10 Worst Roman Defeats

[@Thomas-u8q]

I think the Battle between Romulus and Remus deserves a mention... Rome lost half it's population!

[@niccolorichter1488]

😂

[@dorusburk]

How’d this happen

[@oscarhess1376]

@@dorusburk Romulus and Remus were the two brothers that founded Rome but after a disagreement Romulus killed Remus and named the city after humself

[@randomguy6152]

Till this day the worst defeat in Roman history

[@Youbeentagged]

@@randomguy6152 But the Romans killed half their opponent, so one of the best victory too.

[@ConnorLockhartYGO]

It's nice that the Battle of the Caudine Forks was the catalyst for Rome to change from the latter phalanx to the underrated but important Maniple system.

[@aidanwatson910]

Hey thanks for the tidbit, I didn't onow that progression

[@ConnorLockhartYGO]

@@nedsteven4622 Correct.

[@orangensafttee4598]

italy itself is shit for phalanx as it is not flat enough

[@carterghill]

There's some cool details to add about the caudine forks incident! The Samnites consulted a respected elder in their civilization for what to do with the captured Romans while they were holding them, and on the first day they received a letter saying to show absolute mercy, or they'd be destroyed. Confused at the notion of letting go of such an advantage against their mortal enemy, they asked him to explain. He responded that they should kill them all showing no mercy, or be destroyed, which obviously seems to contradict what he said before and confused them further. So, on the final day of their capture, the elder shows up in person to explain to them, that the Romans were powerful and honourable warriors. Showing them clemency would result in a great and lasting friendship. On the other hand, destroying the army completely would be a decisive blow to the Romans, and would win them the war. Any half measure would be seen as dishonourable to them, and would ensure the wrath of an enemy who now hates them even more than they once had. Sure enough, promptly after thy chose this half measure despite their elder's advice, the Romans pushed their shit in.

[@satanwithinternet2753]

What did they chose ?

[@heberrodriguez3310]

@@satanwithinternet2753 humiliate the romans

[@Leo-ok3uj]

@@satanwithinternet2753 In few words? Kill some of them, humiliate all the rest and let them go, a middle path

[@Contonome]

@@satanwithinternet2753 They disrespected the Romans (disarmed them and forced them to crawl under a yoke as a symbol of fealty) but released them. The angry Romans rearmed, reorganized and destroyed them. Literally the one option they (the Samnites) were advised not to take by the Elder.

[@marktaylor6491]

I said all that with Jonathan Bank's voice.

[@Spoontamer4]

I'm surprised Arausio isn't as famous as some of these other battles. Just imagine 120k men dead in under what, 10 hours? You never see medieval battles or even battles in WW1/WW2 that killed so many people in just 1 day. Crazy to think about

[@jimmyandersson9938]

Yeah it seems numbers alone dont matter in how much attention a battle gets. There needs to be a good story behind or a special tactic used, atleast something that sticks outs from the rest. Good examples are teutoburg or thermopylae, small battles but lots of drama behind them.

[@Spoontamer4]

@@jimmyandersson9938 I think the story was ok here. An arrogant fool wanted all the glory because he didn't like the other general and he got his entire army destroyed because of it

[@orangensafttee4598]

@@Spoontamer4 as spectrum said i think the reason for that is that rome besifes the casuallties didnt suffer any consequences look at thermoplyae the consequence there was a free greece

[@Spoontamer4]

@@orangensafttee4598 Sure but look at Cannae: Less casualties and had a similar impact

[@mahesito1943]

The reason the battle of Arausio is not as famous as other battles is probably because instead of attacking the romans the tribes separated with the cimbri invading Hispania, and getting defeated by the celtiberian Arevaces; allowing the Romans to reorganice and defeat each tribe separately. In short, the germanic tribes failed to push the advantage.

[@lahire4943]

I think the battle of Silvana Litana deserves an honourable mention. Right after the battle of Cannae, an army of 25,000 Romans was entirely annihilated by a Gallic tribe in an ambush there.

