Did Rome know about Scandinavia and the Vikings? (Short Animated Documentary)

[@JA432123]

I appreciate that Rome saw a frozen northern area and said “Nah we’re good”

[@LeRoiEnJaune]

When your standard for expansion is Spain, Egypt and Judea, every northern place from Ireland to Norway turns into "Meh." 😂

[@davidroberts7282]

The ancient Romans had had a strong commercial and military presence in the British Isles, particularly Southern and central England, going back to the 3rd and 4th centuries B.C.E, before the Punic Wars with Carthage began in 218 BCE. Julius Ceaser invaded and occupied parts of what is now southern England after going after fleeing Celts after defeating Versengaritx at the battle of Alesia in 52/53 C.E. It was here that Ceaser first mentioned and discussed in-depth the cultural, social attitudes, norms and religious beliefs of the Celtic tribes in Britain, the major roles the Druids played as judges, lawyers, doctors, seers in pre-Roman Britain and the various different British tribes (Brigantes, Trinovantes, Iceni, Northern horse tribes) in his Gealic Commentaries. These events happened nearly a century before Claudius major full-pronged invasion in 43 C.E. that at first conquered southern, south-central England by Boudicca's Revolt in 60 C.E. then gradually and systematically, the Romans completed their conquest of what is now modern-day England and Wales by 90-100 C.E. Except for some sporadic, infrequent military incursions and reprisals deep into Caledonia (ancient Scotland) over the next 400 years, Romans never conquered or subjugated Scotland and Ireland other then establishing deep trade contacts/networks through Romano-British merchants and intermediaries. One major reason stated by this video is very true, though and thats the role of the harsh, cold weather and climate likely had in Romans not seeing northern Germany and Scandivinavia as economically viable and worth conquering because essentially it had taken centuries of contact, several failed military attempts before Rome really was able to successfully invade, conquer and subjugate British Isles and most Roman historians, British historians, classicists will tell you that for over 400 years, Britain was Rome's least successfully occupied region, Hadrian's Wall was built partly to stave off Celtic/Pictish incursions into Roman Britain, but that Rome was closing the door on imperial expansion via Hadrian. In archival letters, many Roman centurions tell their wives, girlfriends and families how brutally cold, inhospitable, and kind of "weird" the local customs really are, they werent that fond of English food, too so if the Romans had a very difficult time invading and conquering modern-day England and Wales and then consolidating their power base for centuries, imagine them, a mostly warm-climate Mediterranean civilization trying to accomplish something similar in a much colder, frozen and harsher environment. Plus, ancient Romans were mostly unaware that modern-day Sweden, Norway and Finland even existed.

[@drSvensen]

@@LeRoiEnJaune Sure, if you collect sand.

[@faenethlorhalien]

Can't grow wine there

[@michaelwhary7697]

Yeah, Roman's were cold blooded, so they couldn't survive up there anyway.

[@eirikbelisarius1100]

I studied the late antiquity. Procopius, who was a writer in the 6th century in Constantinopel, had detailed knowledge about Scandinavia. Some of the elite troops of the emperor Justinian were the Heruli. They came from Denmark. When the leader of the Heruli in Byzantium died, the Heruli sendt an envoy to Denmark to find a new leader. This new leader died on his way from Denmark to Constantinopel, so the envois went back to Denmark and found yet another new leader to go to Constantinopel. Procopius also wrote about a place in the north were there is a river in the ocean. The way he described it made it clear that he was referring to Saltstraumen outside Bodø. This is a very distinct geographical phenomena were the current create a very strong "river" in a sound. He also said that farther north from this river in the ocean there was a land were the sun was away for 40 days and nights in the winter and was in the sky for 24 hours for 40 days in the summer. Now this is obviously the midnight sun. You have to go almost all the way to the top of Norway to find this. The educated elites in The Eastern Empire must have had a lot of information of even the northern part of the Scandinavian peninsula. Probably via mercenaries like the Heruli and Goths.

[@SirValravn]

Weren't the Heruli present in the Danube area as well, why send envoys all the way to Denmark ?

[@eirikbelisarius1100]

@@SirValravn I don't know. Denmark was however their ancestral home. My understanding is that Heruli from Denmark went to Constantinopel as mercenaries, and many returned home after the end of their service. They, apparently, went in to combat butt naked. They were seen as the most barbaric of the forces under Constantinopel's command. I read somewhere that they were pushed out of Denmark by the Danes that originates in Skåne in Sweden. Idk. They probably merged with the Danes at some point.

[@ROVEEMAN]

@@SirValravn "Procopius related that in the 540s the Heruli who had been settled in the Roman Balkans killed their own king Ochus and, not wanting the one assigned by the emperor, Suartuas, they made contact with the Heruli who had gone to Thule decades earlier, seeking a new king. Their first choice fell sick and died when they had come to the country of the Dani, and a second choice was made. The new king Datius arrived with his brother Aordus and 200 young men." presumably the balkan Heruls didn't have any being worthy enough, i.e. of royal stock, so had to bring one from "Thule"

[@eirikbelisarius1100]

@@ROVEEMAN Yea. Thank you for the clarification. This story shows that there were direct contact between Denmark and Constantinopel on some level. The other story about Saltstraumen and the midnight sun is more surprising. Northern Norway is far away from even Southern Norway, and certainly Constantinopel and Procopius. What struck me when I read about the river in the sea was how accurate it was described to the actual geographical phenomonen. It was like if someone who had seen it had told him about it. This place is not well known outside Norway even today, even thou it is a tourist attraction.

[@SirValravn]

@@ROVEEMAN ah I see, thank you

[@Theoneandonlytster]

Rome was so advanced 2000 years ago they knew the same two things about Scandinavia as an average American nowadays incredible

[@GRANOLA77]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@OmneAurumNon]

American's also know that Scandinavia is socialist, increasing the desire not to go there :p

[@Foxingg]

@@OmneAurumNon *think that

[@BlazeLycan]

@@OmneAurumNon we're capitalists, with some of us more proud about it than others.

