A Real Life Murder Investigation in Ancient Rome DOCUMENTARY

A history documentary on investigating a murder case in ancient Rome. Get Surfshark VPN at Surfshark.deals/invicta and enter promo code INVICTA for 85% off and 3 extra months for free!
In this history documentary we continue our coverage of Law and Order in Ancient Rome by taking a look at a historical example of a murder case. The story is set in the small town of Knidos on the west coast of Anatolia in a small corner of the Roman Empire during the reign of Augustus. Knidos was usually known as a small, sleepy community until one day a dead body was found on the streets. It is identified as belonging to Euboulous son of Chrysippos. Found outside the house of his rival this seems like no coincidence and a murder is suspected. A mob quickly forms to seek retribution. However things quickly escalate and the Emperor of Rome even gets involved. Its a great tale and one which is worthy of its own tv show epiosode!
A big thanks to our fans who actually put together the parody intro based on Law and Order SVU! Stay tuned for more videos on roman history and daily life in ancient rome from our How They Did It series.
#Rome
#History
#Documentary

[@InvictaHistory]

Here is the actual letter written by Emperor Augustus to the town of Knidos in 6 BC. www.yorku.ca/pswarney/Texts/augustus-knidos.htm

[@mrbones7331]

gracias

[@andreitabacaru8378]

What happend at the beginnig with your microphone?

[@thehobbyguy7089]

It's amazing that we can read the dictates of rulers and peer into human thought form 2000 years ago, not only on matters of philosophy but simple public disputes.

[@armartin0003]

I want to read more stuff like this from Rome. It's fascinating to see their terminology. I'd never heard of "tribunician power" before this letter, in regards to the office of Tribune. These details of language & terms are fascinating.

[@poples5799]

do you know where one could find the latin text? I'd love to give that a go some day

[@amadeusamwater]

In ancient Rome, testimony from slaves was not admissible in court unless torture was used. If a slave was willing to talk, sometimes torture consisted of hitting them a couple of times with a whip or twisting an arm, just so the letter of the law was observed.

[@trla6505]

Slap slap slap you are torture now

[@princeimrahil6557]

Ah yes, *toorter*

[@sztallone415]

@@princeimrahil6557 without toorter, no stonks, with toorter, many stonks - Ancient Roman proverb

[@jamesmcpherson8599]

Are there any records of this "light torture"?

[@amadeusamwater]

I.ve seen it mentioned several times although I don't recall the sources. Slaves were valuable property, so avoiding damage to them was useful. Sometimes when the court wanted to convict some noble type who might otherwise get off, it was a useful way to do it. Especially if they were a cruel master.

[@luciusseneca2715]

Augustus sends a town a letter that says "Grow up and act right." Town puts it on a plaque.

[@fishnujish1511]

I admire the way that Augustus actually cared about a small frontier town when he had an entire Empire to run. Like, imagine all the emissaries coming, like "The Gauls are invading!", "The Tiber is flooding!" and then there are two commoners just going "Teen boy been murdered. Pls send help."

[@nocensorship8092]

sure but most days mr Augustus surely was just as bored as everyone else

[@JRGProjects]

​@@nocensorship8092 The Pox Romana was in full swing during that time. With no enemy to fight, what else does an Emperor do but perform his law enforcement duties?

[@Lucasp110]

​@@JRGProjectsPax, my dude. I believe the Pox Romana may be the Plague of Justinian

[@andrebotelho8987]

I arrived so early that I got considered a suspect

[@willtipton100]

I arrived so late that Libius Severus is now emperor

[@jaypea30]

I would make the joke that I arrived so late that Germany Unified but I'd have to wait a decade to make it

[@Rosson311]

I arrived so late that I had to empty the chamber pot of Constantine.

[@Njordin2010]

@@jaypea30 why a decade. some people including myself are just at this very moment working towards a greater germania. for the good of all european people.

[@janocronismo]

LOL

[@luciano9755]

Wow, this only shows the extent to which Augustus embraced his wide range of authority in the Empire.

[@cinnamon3578]

Truly was an amazing man

[@MrMarsh263]

Did they ever say what year this happened?

[@semprelazio8864]

Wow how made up is this story ! A couple of plebs came all the way from a shit wee town to see Emperor Caesar 🤚 Augustus 🦅 about some boy who "fell" off his balcony ?

