got to have been shit.
That's the point 😂
@Ideo7Z 25 year grunt lol
Why?
Roman History is the best btw so caesar's career like this
Excellent information. Loved the use of quotes.
I want more of this!!! Muuuuch more :D
Very informative ❤❤
Great stuff!
your content is wonderful, please make an Video about Assyrian professional military
Best documentary ever
The Veteran Colonies sound pretty cool
Have no idea why would I want to know that but this channel is always reliably good
I hope youtube gets it's stuff together and starts promoting educational and entertaining channels like this again. We need more documentaries and less "farmed content"
Googles professed values are a joke. No chance they’d do anything that reduces their revenue stream and actually makes the world a better place.
‼️‼️ That was an incredible ‼️‼️ experience 🙏❤️ Love from Scotland ❤️🙏
from caledonia!
Awesome!!! Thank you
Sick testudo! 🤙🏽🛡️🛡️🛡️
Great video!
What a great video.
Very nice video
50% chance of reaching retirement with the perks in that era!😮 Sign me up!!!
Having gone through basic training (at 34 but that's a story for another comment) I can say MEPS hasn't changed much since the Roman days........... You want me to walk like a what? A duck? Should I quack as well? What do you mean get ready to do a lot of pushups with my sense of humor? I in fact did end up doing A LOT of pushups with my sense of humor...............
You know your joke is good when HR wants to hear it in person.
@@The_SmorgMan I got ahold of an HR complaint document and used to keep it folded up in my shoulder pocket whenever a bad joke made it through my "don't ever say this to other people no matter how funny your think it is filter". I'd pull it out right after I made a smart ass remark that REALLY crashed and burned with people saying "WTF did you just say" and would unfold it while saying " I have all my info prefilled up here. Just make your comments here , sign there and take it to SFC (pick a name) and he will take care of it err you ahh I mean me...... Saved my ass 3 times for REAL until I fixed that social filter for good.......
@@lknanmlthat’s legendary! I’ll keep that story in mind
If it's not broken why change it
This was a interesting documentary
Good to see MEPS hasnt changed in over 2000 years
The total war Rome music was a nice touch
Rome had a lot of flaws but also had some fantastic principles. The way the used and treated the army has to be one of their greatest strengths and something we could learn from. 25 years of service granting you tax exemptions, citizenship, and land? We could learn from this. Offer approved immigrant families citizenship in exchange for 25 years of service. No income tax for veterans of 25 years. Offer to give veterans free homes and land in struggling communities to bring in a strong positive influence. Finally the infrastructure. Outside of combat; put the military to work. Certain deployments are public service based; build new roads, schools, ports, etc. That gives the nation better infrastructure and trains thousands of soldiers in various skilled trades that they can then use in retirement. Roman’s absolutely knew how to use the military to not just win wars, but to create a national identity, a strong culture, and build community’s.
Thank you
Upon reading 'Nero's Killing Machine' many Roman soldiers bore scars of beatings by their centurions that carried grapevine stalk 'discipline sticks' designed to inflict maximum pain without debilitating the soldier. On the flipside many centurions knew well the dangers of being overly sadistic as they'd be the first ones targeted and most likely revenge killed during a mutiny-and the Roman Army had many of them. Even back then the command structure knew complaining soldiers was a good sign-when they became silent was when one worried.
Another great video! I love your analysis of this character. I think you’re absolutely right about her character. The remarkable thing is that Tolkien chose to write a female character with such complexity and depth, in a time when most writers of ‘heroic’ stories tended to paint women in a very two-dimensional and stereotyped way. You made me think about some aspects of Eowyn’s character arc that I hadn’t thought of before, such as her own internal development moving from a concept of herself as a heroic warrior to that of a healer and lover. I still find it frustrating that Eowyn was only redeemed when she abandoned the ‘masculine’ role she had set herself and allowed herself to embrace her ‘feminine’ nature of nurturing and caring for others. In this way, Tolkien restored his concept of gendered roles and expectations. Nowadays we understand that no reason why a woman cannot be both powerful and nurturing, or a queen in her own right, and still be caring mother or wife. Or of course choose not to be either. At the end of the day, it seems that Eowyn was only able to be happy when she’d accepted her restricted role in society. Throughout history there were actual shieldmaidens and warriors. Some earned great respect: there are accounts of women in pre-Roman Briton winning great renown as a valorous warrior. And there are many examples of women fighting with their families to fend of raiders and the like. Tolkien wasn’t a feminist, it’s true. But I think he found himself in a moment of real cognitive dissonance, at once admiring the qualities of women like Eowyn or Galadriel. But also believing that women should be protected from the trauma of battle and violence.