[@Taiyo_Jingu]

@@OmneAurumNonsocialist? Thought the region was a mixed economy.

[@SheerDexterity]

Scandinavians to the Roman Empire in the ancient period: "You comin' to me, or am I comin' to you?" Scandinavians to the Roman Empire in the medieval period: "I guess I'm comin' to you."

[@andreasfiltenborg4952]

"Should we come together, at the same time. Oh you'll come. THEY ALWAYS COME!"

[@EEEEEEEE]

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[@cv990a4]

Harald Hardrada was part of the Varangian Guard and also spent time in Kievan Rus. And died fighting on Stamford Bridge in England, in the year 1066, the year in which England was invaded twice, once by Harald, the other by William the Conqueror. That was a real fork in the road in terms of world history. The history of England and the UK and the English speaking world would be vastly different had Harald won over Harold Godwinson, or had William invaded first and been beaten by Harold, who, it must be remembered, first beat Harald before his defeat by William.

[@stollkoloss2689]

​@@andreasfiltenborg4952 *Walters Theme starts playing.* "Hey you ever heard of updog?"

[@joshnicholson2934]

The vikings came into everything :D

[@napoleonibonaparte7198]

Because Rome didn't want to pay for a Scandinavia expansion DLC.

[@EEEEEEEE]

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[@VladTepesVEVO]

Even they knew to avoid Paradox Interactive...

[@Swedishmafia101MemeCorporation]

The Roman economy could not afford DLC at this time, sadly

[@dawoifee]

@@VladTepesVEVO I think this was in Attila Total War tough. And this wasn't even a DLC but the thing you pay extra for the base game.

[@dancooper-z]

F

[@kemarisite]

1:25 "really cold, and no interest in going there", probably because they couldn't grow grapes for wine.

[@JaffaJannu]

I think that's a valid point.

[@BOABModels]

You can actually map Europe according to what alcohol they made - Far north and east - spirits - whisky, vodka, akvavit North and Central - beer, ale, lager South and Mediterranean - wine

[@cringlator]

My country basically does the same thing for imperialism… except with oil…

[@Dave-sy3rg]

The Romans reluctance to adopt pants probably didn't help either.

[@Tabako-san]

@@Dave-sy3rg We used to be a real civilisation

[@orlandowest9624]

Danish archaeologist here! Not only did the romans trade with the danes but danish armies very likely served in Rome. We have many (cant remember the exact number but ~15) so called Lübsow graves full of Roman goods, and especially goods associated with roman army officers. Just last week I visited the ongoing excavation at Hedegård, which is a roman iron age fort where a roman officers sword (called a pugio) was found. In all likelyhood danish units served the roman army for extended periods of time before returning home. Alternatively of course they might have been hired to harass and fight the Germans from the north, being given gifts, money and probably officers titles to ensure their loyalty.

[@eirikbelisarius1100]

They have these graves in Norway too. They have found graves belonging to, what seems like, people who have been officers in Roman armies.

[@magnusthered4946]

That’s awesome

[@henrikandersen9240]

Norden i skyggen af det romerske imperium. God læsning indenfor emnet

[@adamnunavumiuq5121]

Very, very cool. Do you happen to know if "Thule" in this context is/probably was pronounced like thool as in the video, of if it is/was pronounced more like too-ly? The Thule area in Northwest Greenland is pronounced the second way, as is the earlier phase of Inuit culture, from archeological perspectives.

[@Jens-qn7lg]

But did the Danes not migrate to Jutland after the Saxons left ? Was that not a time period were the western Romans were close to collapse ? And were the Saxons not shifting allies of the Romanes ? Would it not make more sense to think that those graves were of Saxon forderati that allied with the Romans. Especially as there were no literal Germans at that time ?

[@fabulouschild2005]

0:20 I love how Bjorn Vikingson over there just vanishes as soon as Julius Romanus sad "you don't exist"

[@rhobin832]

Great names you gave them 😂

[@PoiarNoia]

Your ø dropped this: /

[@ffarkasm]

@@PoiarNoia Yes, it is Bjørn Vikingsøn and Ivlivs Romanvs

[@timesnewlogan2032]

@@ffarkasmI’m gonna call him “Steve”.

[@PaleHorseShabuShabu]

*said

[@MercuryPin4002]

Some video ideas I’ve thought of Why did German Unification fail in 1848? Why wasn’t there an Italian Confederation? Why didn’t Switzerland join Germany? Why weren’t there German colonies in the Americas? Why was Montenegro independent so early? Why was it called the Second Polish Republic if there wasn’t a first one?

[@nathan9903]

New Courland: The Duchy of Courland, a German-led vassal state of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, leased New Courland on Tobago in the Caribbean from the British. The colony failed and was restored several times, but a final attempt to establish a Caribbean colony near modern Toco on Trinidad also failed.

[@luisfilipe2023]

The polish Lithuanian commonwealth is considered to be the first republic

[@nibiru27]

First Polish Republic was PLC, word "republic" in Poland wasn't used, there was word that was literally translated from Latin, Rzeczpospolita means literally res publica, so PLC was first res publica. In Poland we don't call ourselves Republic of Poland (Republika Polska) but Polish Res Public (Rzeczpospolita Polska).

[@ericpraline]

Interested, cause it’s interesting

[@Astro_Guy_1]

I think the German colony question already was a video. Basically, Germany had unsuitable ports to really enable large scale colonization, as they would have to sail through the waters of several rival colonial powers, making a blockade super easy. Aswell as Germany just not having the funds and international logistics to pull it off. And as a last point, unlike the other colonial powers, Germany being in the middle of europe and flanked by several rivals, made it so they had to devote large amounts of military spending to their army. Unlike, for example, Britian which could pour alot more into their Navy. Due to it being their primary means of defense.