[@MrMarsh263]

@@semprelazio8864 Who fell off the balcony? You totally didn't pay attention. the poop bucket fell out of the slaves hands and cracked the poop covered kids skull.

[@semprelazio8864]

@@MrMarsh263 he fell ! It WAS an accident ok ! 🔪

[@Zaeyrus]

2-3 weeks one way, 1 month of waiting in Rome, 2-3 weeks back, 2 weeks of investigation, 2-3 weeks journey back, 1 (cca.) week for a verdict to be made, 2-3 weeks for the ruling of the emperor to reach it's destination = 17 weeks or 119 days. Wow! Ancient Romes justice is lightning speed compared to modern day's Croatian courts (Croatian over here :D )! Awesome video, like always!!

[@samhouston1979]

Luka Uroda birthplace of Emperor Diocletian

[@xgh1000]

@@samhouston1979 Croatia isn't a place. It's a whole ass country.

[@xgh1000]

@some boby Za stvari da (tipa jelo, jer retko možeš sa sigurnošću da kažeš odakle je tačno poteklo), za osobe ne baš (osoba se uglavnom rodi na jednom mestu, lol). Ali više mi je ličilo da Sem iz Hjustona misli da je Kroejša neki zaseok u južnoj Evropi, a to mi ide na kurac.

[@nebojsag.5871]

Pozdrav komsija, ovde kod nas u Srbiji nije nista bolje. Je mozda u Sloveniji nesto lepse?

[@Evan-rj9xy]

Dionysios: "The gods have given me a son! I shall name him Dionysios after myself!" *Some time later*: "Another son! I shall also name him Dionysios so that my name will endure, just in case my firstborn dies young." *Both sons survive into adulthood* "Ah... well... That's gonna get confusing. Good luck with that."

[@alexandrub8786]

Just call them Primus(first) pr Secundus(second) or α and β.

[@natehammar7353]

Or “the Elder” and “the Younger”. It was actually a very common thing, especially with girls.

[@paweandonisgawralidisdobrz2522]

I bet their grandfather was also dionysios

[@alexandrub8786]

@@paweandonisgawralidisdobrz2522 that is not that strange. I am the 5th or 6th continuous generation with the name Alexander(in the local version)

[@paweandonisgawralidisdobrz2522]

@@alexandrub8786 i had a line of 4 Bogdan in my family as well

[@RexGalilae]

It's a boy! What do you want to name him? Father: Eubolos if heads, Dionysius if tails

[@JuanManuel-ii1ov]

(Flings the newborn in the air.)

[@RexGalilae]

@@JuanManuel-ii1ov Fuck it, he got "Eubolos" anyway. Ain't that right #DionysiusArmy 😤🔥

[@g.o.paciong3015]

@@JuanManuel-ii1ov this is not supposed to be a joke. History and justice should be respected.... WHY THE FUCK AM I LAUGHING SO HARD

[@matthiasthulman4058]

@@JuanManuel-ii1ov wonderful lol

[@kaizokujimbei143]

@@JuanManuel-ii1ov Lucky bastard, that Dionysius. xD

[@Big_E_Soul_Fragment]

CSI: Rome looks lit

[@magivkmeister6166]

Yeah, much less boring than the others..

[@Charok1]

as if CSI could get away with torture

[@currahee1782]

Replace the court room moments with a forum.

[@johnlewis3891]

Not if you're a tortured slave.

[@Floreal78]

Which would quickly be followed by CSI: Ostia, CSI: Massilia and CSI: Neapolis. :)

[@TheHalflingLad]

- By the gods! This murder case is far too grave for us to handle locally. The Emperor himself must be notified! *Months later...* - The Emperor ruled that we're all dumb, and we should just knock it off.

[@rin_etoware_2989]

only an Augustus would be patient enough to deal with this. also, it is noteworthy how Augustus didn't even include a sentence to be carried out-he just laid out the facts of what truly happened to the townsfolk. most likely, he expected that the local leaders would issue the appropriate punishment.

[@ilikedota5]

Maybe its an act of discretion, or maybe its more like I can't be bothered to prescribe a punishment, or maybe its more like let the stupidity of this be humiliation enough.