[@Ik2hl]

*were

[@Rome.s_Greatest_Enemy]

yes only 10 men managed to escape and rest 24990 were dead

[@juliusnepos6013]

Yeah

[@FillupMan]

​@@Rome.s_Greatest_Enemy you mean 24991*

[@sakerawesome]

You got this wrong, the legions are still out there, I swear. I went on a trip to Germany over the summer to look for them but I didn't find them but I'll be going again I swear

[@RmsOceanic]

What makes a loss in battle important in Roman history is when it forces a shift in Roman policy, generally for the worse. There's been plenty of times a legion or two got surrounded and massacred, but Rome just responded with more legions, so you couldn't call them one of the worst defeats. With that in mind, I list these battles as important for how they affected the development of Rome The Allia (387 BC) - When the results of the battle have the city elders debating whether to abandon Rome entirely, you know some serious soul searching is going on. Established the Gauls as an existential nightmare in Roman minds for centuries. Cannae (216 BC) - In addition to being a straight up catastrophe, it was the final straw for the push and pull of Roman politics, with the Senate consolidating power so popular demagogues couldn't demand suboptimal strategy, but this disruption of the political arrangement sets up the emerging oligarchy which helps to destabilise the Republic once all the external threats were dealt with. Arausio (105 BC) - Gives Gaius Marius his opportunity to reform the legions. These reforms were probably coming regardless, especially the growing professionalisation of the soldiers due to the lack of available manpower, but this is the trigger that allows generals to cultivate powerbases outside the cursus honorum, climaxing first with Sulla and then with Caesar. Carrhae (53 BC) - Ends Roman plans for conquest in the east. It's a while before Augustus can offically end it, but Carrhae is the practical end. Teutoburg (9 AD) - Much like Carrhae it was the practical end of plans to conquer Germania, even if efforts were sustained by Germanicus for a few years until Tiberius put a stop to it. Edessa (260 AD) - When your defeat and capture results in the empire splitting into three (and initially closer to five or six), you know something's gone badly wrong. Also encouraged his son to disregard the senate as a basis of power, which helped sideline the city of Rome itself. Adrianople (378 AD) - Proved that Rome could no longer dictate terms to tribes, and had to deal with them as equals, getting them to settle within the empire without truly becoming part of it, which helps destabilize things in the coming century. Yarmouk (636 AD) - Led directly to the loss of Syria, with Egypt not long after, sending the Empire into the kind of downward spiral that lasted for decades, leaving it looking quite different (and smaller) on the other side.

[@aaronTGP_3756]

The Battle of Cape Bon was another. 1000 ships, heavily outnumbering the Vandals. Then B*siliscus agreed to negotiate, and was tricked and routed by Vandal reinforcements.

[@doxenterzo1069]

Cape Bon was the last chance to save the Western Empire

[@lucazazzarini3376]

It's not about how hard you hit, but about how hard you can get hit and keep on going.

[@Ismail-Ibrahim841]

Getting ambushed in a narrow mountain pass is an unavoidable Roman tradition.

[@VulnerableBede1]

I would include the battle of cape Bon. It cemented the death of the western empire and the vandal power in North Africa, whilst also heavily damaging the east.

[@CliffCardi]

3:54 Fun fact: The Spanish phrase “craso error” meaning “huge mistake” comes from Crassus’ rejection of Armenia’s help/advice from his failed Parthian campaign.

[@pedroribeiro3262]

In Portugal "crasso" error also means that

[@debater452]

You should do a top 10 worst Byzantines defeats with battle's like Yarmouk, Pliska and Manzikert

[@aaronTGP_3756]

The real failure of Manzikert was the aftermath.

[@debater452]

@@aaronTGP_3756 It still was a massive defeat that lead up to the loss of Anatolia

[@Michael_the_Drunkard]

@@debater452 total nonsense, it didn't lead to that at all. Half the army deserted and most of them were released along with the emperor. Armenia and a few border cities would have been lost. That was the peace treaty that Romanos signed. But the civil war, his death and the arrogance of his successor Michael VII did. So in summary, the loss of Asia Minor was totally preventable. It's not like the peninsula wasn't menaced this way before. In 838, 782, 741, and 615, the Persians and Arabs were even closer to conquering the peninsula. The difference was the higher competence in leadership.

