Caesar vs the Helvetii (58 B.C.E.)

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Music is:
"I //\\ I," by Discount Fireworks
"Day Bird," by Broke For Free
"Drums of the Deep," by Kevin MacLeod
"Hallon," by Christian Bjoerklund

[@Embattled5211]

"Times New Roman vs. Helvetica"

[@Jodonho]

LOL

[@Swoost]

nice.

[@SoundblasterYT]

Comfoorta.

[@usernotfound3904]

Holy shit

[@fasterrix]

lmao

[@KomodoDojo]

no shit he was mad 12 years later, lost 5k men because his scouts be tripping.

[@brandonrodriguez7216]

KomodoDojo couldnt said it better myself lol

[@Laotzu.Goldbug]

@Phytom indeed

[@danielmartinez1595]

Lmaoo Mood

[@TheVergile]

how do you even make that mistake? There were helveti all over the hillside. like. what did those guys see? Trees? Wild boards? I doubt anyone would mistake roman soldiers in full armor for a helvetii even from a distance. wonder what kind of drug these guys were on Oo

[@jjohnson6321]

@@TheVergile According to Caesar’s account, the Helvetii had slightly shifted their camp. So when the scout, Considius, saw that the Helvetii were not where he expected them to be, and that there were people up on the hill, he just assumed that those were the Helvetii, having taken the hill.

[@TheMuffinMan325]

"Secretly constructed a 28 Kilometer wall." How did nobody notice this?

[@Whattwa]

Trump should be taking note.

[@conradcash5103]

Caesar had a thing with making his men build.

[@Rikalonius]

All legionaries were builders. There was a saying that predated Caesar. I think it went back to the Punic wars. War is won with the dolabra, which was a Roman entrenching tool. They built fortifications and trenches faster than their enemies.

[@chottomatekudasai-kun3887]

Cause aliens.

[@jcaliberty8288]

@dachicagoan WTF ?

[@L0j1k]

"He gave one of these positions to a man named... Labienus." Dun. Dun. DUUNNNNNNNN.

[@lucasbeck1391]

Labenis :DDDDD

[@vavra222]

@@lucasbeck1391 BENIS AND BAGINA XDDDD

[@slurrymcmurry1337]

Lucas beck fug

[@brynfindlay-dykes350]

@@dohnjoe5401 Sextus Pompey? 😏

[@Ilsimeone]

@@lucasbeck1391 The name is actually pronounced "Labee-anus" in Latin ;)

[@NextGen_Pants]

4:21 - Missed a huge opportunity to say "the Helvetti were upsetti"

[@iamseamonkey6688]

But spaghetti doesn't exist yet

[@dylantaylor3139]

@@iamseamonkey6688 i see you belong to the no fun club

[@kan12372]

@@dylantaylor3139 he is SeaMonkey

[@TheSecondVersion]

"It's over Helvetii! I have the high ground!"

[@buckplug2423]

You underestimate my numbers!

[@timomastosalo]

I just wonder why the fighting forces didn't stay on the high ground, they followed the withdrawing enemy, exposing their flanks. Good that they had reserves. But they seemed to lose the high ground advantage. Or maybe the ground was sloped under the hill also. The map didn't implicate that.

[@minoreror9961]

buckplug was gona say that

[@jackj9816]

buckplug Caesar looks on from his fort “ don’t try it”

[@Bartooc]

Helveti leaders never watched Star Wars.

[@brockmiddleton8883]

I find it amazing how quickly and effectively the Romans were able to build bridges

[@aaronstorey9712]

so did ancient civilisations.... roman discipline was almost supernatural to them

[@jackj9816]

Aaron Storey when Caeser built the bridge into germany the Germans were just like “ no fuck this “

[@sereysothe.a]

well you know what they say, rome was built in a day! wait...

[@jackh5761]

Imagine you have 20000 men under your control. Tell them to say, build a ramp to push a seige tower up a hill. Each person over the course of a day delivers 1 sack of dirt. It's probably done by the end of the day. Now imagine that your on the march and you might die at any second until you build the (insert thing here). You're going to want it done as quickly as possible. Motivation+manpower=results

[@jackh5761]

@@vinbin423 well, its noted that they had to build camps, so maybe, but I cant be sure. I'll do some research and If i find anything I'll put it here

[@vimm8638]

Wow.. I'd be pretty damn angry at that scout myself lol

[@Camelwrestler]

Publius Considius was his name.

[@Apheliotes501]

Considius was not very considerate...

[@akrybion]

I'm really wondering why he didn't execute them right there. That's some first class fuck- up they commited right there

[@bobguylikescheese9878]

well if you start a policy of killing fuck ups then people maybe less likely to report bad news. you punish a fuck up but you don't kill them that could cause more problems in the end.

[@sarasamaletdin4574]

They did not disobey any orders, I really do not think you could execute Roman citizens for making mistakes.