[@vanivanov9571]

Considering he had said it would have been better if the other boy had died instead... I don't fancy his chances, now that the town feels like fools due to his action.

[@sundotjolangot9937]

I suspect that it's more likely that they would have merely scorned and publicly shunned him, or maybe banished him. Another murder by lynching would have further scandalized the the town, already humiliated by Augustus' rebuke.

[@vanivanov9571]

@@sundotjolangot9937 Public lynchings weren't considered a bad thing. Roman courts were a couple of steps short of a lynch mob. Even the senators were only a couple of steps removed from a lynch mob. If the emperor implies it would be better if someone had died, and that he was responsible for the whole affair... I don't fancy his chances.

[@sobrcelt]

I just assumed that he felt like some sort of justice had already been done; both families lost a son, just not the son who started it all. To kill that son too would unbalance the scales. Not sure if that's how Romans viewed justice, but that's how I took his statement.

[@textbookdetox3111]

I actually think that a crime drama/ thriller mystery set in ancient greco-roman times would be an interesting concept for a show. the possibilities would be endless...I'd definitely watch if it was done well and historically accurate. Get on it Invicta!!! lol

[@TheInsaiyan]

That would be nice

[@alexanderchristopher6237]

That element has somewhat been used in the 2016 movie Risen, where a Roman tribune in Judea was interrogating people and following leads regarding the disappearance of the body of Jesus. There’s a lot of elements in the film that seems to be taken straight from a Law and Order episode. It was a really good Biblical drama film.

[@RobertHeibel]

Try en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Didius_Falco on audible or traditional books, a private detective working for the emperor traveling over the known roman world.

[@sailorstarfairy1]

I'm listening to an audible from Gary Corby called the Ionia Sanction right now, the narrator is pretty bad but so far the story is interesting.

[@luxborealis]

There was a Robin Hood movie written with the Sheriff as the protagonist and investigating the murders done by Robin Hood, but Hollywood did its usual and made it a generic movie.

[@hebl47]

"OK, who's next?" "Dionysios son of Dionysios , Imperator." "Didn't we already have him yesterday?" "No, my Imperator. This was a different Dionysios." "But also son of Dionysios, right?" "Yes." "We should really come up with more names!"

[@neutronalchemist3241]

Emperor: "So, for a start, what's your name?" Dionysios1: "Dionysios, son of Dionysios." Emperor: "And your?" Dionysios2: "Dionysios, son of Dionysios." Emperor: "... Ok, behead them."

[@molybdaen11]

"From now one, you are Otto and you are Karl!"

[@NIKSEEN]

Emperor: "Who comes before the great Emperor Augustus?" Dionysios1: "My name is Dionysios, sir" Emperor: "And you?" Dionysios2: "I am called Dionysios, sir" Emperor: "Uhm..Very well, do you come from families of renown in your village? What are your fathers' names?" Dionysios 1+2: "Dionysios, sir" Emperor: "..Is that.. is that one person?" Both, chuckling: "Of course not, sir"

[@user-xb9yv2ci4c]

How many names do you want? Rome: No

[@Sealdeam]

Those here were greek names, that part of the empire maintained their greek culture pretty much through the whole duration of the empire itself up to Byzantine times but it is true that also the roman themselves were not particularly creative in their naming conventions at least in the sense of variety, most had the same 3 or 4 names they used always and the eldest son tend to have the name of his father, it must be nightmarish to study the lifes and careers of ancient family lines that remained unbroken for several generations, imagine trying to figure out which Gaius Julius Iulus did which thing when the records are scarce and the name was used for generations over and over again.

[@Sealdeam]

@@Thelaretus I know there were more than just 3 or 4 praonomina in total, I expressed myself incorrectly above, the selection of names was already relatiely limited and the families, or more specifically the particular branches of the big familiar clans whether gentes maiores, minor patricians or later plebian nobiles, tended to favor the same 3 or 4 names over and over again, for example the Julii used Gaius, Lucius and Sextus but I have yet to see a Marcus Julius (in late republican or early imperial times) that was conected, by blood or by adoption to that family this probably does not apply to freedmen or non-roman, non italian people that got citizenship due the sponsorship of a member of this family, I guess that among them some Marcus Julius might be easy to find. This does not mean some previously unused nomen had no way to get into a family, in early imperial times some examples like Paullus Fabius Maximus and his brother Africanus Fabius Maximus show that the families were starting to use Cognomen or Agnomen of other branches of their families (some already extinct) as proper names and there are some much earlier examples like the use of the name Faustus by Sulla for his son and the even older use of odd names like Numerius or Caeso by the Fabii family.

