The life of an (extra)ordinary Roman soldier | Curators' Tour of Legion: life in the Roman Army

[@stutzbearcat5624]

This was fantastic! Please pot down that background music. Thank you!

[@FischerNilsA]

Agreed. Smart talky people telling interesting true stories need no mood music. Or at least keep it subdued and quiet.

[@billysolhurok5542]

indeed!

[@charlesgantz5865]

When I played the video using my built-in pc speaker the music was way too loud. When I played it using a Bluetooth speaker, the music was toned way down. Just an observation.

[@christophermckinney3924]

This was a terrific exhibit following one soldier thorug his life and career. I had the privilege to see it last month at the BM.

[@yul498]

Dear Caroline and Richard, this new curator's joint is amazing thanks to you . Wish you a great success both!

[@Andy_Babb]

They’re curators at the British Museum, they’re doing ok for themselves lol talk about a dream job, huh? What a dream it must be to work every day around all those different artifacts and pieces of history

[@yul498]

@@Andy_Babb I'm not sure, but maybe Confucius says - to work a deal you love is not a job but makes you much more money / profit.

[@Andy_Babb]

@@yul498 Can’t disagree with that! Enjoying what you do for work is a blessing that not everyone gets to enjoy. What could be better than getting paid for life living out your passion?

[@j_taylor]

Thank you for this really well assembled look at an average Roman soldier. Much of the information is new to me, but even things which I already knew as isolated facts, like this was a path to citizenship and pension, mean more when put into context as you have here. For example, I understand why a man might enlist in order to marry and provide for the future of his family. You two are delightful presenters and I hope we see more of you!

[@3bthreebs304]

Anyone else that may be wondering wondering. 5' 10" in Roman feet is 172 cm. That rounds off to be 5' 8".

[@stephanieh9807]

The Romans also meassured in feet, however the length was different to the modern foot. A Roman standard foot is currently put at 296 mm (or 11.65 inches). This Roman foot was devided in 12 parts (24.7 mm or 0.97 inches). Hope that helps?

[@FischerNilsA]

Thats the problem with those measurements. A maritime mile is different from a roman mile is differnet from a british imperail mile is ifferent from a modern american mile is different from a medieval southern german mile... No wonder metric even dominates in britain nowadays, brexit or no. Only the americans still hold out.

[@suecox2308]

Am I correct in thinking that 5' 8" was fairly tall for a man of the era? They must have been an impressive sight in full regalia.

[@Andy_Babb]

@@FischerNilsAWe’re snobby like that lol

[@FischerNilsA]

@@Andy_Babb Doesnt have to be snobby. Nobody likes change, getting millions of people toswitch behaviour is always an uphill battle. And in the US every sensible and neccessary change tends to be tribalized and politicized af. Doesnt make things easier.

[@magsj6474]

Thank you, that was really interesting. Amazing how our collective interest has shifted from the monumental to the everyday as the historians and archaeologists widened their attention. Much more relatable!

[@Amanda-el6kk]

Travelled to see this exhibit and my expectations were exceeded! Excellent work, I loved that humanity was the focal point!

[@longdatedoptionsleaps6112]

this is why the Roman Empire survived for a 1000 years.... duty and service by its citizens

[@marcob.7801]

Something ALL citizens of ALL countries should emulate!

[@joechip1232]

And the widespread use of slavery, imperialist conquest of their neighbours, etc., etc. History is much more complex (and less glorious) than this!

[@Wild_Bill67]

The Roman Empire just consolidated down to the smallest sovereign nation on the planet.

[@stevenalvarado-doc7334]

@@joechip1232 sounds just like another day on planet Earth.

[@ORDEROFTHEKNIGHTSTEMPLAR13]

There must be THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of HORDES still not found in the UK because your virtually walking over history everyday not knowing what TREASURES lay beneath your feet absolutely freaking awesome history..

[@BernardSolomon]

*Hoards

[@medicolkie3606]

I think you mean hoards.

[@joechip1232]

Hordes of hoards :P

[@josemauriciosaldanhaalvare1507]

My sincere congratulations to the British Museum for this magnificent and unforgettable exhibition. Legio. It is instructive, it creates broad horizons of meaning in ancient history, and, above all, it humanizes our ancestors. Forgive me, but this is not a video with small insights. The curators gathered fragments from distant places and made them into a body. The body is the Legio. The Romans left deep marks if they remained in England for 500 years. The presentation of the video was impeccable. Safe, calm, and moving. This is the second time I have watched the video. The emotion is the same as the first.