[@wankawanka3053]

​@@debater452the Byzantines never lost all of anatolia to the turks this only started being a thing after 1204

[@debater452]

@@wankawanka3053 They lost around half of it which is huge

[@gaiusjuliuscaesar-wg1hy]

Rome has never lost a battle, it has merely failed to win many.

[@TetsuShima]

Camillus: "Here's the money. Now get out of our city!" Brennus: "Olright. Anyway, I have to admit that it hurts me to leave a city as beautiful as yours. In fact, the toilet you have in the Palatine is really cool, actually" Camilo: "But the only thing in the Palatine is the sacred cabin where Romulus and Remus gre...SON OF A...!!!"

[@1224chrisng]

I was expecting to guess what's at 2nd place, knowing Cannae will win I did not expect Cannae to be at number 6

[@SuperCrow02]

Probably because they still won the war

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Now for the 10 best Roman Victories!

[@youvebeengreeked]

256 BC Cape Ecnomus 206 BC Ilipa 202 BC Zama 197 BC Cynoscephalae 168 BC Pydna 102 BC Aquae Sexitae 52 BC Alesia 61 Watling Street 73/4 Masada 451 Catalaunian Fields

[@youvebeengreeked]

@@jeffrobinson731 One can see it as stealing technology, another as appropriating. What's wrong with utilising the good advancements that others have made? Is not that the whole point of civilisations together: spreading their ideas and knowledge between each other? Yes, Rome was brutal - nobody really idolises them for that, for real - but then name a civilisation that wasn't brutal at any point. The Aztecs once performed 80,000 human sacrifices on their own men, women and children just to commemorate the opening of a new temple, yet people mourn the loss of their civilisation. Genghis Khan's Mongols killed perhaps a hundred million people, yet people praise him for reopening the Silk Road. Mao and Stalin killed even more of their own people, yet people still praise Communism. The history of the entire world is brutal - Rome is no exception. I'm British, and our history isn't perfect, and I don't know what country you're from but it has a brutal past too. But, to claim Rome has NOTHING to brag about... Latin is the foundational language for nearly one and a half billion people on the planet today. Christianity is the world's most popular religion. Rome lay the foundation for Western law, architecture, art, warfare, sanitation and societal organisation. Rome was so great that the far-distant Chinese civilisations of the time, who revered themselves highly and everyone else lowly, referred to Rome as "Other China". From 753 BC to 1453 AD - frankly, a civilisation that can stand for 2,200 years must be doing at least something right to brag about. For its time at least, Rome might just be the most successful civilisation in human history.

[@TetsuShima]

Courier: "I was in the 19th Legion with Varus in Germania, Caesar..." Augustus: "Was? Have you been transferred?" *Top 10 moments before Absolute Rage*

[@youvebeengreeked]

Nvmber 1: *Angry Valentinian sovnds*

[@Pfisiar22]

In the Battle of Cannae, the Romans were working off what worked in their previous battle. Portions of Hannibal's army were routed when the Romans pushed hard in one spot. They tried to double down on that in Cannae. Unfortunately, Varro's decision to tighten up the formation to an extreme degree combined with Hannibal being one clever SOB turned Cannae into a slaughter. Not helping the fact is that one consul was killed fairly early in the battle and the other fled the field. So by the time the net was closed, the Roman commanders were not present.

[@FadedResolutions]

Please keep the Roman history comin! You make good content! Thank you for your hard work!!

[@adrianli7559]

Assuming we count the Byzantine Empire (I think it should), we could include Alp Arslan's victory, or the two sacks of Constantinople as honourable mentions. Also, by any chance, have you been following the World Cup?

[@spectrum1140]

I have... *Sad Portuguese noises*

[@adrianli7559]

@@spectrum1140 it astounds me how such a talented group can fail so miserably.

[@spectrum1140]

Coach is awful. There you go.