[@TorIverWilhelmsen]

(Swedes row up a river) "Well, this is as far as we can go, let us settle and call it Rus." "There is this other river flowing the other way not too many miles away." "Yes, but the ships are in this river and... you can't be serious." (Ship carrying over land commences) (And then they rowed to Miklagard.)

[@EEEEEEEE]

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[@Prosper_Dean]

​@@nom_chompsky Yes sir 😎👍

[@alvydasjokubauskas2587]

Danish king destroyed Vikings, with his land tax.

[@wallentinostensson-bb6bf]

Rus from Roslagen

[@InfernosReaper]

Sounds like a Scandinavian time traveler showed up with a copy of Fitzecarraldo and they were like, "at least it's not a mountain, ey, Sven?"

[@TetsuShima]

There are actually some ancient Roman artifacts found in Finland, so it is possible that there was some kind of direct or indirect trade exchange between the Roman Empire and Scandinavia.

[@0000-z4z]

I would rather have expected Swedish furniture in Rome.

[@thesuomi8550]

Of course there was

[@nicolasduhaut7331]

Romans probably traded with Danemark and Sweden who then traded with Sami and Finns

[@saparotrob7888]

Amazon Primus.

[@cathulionetharn5139]

amber road, a trade route that led to the southern coast of baltic sea, there probably were traders on the sea that spread goods from across the coastal tribes

[@jokuvaan5175]

Finland. The place no one from Romans to Mongols to English cared or even knew about until Sweden just decided to take it... between 12th to mid 14th century. The oldest building in Finland is 600 year old stone church in the very south. Even vikings just stayed mostly trading near coastal regions because there was no centralized power structures to take over, Finnish tribes used the forest for guerilla warfare when threatened and some vikings thought they were weather wizards or something.

[@liszarezo3658]

Well...All Finland population in...XVII ceuntry, was less than 30 000... Most Big citys were more populate than all this region. They were know from their archers mercenaries and womans warriors.

[@Florian87]

Yes, according to several contemporary accounts the Norsemen considered the Finns to be highly skilled magicians. As a Finn myself, it’s a heritage I happily embrace.

[@justskip4595]

If only we could have had some Roman poet come for a nice winter vacation here in Finland and the records of his stay preserved till this day. I think it would be absolutely hilarious to read. The cold, the snow and the darkness. Also probably a lot of hunger.

[@anarionelendili8961]

@@liszarezo3658 You missed a zero and a bit. First reliable census in 1749: population 410400.

[@anarionelendili8961]

@@justskip4595 Tacitus' description is hilarious: "In wonderful savageness live the nation of the Fenni, and in beastly poverty, destitute of arms, of horses, and of homes;" "Nor other shelter have they even for their babes, against the violence of tempests and ravening beasts, than to cover them with the branches of trees twisted together;"

[@supposedracoon9996]

1:20 I love the idea that Britain is the limit of cold the Romans were willing to put up with

[@alansmithee8831]

@supposedracoon. For centuries after this Scots perpetuated the message to keep too many Sassenachs from venturing north.

[@boobah5643]

It was warmer then, before the Little Ice Age.

[@laszlokaestner5766]

And Britain had a milder climate then too!

[@nunyabizneez1527]

@@laszlokaestner5766 Britain had quite a warm climate back then. The Romans had vinyards and grew apricots in Cumbria (~100 miles from the modern Scottish border). The Roman Occupation was during an abnormally warm period in British geological history. We're still in a fairly mild climate now compared to the Victorian period, when a white Christmas in the south of England wasn't uncommon. I've lived here for 30 years and only remember once in my life that it snowed on Christmas day, and it was gone by the time the goose was cooked.

[@SirGruff]

Shame you didn't mention the Volga and Dnieper trade routes that connected Scandinavia and Eastern Rome via rivers in Eastern Europe. The Varangians mostly came from this route rather than via the Med as hinted here. Riverine trade is always underappreciated.

[@MetalLP]

I'm surprised, he didn't mention the fact, that Swedes actually founded whole new state - Kievan Rus to trade with Byzantium.

[@Coole-ee1vg]

You mean connected "Sweden" an Eastern Rome......

[@minmogrovingstrongandhealthy]

He didnt mention it because his western nonsense Vatican dictatorship schools probably doesn't teach any of it, probably even this was copied from another video or clickbait post.

[@solsunman383]

Fun fact: those English refugees from the Norman Conquest apparently were resettled by the Byzantines in southern Russia, which they renamed "New England", a semi independent colony with it's capital where the city of Novorossiysk now stands. There is some evidence that the "Londina" river is named after London, as there may have been an English colony of that name in Crimea. The later Principality of Theodoro is theorised to have owed some of its germanic nature to a lingering anglo-saxon presence.

[@Tata-ps4gy]

Wow!

[@16m49x3]

I mean The Rus empire was settled by swedes so

[@blauw67]

I love that in the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul is still a runic inscription that says something along the lines of "Halfdan was here"

[@Dave_Sisson]

I have seen it. It is under a Perspex plate up on a balcony that overlooks the floor of the cathedral.

[@all_letters_forwarded]

It's even funnier if you know what 'halvdan' means in Swedish.

[@mnxs]

​@@all_letters_forwardedHi! Dane here. You mean that in that mess you call a language, it means "half done"? 😉 You must know though, that as a name, it etymologically means "half Danish" 😇

[@all_letters_forwarded]

@@mnxs 'Half Danish' you say? So Norwegian, in other words. 'Halvdan' means 'not very good' or 'average', though the etymology is as you say. Let me just remind you that Danish speakers cannot criticize other languages. That boat sailed a long time ago.