[@alangillis8817]

@Jose. A serious appraisal of what a museum can do for history and culture. Hats off to the staff of the BM.

[@normandy1140]

It just looks like an amazing exhibit. I am on the other side of the world, but would love to go see it.

[@pennyhorsfield9524]

We visited this exhibition a while ago, as did many of my colleagues. We work at Fishbourne Roman Palace and find exhibitions such as 'Legion' really helpful in adding to our knowledge and understanding. It's a fantastic chance to see for ourselves artefacts that we are familiar with from books and photographs. Thank you! I particularly enjoyed the sock...

[@richardbridgland9296]

I volunteer at Fishbourne Roman Palace in late 1st AD based Legionary kit, so I know how it FEELS!

[@jpkatz1435]

Please give more details... thanks.

[@RichardDCook]

What a lovely well-conceived and well-executed presentation, thank you! As it happens I visited Vindolanda, Magna fort, the Roman Army Museum, and walked a well-preserved stretch of Hadrian's Wall yesterday. What strikes me about your comprehensive exhibit is how quite opposite conditions (the anaerobic boglike Vindolanda and the extremely dry Dura Europos) have come together to preserve writing, leather, wood, painting, metal, and all the rest.

[@megelizabeth9492]

The one thing that I think they got a bit wrong, was the information on the Draco standard. Time Team actually recreated one, and their experiment suggested that placing any sort of nose making device inside the Draco head itself, wouldn't have produced sufficient noise to fit the descriptions in the ancient sources. The method they had the most luck with, was actually attaching a Chinese Kite Whistle (an ancient technology contemporary to the Romans, likely would have spread from East to West) to the outside of the head.

[@DarkFire515]

This is a brilliant exhibition - one of my favourites from the past 10 years. Excellent work by all involved!

[@PinnedonPlaces]

Absolutely fascinating. Love learning about Roman Life and seeing the exhibition. Wow! Blown away! Thank you Richard and Carolina, just excellent!

[@tedball8677]

Well done. Very well done. Thank you Ms Rangel and Mr Abdy and the British Museum.

[@dancingpixie6120]

Great program!!! I am 🇺🇸 and had the privilege of visiting the British Museum. What a magnificent place! I do hope to get back again. Thank you for sharing these treasures!!!!

[@timcent7199]

This presentation is breathtaking in content and presentation. Listening to the presenters was peaceful and well paced, very clear to understand and wonderfully directed.

[@motaman8074]

What a fantastic exhibition. Thanks

[@olik136]

this exhibition is visually very impressive. The Rooms, the lighting and the way every exhibit is shown is much better than what I have seen in other museums. Quiet often you see exhibitions with remarkable, important and even famous pieces and the entire thing looks like an elementary school art exhibition in the foyer of the school, between glass showcases filled with at least 30 year old trophies of long forgotten sport events...

[@veldawells2839]

Absolutely amazing historical narrative, educational, and stunning artifacts.

[@damnperrys1]

Just too COOL! Thank you for sharing!

[@annbrookens945]

This was a fascinating video! I'm sorry I couldn't make it (from America) to see the exhibit!

[@kingmaker2865]

Hands down one of the most amazing exhibitions I have ever been too. It was absolutely fascinating and full of human emotion and life. Awesome exhibit.

[@gunnergibson4317]

Outstanding show. That was absolutely awesome!!

[@HKTimbo]

Fascinating. Thank you for a wonderful exhibition 🙏🏻

[@DirkRevised]

🙏Crystal clear documentary! 🙏

[@jamesallison4875]

I love and look forward to all of your wonderful posts. They are all so thoughtful and inspiring. You have a deeply intelligent staff who are great communicators. Thanks for the pleasure!

[@katherineschriever2892]

Interesting and enlightening. Very fine account of the life of the Roman soldier.

[@Doctor_Faustus]

Amazing, there are truly always new sources, who's existance one was oblivious to, to learn from. Especially the letters from Terentianus are incredible.

[@rjblaskiewicz]

What a phenomenal exhibit!