[@adrianli7559]

@@spectrum1140 Santos has blood on his hands. It is harder to screw up this badly than it is to succeed with this current crop. I've been watching Ronaldo for god knows how long, and watching him cry was incredibly painful.

[@debater452]

The Byzantines have enough material for their own video

[@aaronTGP_3756]

9:25 The Marian Reforms: they both set up the Empire for its military successes, and led to the eventual downfall of the Republic and the decline of virtue which would become a major problem in the late Empire. Thus requiring great men like Aurelian just to keep it alive instead of the collective efforts of the Roman population like in the Second Punic War.

[@MuthanaFaisal]

Do Eastern Roman Empire. Pliska, Yarmouk, Manzikert, Heliopolis, Fahl, Ajnadayn, Masts, Bapheus, Thannuris, Iron Bridge, Constantinople 1453, Constantinople 4th Crusade etc

[@samuelkohi2534]

I would also add the maval disaster against the Vandals in 468 AD by both Eastern and Western Roman Empires.

[@msmith1890]

Rome looses thousands of men: "it's just a flesh wound!"

[@Exeggutor_Enjoyer]

Rome loses hundreds of thousands of men: “‘Tis but a scratch.”

[@Fro_Jangles]

Now do the 10 best roman defeats (defeats that benefitted them in the long run)

[@Leo-ok3uj]

Caudine Forks (caused the maniple reform) Arausio (no big consequences and caused marian reforms) Pharsalus (victory of caesar over pompey meaning land reform, something needed since years) Actium (victory of Octavian over Anthony, birth of the empire) Trebia (gave fame to Scipio the later known as Africanus, who would later defeat Hannibal and win the war) Battle of Allia (caused the return of Marcus Furius Camillus) I can’t think of any more

[@MaxwellAerialPhotography]

1. The final Siege of Constantinople… Unless there’s going to be a Top 10 Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Defeats.

[@wankawanka3053]

Meh

[@alexaagerger3695]

What about defeats that were so crushing that the Romans themselves don't write about them, like the Battle of Barbalissos?

[@ThatCrusader1066]

This is a great video I love it can't believe the romans got absolutely dogged on in these battles might i suggest you do a eastern Roman worse defeats? I would love too see it please keep the videos going!

[@cdcdrr]

I would argue the Gothic invasion of Italy, or the Vandal invasion that both ended in the sack of Rome would be the worst of all, and that they sealed Rome's fate. But we have to remain honest. The emperors involved were so pathetic, that Rome never even stood a chance at fighting, and the enemy practically walked in through the city gates.

[@niccolorichter1488]

What are you talking about Emperors Pathetic? Great Honorius bravely defeated Visigotic women and children 😂

[@megalodon3655]

Next up top 10 eastern Roman Empire defeats and victories. And Top 10 Roman Empire victories.

[@ankhangel3055]

Hey you should do byzantine defeats next

[@ankhangel3055]

@@crazyand2099 i would say siege of constantinople 1204

[@ankhangel3055]

@@crazyand2099 i mean after manzikert they lost nearly all of anatolia but they got it back later cuz of komnenians. After the siege, they spent 50 years trying to reestablish themselves and spent the rest of time fighting civil wars

[@ankhangel3055]

@@crazyand2099 true but better half than none

[@wankawanka3053]

@@crazyand2099 having half of it was mich better than none of it

[@Michael_the_Drunkard]

@@ankhangel3055 manzikert was not the reason they lost. It was the war against Romanus IV, instigated by Michael VII and his puppeteers. Plus the uprising of the Normans and their fight with the Turks and Romans.

[@TaeSunWoo]

(Starts video) Me: “please be based and include the eastern Roman battles post 700 AD”

[@empousa8680]

Wake up centurion, spectrum uploaded

[@aliciaclarke-olen3712]

Can you do a top ten for the greatest Roman victories in battle?

[@Michael_the_Drunkard]

Literally forgot to add Manzikert.

[@swoo5062]

Bless us with 2 videos in a week we thank you spectrum

[@samwill7259]

As much as the Romans would have told you otherwise you can't create an empire to last a thousand years without getting your teeth kicked in at least a couple times.

