From Legionaries to Knights: Roman Military Manuals in Medieval Europe

[@Liquidsback]

As a Medieval Warrior, I thought we trained to form up in various formations and drills, but then when the battle commenced we break formation and fight each other individually. Meanwhile arrows penetrate our scale, mail, brigandine, gambeson and plate armor. Also, everything is dark and grim with a blue tint, and I'm wearing a helmet from the year 1066, with a curiass from 1450.

[@Liquidsback]

Not to mention my arming sword just cleaves thorugh plated Knights like butter.

[@cyclo_baz3842]

@@Liquidsback Arming sword? I did it with a dagger, are you sure you're from the Middle Ages?

[@Liquidsback]

@@cyclo_baz3842 Ah you are from the Italian school. Tell me who goes your war with the Normans in the South and the Ottomans in the east?

[@johnrambo5795]

​@@Liquidsback The celts intervined and send the Ottomans running

[@Red-kc2wow2]

As a roman soldier, I say those "formations" doesnt exist. We just run into each others lines

[@PYRESATVARANASI]

The Byzantine training manuals are such a classic example of the Roman ability to preserve generations of knowledge. Such a beautiful thing to study such a long lasting tradition of historical preservation.

[@Satria-lv8qk]

Kings and Generals will never ever dissappoint. It's a miracle we have such great content for free here, I never skip Kings and Generals ads because even though im broke, it's the least I can do. I know we can only hear the narrator in all these videos, but I applaude to the entire team for their hardwork and contribution!

[@KingsandGenerals]

Thank you!

[@Findinavia]

The real Roman legacy for me is restoring the Empire in every game the “Byzantine Empire” is a playable faction in or downloading mods that make the empire exist in space

[@MrTohawk]

excited for Project Caesar yet?

[@PYRESATVARANASI]

Yes ❤

[@SaguntoYT]

Hugh quality content as always. By far the best channel dedicated to military history on KZbin. Huge thanks from Brazil 🇧🇷

[@quibblequois2436]

I think it is really interesting how this channel is not just talking about battles and other historical event, but also giving us food for thoughts. I would have never assume that centuries of knowelge would just disapear beacause an entity disappear, but I never really thought about it. Thank you for this video, a really good job!

[@AlphariusJingYuan]

Kinda interesting how medieval tactics and strategies were based off not only circumstances, but also (mostly) improved templates from earlier times. They gradually improved and adapted accordingly, just like the Romans in 753 BC up to 1453 AD.

[@Ccdddttt]

Happy Sunday morning!! Amazing work!

[@antoniobautista6718]

People forget that in the West, the Holy Roman Empire was seen not as a new empire, but a legitimate successor of the Western Roman Empire in the eyes of their contemporaries, and the emperors during its height of power (9th - 13th century, arguably 14th century as well) in the West were very aware of their promoted imperial legacy and connections. You could clearly see this in effect with the Ottonians and later developed and improved by the Salians and Hohenstaufen with the system of burgs and the Heerbann. The Ottonians helped establish systematic a defense-in-depth composed of various burgs (fortifications) in vulnerable areas of the Empire, and employed the Heerbann, which was a mixed mobile army with a elite cavalry retinue. The Salians and Hohenstaufen would continue and develop this doctrine, and would increasingly supplement the Heerbann with imperial household troops and mercenaries as time went on. Although clearly not at the level of logistics and mobilization of the former Western Empire, you can clearly see the inspiration and the source for this doctrine from the Dominate era Western Empire with its limes fortifications with their limitanei defenders, and mobile armies of the comitatenses with the elite Scholae Palatinae cavalry forces assisting them.

[@samuelmargueret9626]

Everything is here ... the quality the naration everything is perfect .... plus bringing a topic like this , i would Never though that romans military books inspired techniques for early armies of middel age !!! Content is insane on this channel !!

[@Unammedacc]

Just the cavalry charges performed by knights were really complex tactics, requirring high training and cohesion ^^ !

[@krystofcisar469]

true.. its often simplyfied but anyone who ever sat on horse must admire coordination liek that.

[@gbendicion7052]

K&G pumping out Roman videos is amazing!

[@georgebest12]

Incredible quality.

[@KingsandGenerals]

Thanks

[@Earthnevevo]

I love exploring how the world of Antiquity still influenced the way people conducted society and warfare in ways like this. Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. o7

[@jonbaxter2254]

K&G with my daily reminder to think about the Roman Empire...

[@eondara8519]

Best comment here 😂😂😂

[@TorvusVae]

@8:30 Devin says "Ottoman", but what I think you meant was "Ottonian"

[@szabolcsmate7790]

Passed my Roman law exem. I can enjoy roman history again.