[@hb9145]

@@all_letters_forwarded No, it literally means "half Danish".

[@Crick1952]

*Roman General reaches Scandinavia* "For Ceaser! Wait, the snow is HOW deep in winter???" 😢 *Packs up and rushes back to Italy*

[@raduraducu2668]

Scandinavia is named after Scandius (son of Cato the Ealder) who stealed the crown of the tulian king (a misterious kingdom a island in the north sea),found a land of barbarians with bear-like hair (bluind originally meant bear),explore Norway ,and close to 300 years later the mayor of Paris Suetonius (who beat the horde of Boudica) went to the plain region of Scandinavia ,and died there on the land than bears his name.

[@alltat]

The temperature varies massively from winter to winter in southern Scandinavia, so their first impression would be down to luck. It ranges from "no snow" to "the whole sea is frozen from shore to shore".

[@matsv201]

In soutern part of scandinavi it barley get any snow evem nowdays. The period at the late roman empire was even warmer than today so snow in that part was proboly pretty uncommon.

[@weybye91]

At the time of the Roman empire the tempature was higher in Scandinavia. It's first after the split of the empire, tht a small ice age made the tempature nose dive in the north

[@yksikaksikolmen]

@@matsv201 About 7 degree celcius, avarage.

[@mijanhoque1740]

Romans vs Vikings would have been dope to see

[@franrobert80]

Pretty much like an age of empires game

[@zulkifligumilang3155]

well Eastern Roman emperor hires Rus Viking as elite bodyguard

[@12321dantheman]

vikings were similar ethnically, culturally and religiously to the Germanic people rome was constantly fighting, (goths, marcomanni, lombards, franks, vandals, etc etc etc) so it kind of did happen. Goths even likely came from sweden

[@robdenini6972]

Well, it happened a few times. And it involved a lot of greek fire.

[@jackwei22]

Vikings would've been slaughtered in open battle it isn't even a joke.

[@sundhaug92]

Note: The vikings largely went to "Miklagard" (or Constantinople as we know it) through the great rivers in the east since longships were great for travelling along rivers (and if the rivers didn't go where the vikings wanted to ... they'd just carry the boats with them). The old sagas do however recognize the "chieftains of Rome" as something that happened a long time ago. Some semi-related facts: - The last viking king of Norway - Harald III Hardråde (half-brother of Saint Olav) traveled to Kyiv in his younger years and after entrusted service to Yaroslav I of Kiev (of house Rurik) got to marry Yaroslav's daughter Elisiv of Kiev - One of the kings immediately after the viking-era got the epithet Jorsalfar - "the one who went to Jerusalem" because he crusaded there, he also made an absolute mess in the Balearic, a tradition some continue with to this day

[@Bastardsword01]

Fact: Nowhere in history, has there been anyone or any people being called "viking", nor has any culture or creed been called "viking".

[@StugDoG]

Actually they often rented ships from Finnish tribes around Ingeri (nowdays St. Petersburg). These boats were smaller and thus easier to push when no water connection was available or big rapids were encountered. Just think, would you rather push 5 small boats one by one or one huge ship? When they came back, they got back to their ships and went home. Their boats were great for sea, but too big for many rivers.

[@DaydreamingSwede]

0:59 Swede here, no apology needed! The Danes don't know how to pronounce their own words either

[@anubis5615]

😂😂😂

[@sebastianwittenkamp2738]

Your permission to cross the border for cheaper alcohol is hereby revoked 😉

[@AnotherDuck]

Can confirm.

[@DaydreamingSwede]

@@sebastianwittenkamp2738 Don't worry about us crossing the border, we'll cross the ice instead ;)

[@bardbrenden3619]

@@sebastianwittenkamp2738 Kamelåså

[@muhammadhabibieamiro3639]

You know is a good day when history matters upload an video and is about rome

[@EEEEEEEE]

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[@Whoami691]

Isn't it amazing how with the invention of technology and the world wide web i can sit here in the uk, in my room, on this island, and say hello to my scandanavian friends over the sea. Hello Scandinavian friends! And hello to everyone else around the world from europe, asia, africa, north america, south America and Oceania! The romans barely knew you existed but here we can all talk like we are right next to each other. Thats pretty awesome. You can literally be japanese and we can still talk like distance is nothing. We take for granted what we can do and vids like this remind us we were a mystery to each other just 300 years ago.

[@valhall89]

Hello from Norway:D

[@SebHaarfagre]

Another hello from Norway! PS: I'm so sorry about Starmer

[@Whoami691]

@@SebHaarfagre Hello! yea dont worry, he will be ousted soon. Just wait till he backs us into a corner. People are sick of his s**t and hes only been in power 2 months. On 32% of people voted and of that only 33% voted for liebour. Yet somehow he has the majority. We are on the verge of revolution.

[@Whoami691]

@@SebHaarfagre dont worry. Rebellion is coming.

[@mnxs]

​@@valhall89Dane here! This gives me a lovely idea. Wanna go and relive the good ol' times and pay these Brits a lil' "visit"? 😇 I hear there's hardly any soldiers in the Tower of London these days. I know we have some nice ships fit for purpose lying around out in Roskilde, it'll be a great time!

[@Theorimlig]

I read a book about the history of Sweden recently, and it really emphasized the impact of Rome on Scandinavia. Mercenary work in the Roman and Byzantine empires was a main driver of economic activity in Sweden through access to Roman luxury goods. Denmark was during parts of its history basically a Roman vassal state that controlled this trade, and blocked access for Swedish chieftains and kings for long periods. Denmark being able to control traffic in and out of the Baltic sea meant that traders and warriors from Sweden basically had to go through the river systems of the continent to the eastern Mediterranean. Scandinavian mercenaries usually fought against other germanic tribes on the empires' borders.

[@fligugigu_]

if it hadnt been for the legendary explorer James Bisonette, rome wouldnt have known about scandanavia at all.