[@Larry82ch]

Thanks a lot for this! Being Swiss myself, I learned about the Helvetii in school but it was very brief. "1 there were Helvetii 2 Ceasar blocked the way 3 Helvetii died 4 the end"

[@goated832]

Me too brother. Viva la suisse

[@mikewilliams-jw8jd]

I mean what more could u possibly need to know about them. Seems like ur school did a good job 👍

[@organic3132]

5. Go back to factory. 😂

[@n0denz]

I can't imagine how angry I'd have been if I missed out on a perfect opportunity for a pincer because of bad intelligence. Caesar's plan would have proceeded exactly as intended. Dammit Scout, you had one job.

[@lucignolo8333]

Imagine what caesar could’ve done with drone reconnaissance and sat phone

[@n0denz]

@@lucignolo8333 That reminds me of what someone said about American Civil War intelligence. That for the Confederates to win Gettysburg, you wouldn't have to give them automatic weapons or aircraft but one pair of walkie talkies.

[@lucignolo8333]

@@n0denz interesting anecdote

[@justinokraski3796]

@@n0denz they could have used signal flags

[@victorviereck6476]

@@justinokraski3796 not ranged enough , disrupted by environment easily

[@karl_fookin_tanner9605]

imagine what the 2 legions on the hill waiting for caesar were thinking... "WHERE TEH FCK IS CAESAR"

[@JipSlinger]

i would feel betrayed

[@oddballsok]

"I swear to Jupiter, If i ever get near Julius in a Forum I stab him there and then !!"

[@kapitan19969838]

ODDBALL SOK Too soon man, too soon

[@Bittergamer1886]

+kapitan ITS BEEN TWO THOUSAND YEARS YOU TWIT /s

[@captainrev4959]

I’m sure they were like why is Cesar standing there in a defensive formation he supposed to be attacking wtf

[@Goleary1]

Seriously, remaking a show like Rome that takes place during the ten years or so building up to the Civil War would be beyond awesome

[@DodgyDaveGTX]

It was after watching all these videos that I went back and rewatched Rome (I'd not seen it since I was a teenager and most of it went over my head) so this _undoubtedly_ made the series 100% more enjoyable. I'd argue anyone reading this should go and watch Rome - it's a brilliant TV show in its own right (and then after that go and watch the Starz show 'Spartacus' - just because it's fucken _awesome 😄)_

[@undolf4097]

@@DodgyDaveGTXtoo much nudity for my taste. Couldn’t get past the first episode without weird sex

[@SolusBatty]

Whenever I remember this channel almost died out, whew! I mean I love this channel so much! I used to reccomend it to people, but said it only has a few videos. Look at it now! :)

[@kylewhite2985]

So true!

[@gdi1093]

UchihaDualStorm ALLAHU AKBAR!!

[@JonatasAdoM]

+SquareOne He surely deserves more.

[@JonatasAdoM]

Seriously!? This channel is unique!

[@ambi3nttech]

@SquareOne He's definitely not making anywhere close to 2k per video. MAYBE $500, probably less.

[@ethan5354]

"the romans were weirdos" you got that right

[@krillissue]

but don't say it to their faces

[@bobmartin7068]

SpiceTrade Magnate The Romans were without a doubt superior to any others at the time.

[@errienteunisse8038]

At what?

[@alecsis882]

Everything

[@bucky145]

@@errienteunisse8038 being weirdos

[@kekero540]

ill think about it (Builds a giant 20km wall) how about no

[@kekero540]

also helvetti spend weeks trying to cross river Romans get across withing hours

[@sarasamaletdin4574]

I think the current theory is that Caesar wrote about the Gallic wars after every campaing season during the winter (which is why it was not him that wrote the last section about the war since he was busy with Civil War) and they were accounts to the Senate (as well as propaganda). So he would have writen about this the same year not 12 years later and partially why he would have been upset is that he did not have the other great victories in the time of the writing so it would not have been great to write about things that went wrong.

[@alexb9969]

Who wrote Book 7 then?

[@matthewpaddon3895]

I see Caesar was well trained in the ways of the High Ground. Good mentoring Obi-Wan!

[@eugeneofsavoy9612]

RAJU PEDDADA can you explain?

[@jackj9816]

RAJU PEDDADA Caeser “ don’t try it”

[@TheDurentator2000]

"A week passed by... and the Helvetii discovered the Romans had secretly constructed a 28 km line of defenses infront of the river." Damn, those Romans didn't waste any time at all they were some eager beavers. I can't help but feel like the Helvetii might not have been the sharpest spoons in the shed.

[@huskarr4164]

WOAOW HC can also do circles? I am truly amazed

[@blockpixle5455]

Huskarr 8

[@chottomatekudasai-kun3887]

Shields are also a circle.

[@CommissarMitch]

Agustin Platz Not always but yes I see where you are comming from.

[@ryanbroguy]

Vince Hutch The lettee O is an oval.

[@cuda426hemi]

@@ryanbroguy Depends on the Font. A lot of upper case "O"s are actually circles with oval "counters" (the center space) - making an illusion.

[@GrandMoffTarkinsTeaDispenser]

Caesar tricked them .... to build a wall LOL

[@kekero540]

i fucking died at the reveal

[@vesteel]

Julius Caesar = Trump confirmed?