[@TetsuShima]

If you are interested in the invasion of the Gauls, I highly recommend Steven Saylor's novel "Roma", which tells the story of the city from the duel between Hercules and Cacus on the Aventine until the day of the birth of Jesus Christ. Said novel recounts in one of its chapters the sacking of Brennus from the point of view of a Vestal confined in the Capitoline who maintains an incestuous relationship with her slave cousin. Also, on KZbin is the movie "Brennus: Enemy of Rome", starring Gordon Scott

[@Axeinasatchel]

1st view, 1st like 1st comment I'm honored 🎖

[@Dmanepic]

Nice

[@denorjigalaxen9230]

Based

[@royeckson6834]

125th view

[@Whywhywhywhywhy709]

Nice

[@SandeaterIV]

Nice

[@sunkist1309]

i just reset windows on my pc, this video is what I set my KZbin bookmark as. ive seen this video like three times because i get distracted and forget I've watched it before.

[@2yoyoyo1Unplugged]

How did anyone make it back to Rome to even include the detail about not heeding the sacred chickens in their report of the battle?

[@jimbombadill]

nice video...extra nice to know the methatron sits at home in his armour crying to it....

[@basilthemacedonian8337]

Can you do Byzantine worst defeats

[@andreidavid3770]

Cool videos hope you do a video ranking the US Presidents

[@Vella_Attika]

I can feel every figment of my body shattering

[@phillygamezofficial]

Video Idea: Discussing the Bourbon Restoration/Hundred Days

[@Liquidsback]

11:28 at first I thought you said Morgoth from Tolkien.

[@aurenkleige]

So the Parthians were the Ancient equivalent of campers and whales combined. Gg Parthia. Gg.

[@johnconnor8206]

Were is pliska

[@RS_N5]

05:27 This is king of Armenia Artavasdes II (the one that offered his help to Crassus), not king of Parthia

[@atzuras]

The holy chickens are not eating this.

[@Innerste_]

the Battle of Cape Bon should be here

[@anonnymousperson]

Guessed them all except Caudine Forks, Noreia and Edessa. Good list!

[@lyricusthelame9395]

Can't wait for 10 greatest Roman victories

[@marktaylor6491]

0:50 - He threw them overboard, remarking 'if they wouldn't eat, then they could drink instead'.

[@12jswilson]

If the sacred chickens aren't eating, your military foe you will not be beating

[@harmonialink1496]

We need more Sacred Chickens nowadays.

[@jabbatheslut7406]

this has to be the fiirst video on ancient rome without some sort of victorian britain music playing in the background

[@Thomas-u8q]

What? It's usually Handel playing.

[@awesomehpt8938]

They’re not defeats. They’re just temporary setbacks.

[@Jilktube]

Ngl I'm shocked that Totenberg forest and Cannae didn't even make it into the top 5.

[@ancalagon1144]

Pls do a ranking every Swedish monarch

[@MrJking065]

Historians say Teutoburg Forest is the worst 20K Romans were slaughter.

[@otisspot]

Do worst Byzantine defeats next!

[@kaloarepo288]

3 worst Roman defeats Cannae with the Carthaginians (2)Carrhae with the Parthians and (3)Teutoberg Forest with the Germani.(My pick!)

[@zap3108]

Korean forks? or caudine forks? (and can I get a spoon as well please) 😅

[@laisphinto6372]

the last one "Vae Victes"

[@Black.Templar_002]

what about constantinople or mantzikert. or did u just consider antiquity?

[@avus-kw2f213]

9:00 that’s enough men to take over many countries to this day if you have a army that size that is impressive

[@barrett206]

Cape bon needs to be on this list

[@arcomegis9999]

Caudine or Korean ? The title time stamp is messed up. I think you should do a quick edit of the title.

[@rimwell]

With those tokens all I can see is total war campaigns

[@jamiexavier1546]

Can you explain all 12 times The usa declared war?