[@anttitheinternetguy3213]

Holy shit, now i really want to see a murder mystery/detective series set in ancient rome

[@hreodbeorhtcheesewright4889]

Try the "Falco" series by Lindsey Davies.

[@Smallpotato1965]

try the 'Gordianus' series by Steven Saylor!

[@lisaingham834]

Read Steven Saylor's books!

[@SkywalkerExpress]

it will be 10% scene on the village and Rome, 90% scene onboard ships during the journey .

[@maxgrozema1093]

@Hunter D Or just let the series take place in Rome. Maybe during troubling times or during the reign of an impopular emperor so you can write in a plot with the praetorian guard.

[@thewhiteknightman]

Random Suspect: Man, I am not Plebeian. My father was a senator...and my mother was a servant woman. Ice T-erentius: Well I got news for you...that means you’re Plebeian. *Dramatic music*

[@rombom1wolf723]

Funny as this is, I think it should be noted that, if the suspect's father was, in fact, a senator, then the suspect in question would actually be patrician, since roman inheritance laws were strictly patrilineal, meaning that any children inherit the status of the father and not the mother. Though I suppose it would be different if the suspect in question was born out of wedlock...

[@eldorados_lost_searcher]

@@rombom1wolf723 I may be wrong, but if the child was acknowledged by the patrician father or adopted into the family, then the status would legally pass onto the child.

[@neutronalchemist3241]

Mind that the investigator in this story was a plebeian himself. In first century BC the distinction had already became quite pointless.

[@rombom1wolf723]

I'm sure there would have been several patricians back in Augustus' time that would have disagreed with you, but in an economic sense, you're absolutely correct.

[@varana]

@@rombom1wolf723 Senators were not automatically patricians. There were lots of plebeian senators, plebeian consuls, and so on - only very few offices (usually with minor political weight) required their holder to be a patrician. As Neutron Alchemist said, the distinction was almost pointless at this time, except for bragging rights.

[@dylanchouinard6141]

“Oh I get it: so it’s like when someone drinks to much? Or takes too much poppy? Or bets the house on the chariot races?” -Glacies T

[@stefanpieper3757]

Best comment. Don't think most people will get it though.

[@lvmpenprxle7135]

top tier comment

[@VxV631]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGLWlWd5h8iUe5I

[@davidnotonstinnett]

Then it slow fades to black and says “executive producer Darius Wolf”

[@dylanchouinard6141]

David Stinnett *Darius Lupus

[@pinchman2946]

Augustus: you guys are all idoits Town folk: quick get the chisel GET THE CHISEL

[@chickenusgoddus464]

Thank you for thatlaw and order reference

[@InvictaHistory]

It was actually a requested intro from our last Law and Order episode!

[@ilikedota5]

@@InvictaHistory Can you do it Phoenix Wright style next? Complete with the music? Tom169 has a bunch of the OST on his channel.

[@dukecity7688]

This was great. You gotta love the skills of the investigator from Rome. First, interview all witness. Second. Torture the slaves.

[@chipwalter4490]

And wouldn't you know.. the slaves' testimony proves that their Master's household was the actually the victim in the saga. And they the slaves accidentally committed the murder. Not only that, but their rival who instigated the whole thing, the other brother, was still to face justice. All this with the reality these slaves could be further tortured or killed. Upon return to their Master if their Master found out their testimony didn't suit him in every way possible. And that same well-connected aristocrat Master would've had to pay customary bribes all-the-way-up the chain of command to have access to higher and higher officials. But yeah, great report about the astonishing truths revealed by the "investigation." I kept waiting for the caveat of skepticism from Invicta... but I guess, why ruin a good story with the obvious?

[@Historyfan476AD]

@@chipwalter4490 Very likely though that is what happened.

[@kaizokujimbei143]

Elementary, my dear Dionysius and Dionysius.

[@eugenetswong]

@@chipwalter4490 I was confused about the end, where Invicta didn't comment about the lack of reliability of torture.