[@lordsiergiej9685]

And of course all the necessary repairs were done by irreplaceable Kelly Moneymaker

[@EEEEEEEE]

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[@davesy6969]

Spinning 3 plates had gold plates until the vikings stole them.

[@oilersridersbluejays]

Gustav Swan flew overhead and dropped bombs.

[@balabanasireti]

Oof, this is a forced one

[@KyIeMcCIeIIan]

I respect your simple breakdown of "Thule" as simply meaning "far away", because Scandinavia and later Greenland have been called Thule.

[@Outside85]

And now there is Thule and the Thule US Airbase in the NW of Greenland.

[@KyIeMcCIeIIan]

@@Outside85 Sadly, not "Thule" and "New Thule". It's so strange to think Denmark is the largest country in the European Union because of Greenland.

[@Giga-cat-c6b]

Your drawings of the characters and their clothing have gotten so much better in the last few months.

[@falloutfan6649]

This channel helps answer questions I never knew I needed to ask

[@POINTS2]

0:35 That boat movement was slick

[@martinh8784]

It might have been worthwhile to mention that the Scandinavians navigated down the Dnipro River to get to Constantinople... nice little shortcut for them.

[@SoDakJason]

"misplaced some of his legions at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest" had me LOLing.

[@mr.magnificent7374]

2:20 Bro wasn’t even suspicious of him. He couldn’t see him from that distance.

[@micahbush5397]

Scandinavia: *Exists* Rome: "Is that where all the amber washes up?" Scandinavians: "No." Rome: "Then we're not interested!"

[@TheBigD.O]

Thank you for putting out consistently digestible and humorous educational content. I love you.

[@kharma1283]

I saw a documentary some years ago called "The Thirteenth Warrior", which documented a linguist's journey from Rome to Scandinavia where he fought on the side of the Vikings in some of their greatest battles.

[@jytte-hilden]

This linguist. Could he draw sounds?

[@Sabrowsky]

Isnt that a film with Antonio Banderas playing an arab scholar helping his norse homies kill a monster or something?

[@yksikaksikolmen]

Thats not a documentary, its a bad movie

[@stannieholt8766]

Based on a book I read in high school, “Eaters of the Dead,” that frequently quotes Swedish scholar “Per Fraus-Dolus.” Much later, after studying Latin in college, I realized that name translates to “Through Fraud and Deceit”… and that was when I realized it was a thriller by Michael Crichton. (At 14, I hadn’t yet learned about picking up clues from context or read anything else by Crichton.)

[@Smurfen249]

In late antiquity and the middle ages when the Germanic Kingdoms had formed in italy, sicily, north africa but also around modern germany and france, Scandinavia was known as Vagina Nationum (Womb of Nations) because the Germanic culture and people originally came from Scandinavia through migrations 2nd cent BC-4th century AD. Most known tribes from that era exept Franks came from Sweden and Denmark, Burgandy, Goths and Vandals. There was also a Nationalistic movement in Sweden durning the Swedish Imperial era, 17-19th century called Gothicism, Götisism in Sweden, where it took pride in being a Swede as related to the Goths but also celebrating Theodoric as a national figure the Goth chief who took power in Rome and became Emperor and the entire province of Götaland was an archeological dig, there is almost nothing left there today to dig up, Gothisism was also revived in the 20th century in Sweden and that movement lead to romantic and novilization and revival of the Viking era 100years ago, where it was talked about again.

[@SleepRunner606]

Great video, but I would like to add that whilst rome's intrest in scandinavia was nil, scandinavia was very aware of rome and many scandinavians even enlisted to the roman legions in hopes of getting rich.

[@scottabc72]

Its worth elaborating that the main problem with the 'cold' was low food production which couldnt support the large productive populations Rome was interested in.

[@gimmethegepgun]

1:44 Don't forget to light up fires in eastern Europe as well. The Rus' people that went on to form Kievan Rus' were largely Swedes that expanded and raided utilizing the massive river networks (mainly the Dnieper and the Volga, and their tributaries) in what is now western Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. Which also saw them trading with the Byzantines via the connections to the Black Sea.

[@dritzzdarkwood4727]

As a Dane, I remember reading that Roman scouts reported back in person in Forum Romana to the Senate. They promptly named Denmark and South Sweden the "Fog Islands" and the commander's final report, which has survived, concluded that the entire area was, "Not fit for human colonization"😂. Which pretty much sums up our weather in autumn and winter...

[@Coole-ee1vg]

The Danes are a great example of"not human"..

[@dritzzdarkwood4727]

@@Coole-ee1vg In what way, do you think?

[@Outside85]

@@Coole-ee1vg Thats what happens when the snaps hits the table.

[@euanduthie2333]

2:12 Halfdan was here.

[@alansmithee8831]

@euanduthie. I cannot help but think "So, what about Dan's other half?" whenever I hear this.

[@victoraguirre5545]

1:00 tbh should be the Danish who apologize for their pronunciation

[@davidmartinez52420]

😂😂😂

[@baselhills865]

only funny thing in historymatters comment section

[@NulJern]

maybe, but we will not.

[@mnxs]

Swedish bot detected 😂

[@jcorkill0159]

Do you plan on creating 10min or longer videos again?? If yes when?

[@krupam0]

I think he mentioned once that longer videos aren't worth it, because if they get demonetized, that's a lot more work gone to waste.

[@cristhianramirez6939]

Quick 3 minutes videos full of info is his brand, it makes him stand out

[@ElachimArtist]

@@cristhianramirez6939 Have a look at the inital 10min videos. Those were even better!

[@mojewjewjew4420]

​@@cristhianramirez6939his 10 minute videos were his OG signature before the 3 minute ones.

[@BerntSunde]

I do love short videos like this. Straight to the point, no fuss.