[@KingsandGenerals]

Nice

[@andersschmich8600]

It would be interesting do a video on Persian and Roman influences on Arab armies of the same time.

[@alexandrugheorghe5610]

I'm broke, though grateful to everyone who's sustaining this channel. 🙏🏻

[@mrcraftiest]

I see 'Kings and Generals' i click

[@KingsandGenerals]

Thanks!

[@KingsandGenerals]

🎥 Watch more than 200+ other exclusive videos on youtube: kzbin.info/door/MmaBzfCCwZ2KqaBJjkj0fwjoin or patreon: www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. Support us on Paypal www.paypal.com/paypalme/kingsandgenerals as well!

[@MrTohawk]

It has to be said though that the Ottones were real Romaboos. More than the average noble at the time. So it's no wonder they were more aware of roman texts, tactical ones included

[@mihajlo7893]

The art of war..maybe is time for the art of peace..salute K&G thank you for greatest videos...

[@cyrus_vasile]

as a Roumainean it feels great to hear my country name

[@abcdef27669]

“Roma Vult!”. - Sir Biggus Dickus, Legionary-Knight.

[@Faolan03]

6:53 you put Vienna, the capital of Austria, north of freising, a city in central Bavaria? It's the same with Metz, it's waaay to far north. Still awesome video!

[@mikered1974]

Yeah , Vienna , Austria is under Roman controlled land which later settled by Remnants of Ostrogoths and other Germanic tribes.

[@jacobscott1433]

It must of taken some self control not to give Vegetius some spiky hair

[@vitorbenevenuto7214]

Great content as always!

[@LogicaetRatio-r8z]

Make an episode about the Merovingian period of the Frankish kingdom

[@noone4700]

Excellent video, would love to see more of this!

[@Gufupandi09th13]

After hearing upcoming fantasy show welcome to noxus like they are inspired from Roman empire right.?

[@RosierJulio]

Un video de las guerras marcomanas

[@KingsandGenerals]

Will get there

[@scottpankonin1068]

Good summary of Vegitius and how widely and how early he was circulated. I always thought his influence was only much later in the Middle Ages. Great video, That being said, CE/BCE notation is revisionist bullshit. It would be far better to take the more neutral road of omitting AD/CE entirely.

[@Musa39620]

لماذا لم تنزل اخبار عن ح؟؟:_(رب رو(_-&سيا

[@markuhler2664]

So once again the years from roughly 400 to 1600 shouldn't be described as the dark ages but merely as the middle ages. Who would have thought?

[@KingsandGenerals]

That is why historians exist. To further our understanding.

[@reokobalta8839]

Please use the proper B.C and A.D when referencing dates.

[@gingerbill128]

Agreed.

[@samuelkenney5855]

To play devil’s advocate here, it’s technically the exact same dating system. B.C. & A.D. just sound cooler.

[@tripsaplenty1227]

Probably redo all of it. Having a year 0 in the middle of timeline really makes no sense.

[@KingsandGenerals]

There is no year 0 in either system.

[@tripsaplenty1227]

@@KingsandGenerals Then that makes even less sense to go from -1 to 1.

[@janlindtner305]

👍👍👍

[@Mr.KaganbYaltrk]

Legions were the best roman armies but respect to the knights

[@johnrambo5795]

I am gonna be real, a Legion would probably loose against a high medieval army

[@Mr.KaganbYaltrk]

@johnrambo5795 i didnt mean to compare them but yes they would lose to the knights. ANYWAYS Legions were legendary

[@rennor3498]

@@johnrambo5795 Yes. Knights were subjected to a discinplinary initiation process from a young age into both the theoretical and practical arts of medieval warfare, which included studying Roman tactics and warfare, as well the customary laws of their respective realm, ecclesiastical law and the Code of Chivalry - starting from the 11 century onwards. They were taught to fight both in formation on foot, on horseback and individually in duels. Not to mention that beginning from the 10 the centiry, the armor and equipment which a knight would have been customary to wear and fight in would have been more advanced than the best Roman armor at the peak of the Empire or during the fall in 5th century A.D. A Roman gladius (most well known sabre used by the Romans being the Gladius Hispanicus - a peace of technology adopted and perfected from the Hispanic tribes during the Roman Conquest of Iberia) would have ricochated or bent upon a hard contact with the chainmail armor of a knight, while a knights sword could have been able to cut through a Roman shield and penetrate the armor. The strength of the Romans was their discipline ability to fight in formation and arrange a series of defensive or offensive formations to overcome the various situations brought upon them by enemy forces , but in single combat they were relatively weak.