[@eleanorcunningham9306]

Not in any way to detract from the horror of it, but it was quite literally Roman law that slaves had to be tortured before giving testimony, not something Gallus did just because he was particularly cruel

[@neutronalchemist3241]

Moreover, since it was a legal obligation, if a slave already wanted to talk it was applied quite leniently.

[@chipwalter4490]

And wouldn't you know.. the slaves' testimony proves that their Master's household was actually the victim in the saga. And they the slaves accidentally committed the murder. Not only that, but their rival who instigated the whole thing, the other brother, was still to face justice. All this with the reality these slaves could be further tortured or killed. Upon return to their Master if their Master found out their testimony didn't suit him in every way possible. And that same well-connected aristocrat Master would've had to pay customary bribes all-the-way-up the chain of command to have access to higher and higher officials. But yeah, great report about the astonishing truths revealed by the "investigation." I kept waiting for the caveat of skepticism from Invicta... but I guess, why ruin a good story with the obvious?

[@hraharahra]

@@chipwalter4490 IN SHOCKING TURN OF EVENTS - If you are a slave, your life and well being depend on your masters! I wonder why people removed slavery and have constitutionally guaranteed freedoms! Also, the guilty knew what the outcome would be. They knew the emperors convoy would do that. As they denied it to anyone until his arriving.

[@David-ud9ju]

@@hraharahra Slavery was never anywhere near as bad as the bigoted way of viewing it nowadays would have you believe. Don't fall for that.l Most slaves were very well looked after and had a pretty good time of it.

[@hraharahra]

@@David-ud9ju sure, people never liked to lose their investment. Being slave still sux hard!

[@jason4275]

*_WAIT, I just found out the Romans had Glass windows during the first century AD, how come Hollywood never put them in their're movies._*

[@talknight2]

Same reason everyone in HBO Rome walks around with fucking leather vambraces all the time.

[@TheMongooseOfDoom]

The letter doesn't mention glass. Romans did have translucent glass windows at some point, but it would have been a new technology at the time.

[@georgecant-stand-yeh5451]

Not everyone could afford glass

[@MBM1117727]

Don't trust a little illustration like that. They did have glass but not glass windows as far as I know.

[@victorhaelterman]

@@TheMongooseOfDoom carthage was wel known for glas making so its not that new its been around since the early republic

[@CivilWarWeekByWeek]

Rome’s first murder cases must have been weird because of the precedent set by their first king.

[@robertjarman3703]

According to Historia Civilis, they explained that by saying the Romulus had constructed a pomerium around the foot of the hill he settled on, and Remus had violated the sacred boundary which only the gods could cross, causing a national security threat to Rome itself, ergo, Romulus was justified in killing Remus for the violation.

[@pocarski]

@@robertjarman3703 in other words, Romulus used his second amendment rights

[@robertjarman3703]

@@pocarski Not really. Remus was technically committing a sacrilege.

[@VentiVonOsterreich]

Its 11:40pm I need to sleep Me at 4AM:

[@cescog4102]

It's 11:40 A.M for me

[@VentiVonOsterreich]

@@cescog4102 I live in the Philippines

[@cescog4102]

It's monday for you, while I'm stuck in sunday

[@3John-Bishop]

Its stress from the virus

[@TheAmbientWarrior]

Father: I shall name him Euboulos Everyone in Knidos: That's a good idea!

[@marcello7781]

CSI: Rome

[@capuchinosofia4771]

Unironically I'd love a mini show about investigations in ancient cities, spanning through time, showing how the case would be carried through at the time

[@keptins]

More like CSI: Anatolia

[@Vexin980]

And here I expected it to come down to a shouting match between one Roman who wanted to blame the gauls and another who wants to blame the carthaginians.

[@ProjectEkerTest33]

"Gods I hate Gauls! My Grandfather hated them to, even before they put out his eyes." -House Julii

[@alexandrub8786]

Considering that it was the province of Asia ir should have been the grreks(ionians or dorians) or carians

[@LordButtersI]

Carthago delende est.

[@alexandrub8786]

@@LordButtersI IVDEA DELENTA EST-Hadrianus.

[@Vexin980]

@@alexandrub8786 Nah man, it's always the fault of the Gauls or Carthaginians. Greeks and Carians are clearly just eastern knockoffs.