[@Fireborn-o4v]

0:20 poor dude, just doesn't exist

[@Spongeward_Tentpants]

Neither did you back then

[@omarma7815]

0:03 when did Anatolia, levant, Mesopotamia Egypt and northern Africa become part of southern europe?

[@RockisIife]

They are a part of Europe it's basic geography

[@rileydavidson207]

Since James Bissonette declared so

[@mEmory______]

At that time they may as well have been the same region.

[@Theology.101]

The border of Europe is wherever I decide it

[@John.McMillan]

​@@rileydavidson207 And don't forget Spinning Three Plates. They were a huge decider on that.

[@gustavocarvalholoboleite3526]

Sugestion to video: Why Vatican City is only a observer member of UN?

[@DargorShepard]

I think that should be pretty obvious.

[@ab_hu]

There are 2, the second being the State of Palestine.

[@MCAPrince]

@@DargorShepard It's good that this channel isn't Ten Minute History anymore. Otherwise that video could never be made.

[@fromfareast3070]

Because is Holy See

[@Nicods]

You confuse Vatican City with the Holy See, it's not the same. If you look for the difference between the two, you have your answer. I think reading the Wikipedia article "Holy See" could be enough to understand why.

[@chheinrich8486]

"misplaced some legions at the teuteburg forest" 🤣🤣🤣 Edit: wow 1000 likes in just 3 hours, it really blew up😅

[@antonycharnock2993]

"Oh Varus. Quintus Varus. Give me back my legions!"😂😂

[@BCrane-ej4iq]

They were on holiday with fun activities like *swinging from trees*

[@matthewbrotman2907]

“WHERE ARE MY EAGLES???”

[@daniel.stafford]

It takes a lot of guts for a Roman to occupy Germany 😬

[@atraxisdarkstar]

@@antonycharnock2993 *headbanging intensifies*

[@Angelgreat]

1:36 Bellisarius and Justinian!

[@CharlesBalido]

Well Almost from Extra History because I'm History buff OG (Until i retired Watching it🥲)

[@johnroscoe2406]

Rome: "It's too cold." James Bisonette: "Hold my akvavit."

[@markowen1997]

One of the coolest things about the Hagia Sofia in Constantinople (Istanbul) built in 537 AD are two Runic inscriptions made by Vikings about 500 years after it was built. It's been converted to a mosque now by Turkish President Erdogan as of 2020, as Constantinople was conquered by the Turks in 1453, but on the top floor of Hagia Sofia you can still read "Halfdan carved these runes" in the Norse script.

[@jytte-hilden]

In fact, Halfdan is an old viking word that translates directly to "Kilroy"

[@gamespotlive3673]

Hey bro, your stuff is straight fire, I often listen to these in the car like a podcast but as they're so short I have to change it a lot at lights. You could make a bunch of these that are related to each other and short but not animated and I bet people would listen to them a ton like a podcast.

[@davidjensen1221]

I appreciate not ending the question with the end of Roman rule in the west. Rome lasted for a thousand years after the "fall" of Rome, so Roman history should cover that period, too.

[@oyskin3985]

I'm Norwegian, living in the southeastern part, north of Oslo. There's some local historians claiming to have good reason to say that the Roman empire had huge influence on these lands, because of the amount of iron being extracted with no obvious use locally. They claim that while Romans did not control eastern Norway, they probably had a larger presence and made the locals extract iron for them. There's also some other physical evidence of roman presence.

[@ragnkja]

Even without direct force, they may have created a pressure to extract more iron by being very interested in buying it.

[@LordOfSweden]

Roman garbage cope

[@oyskin3985]

@@LordOfSweden Huhh?

[@oyskin3985]

@@ragnkja Or by being very well armed, showing up all nice looking telling them to extract some fucking iron or they'll take Norway too. Word had probably gotten around about how large the empire was. I find it very interesting how the historical community kind of refuse the idea of them having this heavy industrial influence on Norway, when this one local dude just says so with well backed arguments.

[@ragnkja]

@@oyskin3985 I’m just saying that they didn’t necessarily _need_ to use military force to get the iron, since trade incentives were also an option, and possibly even a cheaper one than military force.

[@harveya1a952]

They knew because James Bisonette told them

[@NobleGamer889]

Truly the greatest diplomat of all time

[@BorkersBork]

then Spinningthreeplates initiated trade with them

[@nullut2000]

beat me to it

[@contagoustoxicity]

Kelly the moneymaker told more details about them

[@jebaitedmitsaras8854]

😂😂😂

[@JustinMinckley]

Learn something new everytime a video comes out. This an underrated gem

[@AstralisSirius]

Some scarce info about Scandinavian people can be found in Tacitus’s work “Germania”. Here he mentions tribes which would go on to play key roles in the Middle Ages, as well as places as far as Estonia

[@ZephLodwick]

That tidbit about Anglo-Saxons fleeing the Norman invasion to Constantinople is fascinating. I've always loved stories about people ending up in far-away places.

[@IronWolf123]

Harald Hardrada, the Norwegian king who failed to take England in 1066 used to be in the Varangian army during the Byzantine campaigns for Sicily

[@moodshelby]

I want you to know I suffered though the entire political ad to make sure you got paid. That’s how much I appreciate your content.

[@simokoistinen276]

The Finns were possibly mentioned by Cornelius Tacitus in his work Germania (98 A.D.) as people called Fennis, and later also by Claudius Ptolemy in his work Geographia (150 A.D.)

[@matthewgillies7509]

Possible, although probably from their migrations around the east before arriving in modern Finland.

[@Ääääääöäääööäååöööö1]

Am Finnish and can confirm, I have three pairs of birch bark shoes. Not really "branches twisted together", but close enough :)

[@adskafjrufhauäšhlklöjlllhhhui]

​@@Ääääääöäääööäååöööö1Varmaan laavua, louetta tai vastaavaa meinaavat

[@NeedSomeNuance]

The real question is how this channel knows every niche thing I’m wondering about history

[@angelb.823]

1:58 Shouldn't the language be shifted to medieval Greek though? Considering that at the time of Basil II, Greek was the primary language of the Eastern Roman Empire.