I cannot help but think that the "Pax Romana" was brought about by the stabilizing influence of these many 'retirement colonies' through which Roman culture was spread, and which attracted people and fostered local commerce and prosperity.
Rich. Thanks.
You can just thell those reenactors did not wanna damage their expensive stuff. Good for them. You did something amazing, it does matter your hasta throw did not look great
Are you guys able to do an episode like this for a medieval man-at-arms? The household troops/retainers of medieval nobility that aren’t knights?
To see through the eyes of a man of the 10th or 13th legions under Julius Caesar, or as a man whom was in the elite cavalry/units of Alexander is something that fascinates my imagination. I think about stuff like that when I go on runs and lift weights rather than listen to music. Like that one time a standard bearer under Julius Caesar announced that he was going to serve Roma bravely when everyone else was scared to step off the ships onto Brittania, and then everyone else followed his lead to go meet the tribal army standing in front of them. Moments like that spike my testosterone like nothing else.
The Roman Army was the first modern army. All Armies post middle ages are copies of the Roman Army with variations.
Not necessarily the first, Michael; 500BCE saw the first Chinese emperor form an equivalent to the Roman Army to serve his newly formed Empire. The similarities between these coexisting empires is usually overlooked by Western observers. Hello from New Zealand, a small, weak nation defended by the smallest and weakest army in Western Civilization (except Luxembourg).🇳🇿💂♂️🌴🌊
@@davidstevenson9517Fear not Iceland doesn't even have an army. Then again they keep being voted the most peaceful country in the world, 17 times in a row apparently. Greetings from the Netherlands, crappy army, but good weed though🤣👍🇳🇱
First thing i thought when watching the enlistment part was how much it was like a Ancient meps
Damn, the woman reenacting as a grieving family members SOLD that shit.
This is better than a us army recruit video
"Centurions led from the front... and experienced disproportionate casualties" (42:10). The Great War saw the British Army suffer similar disproportionate fatalities amongst officers and NCOs: 17% were killed in action whilst enlisted men suffered 10% (Total BEF dead: one million). Four British generals were killed in frontline action (excluding Kitchener). This higher percentage has been submerged in the common belief that officers dawdled in the rear areas while the enlisted men took on the brunt of the fighting.
The esprit de corps that endured in the legions is a true achievement in history, & has never been equalled. Nothing endures & nothing lacks a downside, that loyalty turned against itself wherein legions started to elect their emperors, that could work but when it didn't there were proto German watchers with their nascent efficiency traits just waiting to pounce. The legions became a state within a state effectively, they could be so close knit. That often turns toxic but nonetheless they could be ready to die as a unified body, as one did in formation according to the account of the major battle between Trajan & the Dacians, all dead but keeping the correct positions, & from a purely military viewpoint that is all that can be asked. .
This channel is what i wish history class was like
This is VERY interesting at how similar of structure this is to our own military. Army physical fitness training, ruck marches. they probably had to do APFT tests like we had to do as well. I wonder what their weapons qualifications were? score 4 hits out of 6 for the gladius with a certified platoon or company/cohort sword instructor? obviously they didnt have rifles, but they had to test out sword skills and spear throws somehow top graduate bootcamp. Then requalify with those weapons every 6 months or so like we did in the U.S. Army. cohort formation drill qualifications? This is wierd just how similar thier military structure and training was to ours. we pretty much did the same stuff, but with modern rifles, ballistic body armor, helmet and ruck sack. our Ruck sacks had to be 50-60 pounds minimum when we walked our 12 miles. these guys did 24! in fricken sandals! damn! I can't imagine the blisters on those. sheeeeeeeesh. terrible. half of the skin on my feet would be gone.