[@michafracz1947]

I'd switch Abrittus with Adrianopol and vice versa

[@nikokovacevic5504]

Can you make list of Croatian kings

[@farnabazat5395]

Sorry but at least 5 or 6 of your list most include Persians (Sassanid dynasty)and parthians (arsacid dynasty) !! Roman's got defeated alot by these two dynasty in 900 years of battle with them .but most of your list include germanic and Gaulic tribes 😅 I can give you many examples 1.battle of samarra (363 AD) which some roman historians later tried to change their defeats and made new story of julians death ,the roman historian included this defeat as the most terrible defeat which his son jovian forced to gave up many of roman lands back to Persians . 2.Battle of barbalisos 252 CE which is 60,000 strong roman army got destroyed by shapur (I) the great army and the roman historians all got quit about this battle !! 3.Another battle which roman sources is quit about it , is the battle of mishik (Peroz shapur) And it happend in 243 CE and shapur (I) the great army defeated the roman army and roman emperor Gordianus the third died in the battle and roman army got destroyed (their army included from rome _Gothia and ....).and Philip the arab payed shapur 500,000 dinar to stop his movement . 4. Battle of nisibis 217 CE =another victory which parthian king artabanus IV achieved against roman emperor Macrinus and roman 200 milion sesterces payed parthian for peace !! 5.And The Battle of Thannuris Tannuris between the forces of the Eastern Roman Empire under Belisarius and the Persian Sasanian Empire under Xerxes in summer 528 CE, near Dara in northern Mesopotamia during the REIGN of kavad the first ) The attempt to build a new frontier fort at Thannuris by the Byzantines triggered a Sasanian military response. The Byzantines further reinforced the area, but the Sasanian force managed to defeat their superior opponent by stratagem and many Byzantines were killed or captured along with their commanders 6.Battle of anglon (iberia)543 CE: which is 4,000 sassanian forces defeated the 30,000 eastern roman army during the REIGN of khosrow Anushirvan and justinian the first

[@jozefkrnc3753]

Fortuna favet fortibus

[@chiefsosaya7869]

no cannae? sadge

[@notengocreatividadparaunno1419]

Do roman victories now

[@lucaforaboscobengoechea2701]

Lets goo

[@megaton6023]

No 1453? The fall of the Roman Empire itself??

[@MBP1918]

Nice

[@madamedurand4830]

Can we just tolk about how you named the parts of the video

[@ostrichhe4d]

Really? No mention of the battle of the frigidus river?

[@Spiderfisch]

When rome fights rome Rome will always win

[@ostrichhe4d]

@@Spiderfisch well yeah but you could argue it was one of the battles that led most to the fall of the empire. At least at the time it did.

[@CommissarMitch]

You know it is gonna be hot when Cannae is not the top one.

[@christiandauz3742]

Too bad the Roman Republuc didn't have Muskets and Cannons

[@JasonFilippou]

Are we sure Krassus' son committed suicide?

[@randomguy6152]

worst american defeats outside of the world wars?

[@marc250gd]

the americans won both 😭

[@randomguy6152]

@@marc250gd we lost battles but not the war I'd like to avoid that era altogether if we got an American video because I like finding out some of our weirder wars like when we ended piracy by the Barbary States

[@tiznaeshnishto2584]

Inaccurate, expected the video to be 4 seconds long and having you say "none."

[@CKyIe]

I'll hit "like" but I dislike this video immensely.

[@wankawanka3053]

Why exactly

[@CKyIe]

@@wankawanka3053 Because ROMA INVICTA!

[@Whywhywhywhywhy709]

659th view

[@Natogoon]

Where is the battle of Candice?

[@brigantiasmemerepository6439]

Get Teutoberg'd :D Barbarian Gang :D 🇬🇧🇨🇮🇨🇵🇧🇪🇳🇱🇱🇺🇩🇪🇨🇭🇦🇹🇱🇮🇩🇰🇳🇴🇸🇪

[@evolution__snow6784]

In the end they all lost or rome got revenge, barbarian

[@brigantiasmemerepository6439]

@@evolution__snow6784 hundreds of millions of Celtic/Germanic people, less than sixty million Italians. Enormous demographic W