[@alexandracenuse8762]

Something less than virtuous happens in the Roman Empire The Romans:We can make a moral out of this! Which is a great thing

[@sandernorvag7616]

Small town with a legal dispute: Hey can you help us out? Roman official: *Torture the slaves*

[@Celticelery]

Obviously they called in Gladius P.I.

[@woketoad2426]

Excellent episode, most surprising thing is it only took a month to get a correspondence with Augustus (when they got to Rome). Faster than modern legal system by a long shot lmao

[@hraharahra]

Yes i had same thought. Sure I am glad I don't have to wait weeks for the envoys to arrive. Then remember that traveling may be fast, and communications instant, but is not unheard in most parts of the world to wait incarcerated for justice way longer, and definitely some sentences take way, way more time. That being said, I have no idea how close or far from the average time it is, but my guess it is close or shorter than average time.

[@zakuro8532]

just torture the slaves duh

[@clemsonpacer1]

I believe the common practice was to look up Gordianus the Finder and have him work the case

[@sudstahgaming]

Who does your artwork? I love the artwork

[@InvictaHistory]

Beverly Johnson

[@sundotjolangot9937]

This is just as fascinating as when I first read about this in Adrian Goldsworthy's book on Augusuts. Highly recommended, that one.

[@shanemize3775]

Wow! I had no idea that the Emperor handled matters of local law in such ways, when called upon. This was incredibly fascinating and entertaining, as always. I always love your videos and never fail to learn new things from them, even though I have been a life-long student of ancient history. Bravo! Please keep the outstanding videos coming and God bless you, my friend!

[@Jazmillenium]

It’s amazing to hear such a down to earth, but exciting story. Generally we look at Rome in the big picture in years and reigns, but it’s nice to jump into the every day lives and see the actions taken during a murder scene.

[@marloyorkrodriguez9975]

Man that’s a great way of investigation then *tortures the slaves* came and a tear just sheds in my eye never change Rome, never change...

[@stefanpieper3757]

It changed plenty though.

[@7yep4336dfgvvh]

@@stefanpieper3757 well, rome doesn't exist anymore for better or worse

[@luciano9755]

@@7yep4336dfgvvh Last time I checked, Rome was in Italy.

[@7yep4336dfgvvh]

@@luciano9755 rome the city, not rome the state. Last time i checked in imperial times, italy was in rome. Also, rome the city doesn't exist anymore per se either. It's an italian city, not a roman one. The romans are all dead and their constructs are just ruins and vestiges decorating a city inhabited by people who aren't and don't call themselves roman. The roman rome is tied to the romans. The italian rome is italian and an just superpositioned on the the territory that the roman rome spread over. Does Constantinople still exist? After all, the territory is all there, but it just goes by a different name. Same with rhegium. It's called regia calabria nowadays, but it's there. Does rhegium still exist? Does the spot caesar crossed the rubicon still 'exist'? Nobody is really sure exactly where it was in italy, though territorially it must exist, of course. The point is that when looking at bistory, things are probably best identified not only in terms of space, but in space and time coordinates. After all, all the peoples that inhabited an area at a given time e.g. the achaemenids aren't the same as the people currently living there or doing so in the future-- we don't call anybody achaemenid nowdays, do we? Constantintinople (Istanbul) is a good example, because it was renamed several times. You could say it became a different city with each renaming. Each time it got renamed, it identified the start of a new era. But certainly this doesn't simply hinge on a name only. Because if rome were to be renamed into something else, would it then suddenly cease to 'exist'? In any case, yes, i do think roman rome doesn't exist anymore beyond an ideatic level, though I was specifically talking about the roman state. Ps: another good example relating to names. Romania is the name of a country inhabited by romanians. Romania is also what the byzantines called their state. Does romania still exist? Well, which one? They're clearly different things.

[@spartan9540]

fgddhhunb frybdz Obviously the state doesn’t exist, but, the legacy did have its influence on a lot of modern foundations e.g Western European laws. Also the people didn’t just become extinct, their ancestors live on, but call themselves the name of their country of origin instead of Roman. In fact there were still Greeks in Smyrna in the 1900’s who called themselves Romans

[@sagapoetic8990]

So enjoyable - thank you so much. Hope you do another story

[@simplepixel5617]

You are the Mary Beard of young dudes. Thank you for your videos that go deeper into Roman citizen life, beyond emperors and the Colosseum. I enjoy your videos every time.