[@sintenal4078]

I am convinced that the only reason there are any dislikes on this video is thanks to bots. No human could possibly cast a dislike on the subject of Rome.

[@JWRogersPS]

There are actually idiots out there who insist the Roman Empire never existed, and it was all invented by the Victorians. Perhaps they are the ones disliking it.

[@johnanita9251]

We. The vandals think otherwise 😅

[@AlexejSvirid]

Roman empire has killed Christ. Judea was occupied by romans. Pontius Pilate was the governer of Judea. The problem is Devil runs the world. He is liar and murderer. This is the reason why liars and murderers feel good while righteous persons are persecuted. This is the reason why Hitler got the power, but Christ was executed as "blasphemer" and "rioter" by denunciation of clergy. That's why we've got the Gospel about the God's kingdom. Jehovah would put everything in order. The dead will be resurected and we'll meet our loved ones again! :-)

[@welfarecrusader6855]

carthaginians

[@petertimowreef9085]

I am just here to downvote because the British Museum is synonymous with thievery.

[@joshuapray]

A wonderful presentation and a fascinating story. Thanks to all for such a good production!

[@RommelsAsparagus]

Wow, that's really something. We also get to see some very rare artifacts, like the *only* (out of millions) surviving scutum (long shield) with boss.

[@mozdickson]

Brilliantly presented, engaging, fast moving, informative, superbly illustrated using artefacts - with panache! Always visit The British when in Londinium. Greetings from New Zealand 🇳🇿

[@morgan97475]

I would've loved to visit this exhibition. I've always enjoyed Roman history & have read the book about the Vindolanda letters. Great video. Thanks.

[@KZ-cm9rt]

Amazing video, thanks so much. Greetings...from Rome.

[@TheGwt3]

what an absolutely wonderful video-- and the exhibition must be as well! Wish I could visit.

[@grahambates2681]

A fascinating and well presented insight into the life of the Roman Soldier.

[@AncientArtAcademy]

Really glad I went to see this before it finished!

[@sonsofalchal]

Looks amazing, hopefully will get down to see it in person. Well done 👍

[@sk8mysterion]

Very interesting topic. Another great video and two great curators. I really hope i can visit the British Museum someday.

[@mikef.1000]

What a GREAT documentary. So well explained, magnificent exhibits. A little more history behind the discovery of some of the exhibits would have been good, for example that shield!

[@raewood]

Very informative. Really enjoyed and wished it was longer.

[@dubliner1100]

Excellent in every respect, informative as usual and beautifully presented and narrated 👌

[@defumak]

Thank you for showing this amazing exposition with such detail and passion!

[@marinabroglia8459]

WONDERFUL, THANK YOU!

[@dainius4168]

Excellent and very interesting presentation!

[@qboxer]

Absolutely wonderful video and exhibition. Thank you greatly for posting it.

[@catherinepoloynis]

That was awesome, thank you!

[@peterpayne2219]

Wow, this video was excellent!

[@mprest10]

What a fantastic video. Bravo!!! 👏👏👏

[@mikewifak]

That is one cool exhibition. Kudos.

[@Jason-vy7jo]

What an interesting video. I loved to hear the personal story of Terentianus. And the music added nicely to the atmosphere. The narrator who reads the letter has a really nice voice :3

[@rewanji]

Beautiful exhibition. This should circulate through all European capitals, no doubt.

[@Dubjaxfilms]

Absolutely fascinating, just one question: why did you leave it to the last minute to tell us that this exhibition is over ? just when I was thinking I really want to go and see this. Perhaps you think about releasing your videos before your exhibitions start, and not when they are over.

[@VinceW187]

Thank you for sharing this. Not being able to visit this is greatly appreciated

[@ducklame]

An excellent, interesting video!

[@macdavid20]

Beautiful, shame this wasn’t posted. At the exhibition opening😢

[@Alphie_G]

🤔 How do I send production feedback? So far I’m only a minute into this video, which I am sure will be fascinating, but I had to turn on closed captioning because of the (expletives deleted) background music!