[@HikikoSunny01]

I think it has more to do with emphasis on 'roman' still. Besides, it can be just a generic asset, or just to make identifiable. Not everyone would understand for sure what κρασί (krasi) means.

[@pedrollex3308]

☝️🤓

[@HikikoSunny01]

@@pedrollex3308 I mean, we are in a history channel, ofc we'd see one of those. I'm myself quite one too ☝🤓

[@angelb.823]

@@HikikoSunny01 I see! Thanks for the clarification.Ευχαριστώ για την διευκρίνιση.

[@HikikoSunny01]

@@angelb.823 I don't speak Greek or anything but yea thanks m8 (I'll translate this late I think?)

[@MasterTangerines]

I love how the names of this channel's patrons are essentially memorized by the community

[@LordDim1]

The Romans likely had more contact with early Scandinavia than covered in this video. Archeological excavations at Avaldsnes in western Norway dating from around 200AD found the burial chamber of the so-called “Flagghaug Prince”, who appears to have been an extremely wealthy and powerful ruler of western Norway during the period. He was buried alongside large amounts of gold and Roman artefacts, and it appears him and his court had adopted numerous Roman traditions and customs. Archeologists believe he could have been a foederati to the Romans and that contact between the Flagghaug Prince and Rome was quite extensive. Archeologists theorise that the Illerup Ådal site in Denmark could be connected to the Flagghaug Prince. At the site it appears a battle around 200AD took place between a western Norwegian force of some 1000 men against the Danes. Some believe that the Norwegians were in Denmark at the time marching north to get home to Norway after having served in the Roman army under the Flagghaug Prince’s command, and were attacked on their way.

[@selectthedead]

Wow, i have never Seen a Community so loyal and liking videos such as this one

[@craigsurette3438]

It is important to clarify something "Vikings" were not around in Roman times, because Viking isnt "Norse person" Viking isnt a race, it is a job description. The word means "Raider" specifically someone who leaves their local fjord to go adventuring, raiding and trading somewhere far from home. Norse people certainly existed in the Roman era, and yes of course some of them raided elsewhere, but the idea of hordes of Norse Vikingr coming to raid southern lands en masse, had to wait for Rome to fall, and for Scandinavia to have a population boom, where there were more young men, than good land for them to inherit who were willing to leave home and seek better fortune elsewhere.

[@panzrok8701]

The Norse didn't exist yet because they still spoke proto-Germanic. Old Norse developed hundreds of years later. But the Germanic tribes certainly did raid a lot.

[@SebHaarfagre]

It (Vikingr) means "Inletter" (from Vik, or Inlet) and is basically a "verbification" of a noun. They were not only/all warriors, but they were all expeditioners - or rather, all people who "set out". From the Viks where they always embarked. They "went Viking" as they became those who did the act of setting out from the inlets. Crew could also consist of traders or even family members. It's just that tales of X family erecting a farm on Y island while doing no battles, or making a good trade deal, didn't become as legendary stories as the large battles or victories...

[@craigsurette3438]

@@SebHaarfagre Ok,Gotchya so more broadly Vikingr is just "Leaves home port" vs more specific "Leaves home port to raid" even if much of the leaving home port involved raiding

[@MarcelGomesPan]

I was looking through the comments to see how far i had to get before someone even pointed this out. East Rome is one thing. But West Rome fell in 476 AD and the ”viking age” is usually seen a starting with Lindisfarne in 793 AD ( these dates are a bit dependent one what you mean by a term, how you periodize ofcourse ). Also, ”viking” is not an ethnicity.

[@lasseeriksen8731]

or the fist 2 letters(VI) could be roman nummers ?

[@prettypic444]

“Augustus misplaced some of his legions” is my new favorite way to get around KZbin’s “never say die” censorship rules

[@LibertyScholar]

0:46 "Quintilius Varus, give me back my legions!"

[@specil-k]

Thank you for mentioning Byzantium and the Varangian guard in a video expressly about Rome, it means a lot ❤

[@danvikkilmire6075]

'Where the hell are all these blond people coming from!?!?' - a Roman guy

[@cattysplat]

"Axe me a question" - Viking guy.

[@danvikkilmire6075]

@@cattysplat Knife to meat you.. - a Norman guy

[@SmokeStack-yk3kz]

Grate video! Had about this topic in school, the Varangian guard even had a viking as its leader at a time and that viking became king of Norway 🇳🇴

[@davea6314]

A Viking man can impress women by demonstrating how he takes his longship up a canal to deliver seeds which can be planted in fertile places.

[@andrzejnadgirl2029]

I always loved how people from British isles were writing about obscene behavior of vikings, like taking baths which for some reason made local women go crazy about them.

[@misterypercentage]

​@@andrzejnadgirl2029hol up, that's legit?

[@bingchilling09]

​@@andrzejnadgirl2029tbh they were also tall and handsome so i dont blame them

[@MichaelDavis-mk4me]

@@misterypercentage Yes. Danes were often tall soldiers with a basic level of hygiene that could speak the same language as the local Anglo-saxon, so women were attracted to them. Not to mention some women had more pragmatic reasons to become lovers, such as reducing their risk of being on the receiving end of a raid, which the result was far from preferable.

[@misterypercentage]

@@MichaelDavis-mk4me huh, interesting.

[@Vinemaple]

This particular video is so useful, I'll be able to keep myself happy all day by reminding myself it exists.

[@videonofan]

The video I didn't know I needed

[@fjalarhenriksson]

Surprisingly correct for a video found on youtube. Good short summary.