[@georgedaviladurendal7055]

Super interesting! You should do more of these life in rome videos!

[@robertgresham3603]

Excellent video subject. Very interesting. Thank you.

[@Glauber753]

Greetings from Brazil! very interesting... well done!!!!

[@l2516]

This was such an interesting video, from beginning to end!

[@Jobe-13]

This is fascinating.

[@phantomkelvink4225]

Now I’m imagining a game call Marcus Aurelius: justice and providence for all!

[@Aravaganthus]

"These are their stories" DVM DVM

[@brostelio]

Wonderful! Thank you!

[@ghostinquisitor7743]

Another episode of this please, maybe it will become a tv series.

[@mordakaidrake6582]

This was a great video, might even spin this story into a detective narrative for my D&D campaign.

[@siggiAg86]

Awesome! More please!

[@albinlindmark1383]

Very interesting thanks a lot!

[@Albukhshi]

@ 0:39 This and the Community parody of Law and Order are easily the two best things I saw this year :D

[@scott6828]

Absolutely fascinating

[@Cherb123456]

Very interesting, thanks!

[@costinpatru5450]

'Dionysios, stop playing with Dionysios!' said Dionysios. 'Dionysios! Why can't you be more like Dionysios?'

[@brian152]

Love the opening!

[@mishapurser7542]

Short answer: They didn't. Long answer: If you were a wealthy individual or govt official then your murder would be investigated, otherwise it was up to your family to take justice into their own hands. Source: Mary Beard

[@procinctu1]

That was really great!

[@slacksviii9824]

Love your videos and id love for you to cover how say disabled members of roman society(mental and physical) were treated or cared for, i would become a member and suggest it but I'm not making too much extra right now

[@vertiqxgaming4398]

Nice video keep up the quality content :)

[@ximec.r.2643]

What amazes me the most is how they kept control of their territory even without instant communication or hard evidence backed by science, law was respected and followed through by both sides to the letter.

[@lh1tmaN]

Great video.

[@jdstreeter]

Great job.

[@laurihavukainen7747]

We need a movie out of this!

[@age3801]

Somethings never get old

[@maxpower4436]

great vid

[@Krimcl]

Thank god the audio improved. I was about to lose my mind

[@solaufein1374]

Very interesting story!

[@dconov]

I am not sure if this recommendation has already been made, but the historical fiction novels of Steven Saylor, beginning with "Roman Blood", are good reads. The series features the protagonist named "Gordianus the Finder", a kind of private detective of the era of Sulla and Cicero, both of whom appear in the novels. It has been so long ago that I read the novels, I do remember Cicero hires Gordianus, but I can't remember if Gordianus worked for Sulla as well.

[@londonspade5896]

Good guy Augustus! Octavian was always curious

[@juanzulu1318]

Great story. Like a time machine.

[@NomeDeArte]

All the people that enjoy this video, should read the books about Marcus Didius Falco, from the writter Lindsey Davis. They are in the year of the first emperadors, at 70 ac, and the characters all very well written and moves from all the empire. Really good stories there.

[@VedanthB9]

Wow! This was cool!

[@Chikanuk]

As every good investigator or detective knows - if you have no trust in your witnesses, its thumb screw time! Always work like a charm!

[@Annalise95]

I wish yu do more of murder an law an order videos!there the best!!!

[@dg_goldenboy]

Super cool video.

[@odolwa099]

Narrator: There was only one way to ensure the slaves were telling the truth... Me: Release them from bondage so as not to be brutalized by their masters for speaking honestly? N: Torture! Me: ...oh.

[@this_is_patrick]

​@pyropulse Modern propaganda? I dunno about Ancient Rome, but there are numerous documentations of modern slaves being victims of senseless violence for petty wrongdoings in the Americas and European possessions in Africa.

[@talknight2]

@pyropulse Enough experiments have been done to determine that humans turn into violent psychopaths astonishingly quickly when encountering other humans deemed "less human" than themselves. For example, the Stanford Prison experiment.