[@1peidu]

​@@johnrambo5795probably because late medieval armies had cannons. This is like debating if Rommel would beat Napoleon: very obviously yes because Rommel had tanks

[@johnrambo5795]

@@1peidu no. Has nothing to Do with Cannobs

[@nellym46664]

Of course a dude named Vegitius was involved in military affairs🤣

[@Rage4411]

Ce? You mean AD

[@collinsmutethia5198]

When is the Ukraine war video coming? Am too anxious

[@Musa39620]

خسارت ما بعد خسارت لا يريدون ان ينشرو الفشل

[@ВладГусельников-ы1щ]

Тоже жду. Интересно послушать альтернативное мнение ( даже если оно мне не нравится)

[@Lee-vk1xy]

Points off for refering to Karl the Great (or Karl der Grosse) as the bastardization of his name i.e. Charlemagne.

[@KingsandGenerals]

So, points off for using the naming convention that is used in the vast majority of history books?

[@Lee-vk1xy]

@@KingsandGenerals Since it violates the standard conventions of English (at least the ones I learned) and wasn't his name, indeed never used during his lifetime, and furthermore is misleading, yes. Although not many ... should have put a smile face on that. One of my pet peeves like people misusing the term "decimate".

[@KingsandGenerals]

Do you have the same zeal about us using Alexander and not Alexandros, or is it selective?

[@Lee-vk1xy]

@@KingsandGenerals Somewhat selective I guess. Alexander and Alexandros are reasonably close but I'd prefer the latter. Karl and Charlemagne aren't as close and the latter is somewhat misleading as it gives people the impression he was French as opposed to Germanic. In general I'd prefer to hear and use names as close to the original as possible although in most cases I'm probably unaware of how they were pronounced. For instance I only recently became aware of the Latin pronunciation of Caesar and will likely mispronounce it a fair few times in the future in spite of that.

[@DrKarmo]

Anno Domini*

[@KevinGomez-kg5jl]

💯

[@johnrambo5795]

Both is right.

[@slamdunktiger]

Wow, with they kind of video title….

[@PJDAltamirus0425]

Yeah, even more simplier tactics at visual could be explained by army size. The less men you have at your disposal the less you can do, especially the communication tech available. Lots of things we think as must do make less with smaller numbers and less standardized equipment. Also, the Romans just didn't have to deal with the same times Medieval armies did.

[@ankundamwebembezi6358]

Early medieval armies resembled alot like late roman legionnaires

[@Kaiyanwang82]

Fascinating.

[@uria3679]

Glad more people are starting to realize that legionnaires were the first generation of knights

[@KingsandGenerals]

I don't think this video comes to that conclusion.

[@syahali979]

first

[@GHAITIsmail]

Where is the ukraine war video ?

[@sergeipohkerova7211]

As a thought experiment I wonder how a Roman legion in its prime would fare against a Medieval army of roughly equal size. Even with the Medieval army's likely superior cavalry element, I feel like the Roman army would curb-stomp.

[@BassPlayer60134]

Knock off the CE crap. It’s just plain stupid.

[@drsm7947]

When the West Roman Empire stop using pilum or javaline they become weak

[@KingsandGenerals]

no correlation

[@pastorofmuppets9346]

Im pretty sure comitatenses and plumbatarii etc used em till the end. Ofc their numbers did go down a lot

[@AdrianMartinez-ho6db]

What’s yalls favorite army before the days of firearms and gun powder? Mine is the mongols then the Spartans then the Romans

[@mostar9673]

The Roman Empire fell after the fall of Rome, the byzantines weren’t Roman’s they were Greeks. I hate that the Byzantines are looked at as the carriers of Roman Legacy.

[@dasauce9147]

COPE

[@Eagle-jj5qd]

Because they themselves considered themselves Roman...

[@damjankrstevski22]

You are either a greek ultra-nationalist, or simply illiterate in late Roman antiquity..

[@Nefferious]

That's because they WERE the carriers of that legacy. They might have been (primarily) Greeks, (there weren't only Greeks in the Eastern Roman empire, throughout the centuries it encompassed many other peoples, including even some Latin speaking populations up to a point in time), but that doesn't mean they weren't Romans. To be "Roman" did not mean "speaking Latin and hailing from the region of Italy". If that were the case, most of the notable Roman historical figures aren't really Romans either.

[@ankundamwebembezi6358]

Then why tf was the Eastern half still standing

[@chandermohan4311]

Most of it is fake