This was a fantastic history lesson.
Soldier of Rome The Legionary talks about the training alot in the first part of the book.
Is one the the actors,expecially at the begining,is the actor who played Titus Pullo in Rome tv show?
14:08 is wild
😎😎😎AWESOME VID😎😎😎
24 miles in 5 hours. If 1 mile is 1.6 km, so, 38.4 km in 5 hours or, 7.7 km for an hour, carrying heavy equipment.
I looked at several sites about classical antiquety and they gave a length of 1.478 km or 1.481 km for 1 Roman Mile. 29.6 cm for 1 Roman Foot. And apparently most of those are still used in the Anglo-Saxon countries of today. And here I thought the Americans didn't like the European measurements and weights etc. (But secretly they do, even if it is to think about Rome atleast once per day🤣)
Top Fit , the young roman Man !
Crazy to think that this period was like 31BC to 476AD, the level of perfection they achieved. Yet the age of Vikings was 793AD to 1066AD and yet was nowhere near the level of ancient Rome. Imagine the world if Rome never fell and only succeeded. The world would look quite different.
How much money could they earn as an organization that provides extras for filming and events?
Sounds eerily familiar.
Fabrizio said: "My Romans [as I have said], as long as they were wise and good, never permitted that their citizens should take up this practice as their profession, notwithstanding that they were able to raise them at all times, for they made war at all times: but in order to avoid the harm which this continuous practice of theirs could do to them, since the times did not change, they changed the men, and kept turning men over in their legions so that every fifteen years they always completely re-manned them:" -Machiavelli, Niccolo "The Art of War" Book I
what is the music that you use, please?
I think you skipped over a major part of these awards and their role to the *average soldier.* People didn't walk around wearing crowns. A person might wear one for a day, or on campaign, or to show off in the city (if it made it that far), but it was considered bad form to keep and wear any crown. What they were literally being given was an item that they could either keep forever or to melt down and use to buy things. The metal awards - especially the golden ones - were their own type of bonus checks.
He did mention that wearing the crowns daily was seen as a disrespect to others, since Rome hated kings during the republican era, and also the fact that a Roman soldier almost always have top wear helmets
@@Ajaylix_history_shorts yeah but the metals it was made of were part of the reward to most.
Good to see that romans have the same sense of humor as modern peoples do
14:07 life of Brian reference?
Literally wearing everything you own.
The first part reminded me a lot of my recruitment phase in the French foreign legion
59:44 didn’t Sulla win one too? 🤔
so there is a burial marker statue along the Rhine River for a Jewish Roman soldier with the common nickname / adopted name "Pantera" James Tabor has a blog post about it
I could not imagine serving 25 years and being told ‘here is some land to farm.’ It’s a generous retirement for sure. But I did 22 years and I can barely keep up with my yardwork. Everything hurts. I suppose I have the luxury of feeling sorry for myself, though.
How do you have videos of Roman life. Do you guys have reenactments.
Hmmmm
Nope, they went back in time with HD cameras to capture it all.
They explain at the beginning of the video that it’s Imperium Romanum, a re-enactment group.
@@alexlaws5086 Lol
Paperwork or papyrus work made from Egyptian reeds?
make Indonesian subtitle, please.
You know I could get down with that kind of life...we are really missing out on so much of the human element to life now with the way things are.
Yup
Haven't seen the whole video just thumbnail. Wasn't some terms like 16 years then 20 then 25?
It varied throughout the existence of the empire. (various sources give various durations)
Not sure about re ectopi
Im lucky i was raised but a few mile from Chester so i spent a lot of time walking the old city walls or standing in the amphitheatre, to dressing up as a roman soldier on school trips so i had a love of all things not just roman but all things ancient. Oh and yes there are many ' cock & balls ' etched into stonework around chester, even the ancient men loved graffiti, snd especially falic graffiti lol.
1:00:58 this biblical Glzing
Wow
Thank you for this Video, but a Romen Citizen stand Regulär 20 Jeahrs in the Army,a Auxiliar stand 25 jeahrs in Service.
Last time I was this early, I hadn't enrolled in the Roman army yet.
I fought in the Roman Army, in another life.