[@niyanlan8928]

Fantastic presentation and the exhibition looks well worth visiting. Thank you so much

[@georgemarquardt4435]

Absolutely smashing! Thank you

[@MrTorleon]

Fascinating and very well presented, offering a wealth of information and detail in a relatively short video, As others have expressed, the annoying music is unnecessary - but fortunately fairly muted during the main part of the presentation - so, enjoyable, thank you :)

[@eugeneaniar7232]

Nice thanks for sharing this. Its a good crash course for me as an art teacher who is far from visiting the actual exhibit.

[@allanchurm]

that was really intresting ..thank you very much

[@BigCityBoyyyy]

I'm especially glad to see them attributing artifacts to where they come from. The British Museum has a long colonial history of just sort of keeping things.

[@AndyEllis-qz6uk]

What an informative film clip. Thank you so much. Could we have more of this?

[@wilhelm-z4t]

Wow, what an interesting idea for an exhibition.

[@robbabcock_]

Wonderful video! It's so funny that the dice tower is now an emblem of RPG gaming nerdom!😁⚔🎲

[@marcbub279]

amazing job here!

[@rubemaragao2368]

Thank you so much for this amazing presentation. I loved!

[@AlexPDudley]

Excellent video!

[@RodrigoLobosChile]

Amazing, many thanks for sharing.

[@janinee6733]

Very interesting, thank you.

[@johnhaynes9910]

Excellent and informative, thanks.

[@57thorns]

The Marines being at the bottom of the ladder. I also think that in a modern army, even during war, the attrition is mostly much lower than in Roman times. So for the Romans to present the rare surviving veteran huge life changing rewards was much more feasible than today.

[@JohnyAngelo]

Fascinating as always.

[@Arateenteras]

Not so different nowadays .Thank you, very instructive as entertaining.

[@maryearll3359]

Thank you. I know I'm going to be thrilled with it. ❤ Edit: And I was so pleased - one of my favourite periods of history. ❤

[@kenl9215]

I loved this so much!! Thank you for sharing this!

[@Tiberius126]

This was fantastic!!!

[@anselmdanker9519]

😊 very interesting and illuminating, thank you 😊

[@timisfree1768]

Outstanding video presentation! Thank you!

[@aldolamberti3855]

Thanks so much ! Beautiful narration !

[@benjaminblakemore9704]

Fantastic 😊

[@colinharbinson8284]

Interesting and informative.

[@assuntadn560]

Bellisimo museo ed ottimo lavoro! Spero di visitarvi un giorno!

[@andreaxyz3959]

an infamous fighting force. Well done

[@kymmillbank8889]

Great video and exhibition. I don't really appreciate why it was notorious, particularly viewed through the eyes of the time.

[@momotheelder7124]

I always loved the sophisticated design of Roman helmets.

[@cowboysmith7972]

So very interesting, thank you!

[@4rnnr_as]

fascinating!!! Thank you for this tour! Is the exhibit permanent or traveling?

[@TimoRasimus]

Thank you for this video. What pity, that i do not live closer, and so i cant come to see this exhibition.

[@victorianidetch]

Nicely done, very interesting.

[@mononoke721]

Would have loved to see this exhibition, if only I'd known about it! Surely a video like this would be more useful as an advertisement than an after-thought?

[@raymoustage]

Wow, very interesting! thank you

[@thehoosiercraftsmanworksho1745]

Usually the background music in the background............

[@jaymsu9671]

So cool. Gonna visit next month.

[@saltech3444]

9:03 This shield featured in my Hons thesis "The Roman Army At Dura", which I completed in 2002. I have never actually seen the shield, nor been able to see footage of it like this. The Dura garrison included Roman legionaries and auxiliaries. By this time (200s AD) Roman shields were transitioning from the classic rectangular scutum like this one, to the flatter plank-shields of the auxiliaries. The Dura site included not only this curved rectangular scutum, but also fragments of curved oval scuta, and several flatter plank shields. The lateral curve was at the time the distinguishing feature of plywood legionary shields, since the legionaries fought at arm's length and valued the wrap around protection. The auxiliaries, fighting at a greater range, used the flatter plank shields. Later on, legionaries adopted flatter plank shields too, possibly simply for standardisation to ease manufacturing pressures. As you say, this particular shield has no rivet holes for the boss, and may have been an advertising prop for a shield-making or shield-painting business.

[@UntoldRelic]

Perfect timing. I'm about to lay seige to Alesia in Rome: Total War. EDIT: Is this exhibit going ROM, by chance?