[@realDarkPeterson]

@@talknight2 There were multiple serious methodological issues with that experiment. Including sample size, sample diversity and coaching behavior from the researchers. If anything, it's far more representative of what occurs when an authority greater than yourself nudges you to fall in line, while giving you zero inhibitions. The latter of which is a rarity in peacetime circumstances. That is not to say that there isn't anything to that experiment, or similar experiments as well as documented real life equivalents, such as Abu Gharib. But to say it is universal is by far too broad, especially given the sample size and the similar attitudes among them. There is a serious enough difference, in regards to among other thing warcrimes, between zero inhibition (as is the case in say Abu Gharib, with essentially entirely willing contributors), and viewing oneself as a tool to be wielded by a greater authority than oneself (disassociation / writing off responsibility to the authority figure. I.e. 'just doing my job.') Both, of course, are reprehensible either way. But I'd be careful with mixing them into the same bag and calling it all psychopathic behavior.

[@hraharahra]

@Hunter D Because most people don't want to be slaves! Specially if you get enslaved by your enemy. Things like that sour the mood. I can offer you the opposite examples. Why there would be slave rebellions, when there were well known cases of slaves with great influence and financial wealth. It is not unheard of, for both extremes, but as a whole, slaves were brutalized as often as in today's world people brutalise their cars. It is not unheard of, but is not the norm.

[@hraharahra]

@@this_is_patrick I bet you belive the gladiators as a whole also was wretched scum, forced to fight to death every single time? Actually fights were very rarely deadly, most notable exclusion was, criminals as punishment and sometimes enemy soldiers. There were also provided the best medical assistance it was available in that time, and most successful of the gladiators, were very famous, very rich and very respected by the society. There are known cases, gladiator not accepting his freeing.

[@mehdisd3756]

awsome video

[@takaetono6773]

just amazing!

[@KeatrithAmakiir]

2:11 I recognize those map packs!!!

[@gabesegun7966]

Whao. Live in those days were really gruesome. I always love the ancient names. I'm also surprised that no crucifixion in a murder case in Roman empire

[@eliteviktor3]

If they ever resumed the HBO Rome series, I would hope they choos you to be one of their history buffs.

[@PointnShootMovies]

You deserve more views

[@Miamcoline]

Very cool!

[@mikewilburn5884]

Very nice.

[@mutolover3851]

Great intro 😅👍

[@andywomack3414]

I guess slaves while giving testimony must ask themselves the question, "How much of this must I take before they're convinced I'm telling the truth? The threat of torture would be enough for me.

[@neutronalchemist3241]

Since the testimony of a slave could be legally considered in a trial only if torture had been used, when slaves already wanted to talk this legal obligation was enforced quite leniently. A pair of hits with a rod, and you could consider yourself tortured.

[@chipwalter4490]

And wouldn't you know.. the slaves' testimony proves that their Master's household was actually the victim in the saga. And they the slaves accidentally committed the murder. Not only that, but their rival who instigated the whole thing, the other brother, was still to face justice. All this with the reality these slaves could be further tortured or killed. Upon return to their Master if their Master found out their testimony didn't suit him in every way possible. And that same well-connected aristocrat Master would've had to pay customary bribes all-the-way-up the chain of command to have access to higher and higher officials. But yeah, great report about the astonishing truths revealed by the "investigation." I kept waiting for the caveat of skepticism from Invicta... but I guess, why ruin a good story with the obvious?

[@squamish4244]

"I was inside the house and I heard a ruckus." "Can you describe the ruckus, sir?"

[@richardcharay7788]

Thanks!

[@user-fl7by8in5o]

👍 good video

[@silentmajority5634]

Best into ever!!!

[@motherhors7036]

Slaves: *exists* Gallus: So anyways, I started blasting.

[@kingdomofbird8174]

6:50 Guy: I'm am justice **Plays music**

[@laurendimke967]

The opening ♥️♥️😂

[@AdriiPing]

Haha nostalgic intro xD

[@powerist209]

Just noticed that you used DungeonDraft for the town design.

[@Veon1]

At 5:00 is that Posca from HBO Rome?

[@alcidsg2]

You could do one of this type about China and other civilizations

[@trancepeirce3107]

The fiction exists. Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee (Dee Goong An) is a detective crime novel set in seventh century Tang Dynasty, written during the eighteenth century, and about a local magistrate solving murders.