[@iamjimb]

1:07 your average roman

[@samthompson2203]

I genuinely googled this yesterday 😂 Impeccable timing

[@dedrinzypool1209]

First. Also, wouldn't be surprised if they knew about it or if they had prior knowledge of tribes theoretically from there like the Goths and surely they traded with them.

[@ericdanielski4802]

Absolutely.

[@alienngl]

The goths are from east Germany and Poland not rlly from Scandinavia

[@ousarlxsfjsbvbg8588]

@@aliennglI believe they were originally from an area in what is now Sweden

[@StillRooneyStarcraft]

@@alienngl The origins are still hotly debated, some are arguing that they're initially from what's now southern Sweden.

[@dedrinzypool1209]

It's still very speculative and would be very hard to prove. Scandinavia is one of the highest contenders in theory

[@fredrikdahllof2636]

According to the Roman historian Tacitus in his famous book 98AD the Swedes (Suiones) where the strongest tribe in Scandinavia,with lots of men, ships,and horses. He also mentioned that is was forbidden for men there by law to walk around armed in peacetime,to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.

[@MatD1979]

This was my favorite History Maters video of all time

[@wildharpy6435]

Always remember, one roman thought the that Odin was what the Scandinavians called mercury

[@shalona1974sweden]

Makes me appreciate our winters even more ❄️💙❄️

[@user-xv8eo2pk9g]

You butchered the danish language more than we butchered the monks at Lindesfarne

[@alphamikeomega5728]

Too soon

[@hb9145]

Very funny, but Danes are very good at butchering their own language. 🤣

[@karlG3375]

There are Roman records of visiting Sweden and perhaps Finland. Roman presence in Scandinavia existed in form of trade and enlisted soldiers. Recruitment fortress existed. And it was a great honor and big deal to join the Roman Army. Scandinavians went to the fortresses and sailed together to perhaps Germania and join the Roman camps there. A new documentary of Sweden history cover this. A lot of Roman artifacts has been found from age 200AD - 400AD to the end of when Rome ended suddenly, and all the camps disappeared and the lifestyle of going abroad and fight. But 300 years later the Viking age started and the fighting skills from the Romans came in handy.

[@ericdanielski4802]

Nice video.

[@davidzolcer4848]

Next video suggestion: did Ancient Romans and Greeks know about or had contact with the then Slavs? We know that the byzantines had more than enough contact but what about during the times of Augustus or the good emperors?

[@geckoman1011]

Its OK, I've misplaced some of my legions too.

[@shamsuaddinrachedi792]

these are truly the questions that keep me awake at night, thank you

[@cannonball666]

I learned something today. The Danes provided feathers for Roman pimp hats.

[@teinhart]

They is a runestone as part of a exhibit in the Danish national museum, the runestone is (if I remember correctly) A accounting/memorial of an attempt by danish vikings to raide rome. Failed to find Rome, and ended up in, what is believed to have been Egypt, before the majority of the fleets, was destroyed to Greek fire around what is now Turkey.

[@grandmasteryoda6717]

Suggestion; When did the Germanics stop being barbarians?

[@paolinopaperino8926]

@@grandmasteryoda6717 When they adopted Roman and Christian ways.

[@valhall89]

8th of may 1945 :D:D:D

[@thebrotherskrynn]

They never did.

[@grandmasteryoda6717]

@@thebrotherskrynn yet you speak a germanic language?

[@dingus6317]

If you think about it from their perspective the Romans were the barbarians who were conquering and genociding out of greed.

[@BastianNorW]

I'm sorry to say, but this is like a 3 class/grades version of Scandinavian history. Norwegian vikings visited Constantinopel with the king Sigurd Jorsalfar from 1107-1111. It was his men that became the Sultans "life guard" in the Ottoman empire. The runes in Hagia Sofia is Norwegian runes. The Swedes established the "Rus" in Kyiev. They sailed among they "old rivers" down to Kyiev and later the Black sea. And the reason Russia is called Russia today, is due to the Swedish vikings. The Danes conquered Southern England, known as the Dane law. They prospered there, in peace (on and off) with the locals, until William the conqueror invaded the British isles.

[@pekkaollila8505]

🤭 There was no sultan in Constantinople back in 1107-1111. There was the Byzantine emperor. Hagia Sofia was the most revered church of Byzantine and entire orthodox ☦️ world. Can't imagine how headon stones were allowed. 🤔

[@lucianoosorio5942]

“Cause all I hear is threats from a brute with no discipline and I’m ruling over you like a boot full of my citizens!” Julius Caesar Oversimplified: But oversimplified, Colombus never discovered America, the Vikings did Hiccup: We’re Vikings dad, it’s an occupational hazard. Stoick: You put your lot into them. You’re not a Viking, you’re not my son. Ready the ships!

[@balticbvll2987]

Never comment again

[@lucianoosorio5942]

@@balticbvll2987dude, so uncool

[@hrodvitnir6725]

Fun fact: in the oldest Swedish law script, the Västgötalagen, theres a law that says if you're kin passes away while "you're in Greece" you cant make a claim on the inheritance when you get back home. Says quite a bit about how many went down there and that it wasnt always smooth sailing if they survived and came home.

[@williamfrederick9670]

This channel awnsers questions I never knew to ask

[@valorz6064]

Rome turning away from Scandinavia like "So there's no olive oil there? Let's head back."

[@slime_whoscrabby]

Vikings and Byzantium trade route named "from varangians to greeks" went through Dnieper river, which led to Kyiv becoming an important city of its region

[@joshnicholson2934]

That was a good one, well done, enjoyed that 1

[@seanmarcum9753]

There is so much Roman stuff in Copenhagen and Stockholm national museums it blew my mind. Like, earlier Roman gear too. So good to see it mentioned here

[@limbridk]

A rare Himlingøje reference. Very nice work.