[@henryatkinson-lamontagne2848]

uh, airplanes?

[@xzenecaryan]

Barron as augustus.

[@ConfusedShelf]

I’m rewatching your entire catalogue for the first time since I found the channel 3-4 years ago. When I heard those familiar notes at 12:00, I had the biggest smile, I tell you.

[@S.P.Q.Rrespublicas]

lol that sounds exactly like me🤣

[@GANGLYMAN117]

Ancient Romans: Build bridge across river in just hours Modern day construction: small section of street blocked off to fill pothole. 3 months later half of pothole is filled.

[@miss_baphomet]

I mean, we're talking several thousand romans vs like a dozen guys tops who often have to tear up the whole road to actually fix it and probably only have one relatively small truck to transport materials.

[@petermanou9083]

@@miss_baphomet I don't know that thousands of Romans would have been involved. The chaos would be too much. I think 2-3 dozen guys tops.

[@nIhIl34]

@@petermanou9083 definitely not, hundreds working in tandem

[@petermanou9083]

@@nIhIl34 but how? Would hundreds of people get in each other's way?

[@nIhIl34]

@@petermanou9083 no they wouldn't, why would the legions suddenly resemble a disorderly mob when constructing a bridge?

[@raddigan3433]

These get better and better! The audio especially has really come a long way since you started. Your show continues to be a shining example of what youtube can be!

[@vassilisgiannakopoulos2651]

Who else is doing a rewatch of our red square series?

[@Joe-zr5bv]

One of the few channels truly deserving of 100k subs. Quality content, simple presentation, and interesting material.

[@ChristopherBuzzard]

thanks for existing

[@sudonfunkenflug6409]

We are actually reading this part of the bellum gallicum in Latin class, well I guess I'll have a slight advantage when taking this year's test.

[@ewoud8]

Aww yes, he uploaded!

[@Rajj854]

Great vid, just love this channel.

[@eaglegreen425]

Agreed. Easily my favorite channel right now

[@zanderrose]

One of my favourite bands wrote an album about the Helvetii. The band's name, Eluveitie, is the Etrucsan word for Helvetii.

[@silverrain530]

Hey, I know that band! Didn't know that info about the name though

[@GeneralSantucci1st]

The helvetii used the phalanx formation and marched up the hill in formation when the romans threw the javelins they would pin multiple shields together and since they would bend like a hockey stick they couldn’t get them out of the shields and they threw them down . This broke formation as well as making many defenseless. The Romans lunged onto them completely owning the battle .

[@YusufSheth]

Nice blend of battle tactics with political relevance. I wish every politics video and every battle video was a blend of this ratio.

[@romangeneralbob]

"When Helvetia sends its people, they're not sending their best. ... They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing pillaging. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people" - C. JULIUS CAESAR 58 BC.

[@evanw2195]

Robert Macaron 11/10

[@josipmickovic2572]

😂

[@captaincar1626]

Sounds familiar

[@armin6067]

wow nice comment I wonder if Trumps campaign will end anything like Caesar's.

[@Powd3r81]

Bro ik it's a subtle difference, but ceasar said their rapists. Not they are rapists. He's talking about things they're bringing, not who they are. Comon now.

[@LesAventuresDeTigRRe]

Fun fact: there is a great archeology museum in Bibracte, because there is a very well preserved celtic oppidum. If you're in the area, don't miss it! You can even try gallic food

[@matthewsmith3008]

rewatching this, and knowing what happens between labienus and caeser hits different man :(

[@VaderDarth512]

seeing a historia civilis video on your feed is like seeing a new vsauce video in your feed.

[@thelurkingpanda3605]

except we dont live in 2009 anymore

[@VaderDarth512]

.... i don't get it. ;-;

[@maxradke2189]

+Ztrex He is saying Vsauce is similar in age to your grandpa.

[@VaderDarth512]

oh.

[@trevorrogers95]

Ztrex dude I'm so sad vsauce is only on youtube red now.

[@francismirdjani4379]

First off, let me say you make amazingly informative videos and thank you for that. I just wanted to offer, from an audio engineer's perspective, that you consider cutting a tiny bit off the low-end frequencies from your microphone input. You're voice, like mine, is a bit nasally so making that small adjustment in the EQ helps a lot. Again, thanks for the awesome videos!

[@francismirdjani4379]

BTW: If you'd like, I can try EQ'ing your voice on my setup and find what particular frequencies stand out. Just let me know.

[@callanhutchison1871]

Also the detail in these videos is amazing. Much better than a channel like extra credit history this is a lot more fact-based and a lot less great man history.

[@enternamehere2222]

Extra credits is great man theory history. It's the easier to understand, less accurate theory that exists because of Napoleon Bonaparte. @g

[@BaronLipton]

Extra Credits has so much propaganda in it it's hard to watch. I really cannot stand the way they look at Western History.

[@Bongo1020]

This is still very much great man history its "Cesar vs the Helvetii" and not "20,000 roman legionaries face of against a Gaulic migration which has moved because of reasons X,Y,Z: lets analyse the push-pull economic factors of both that lead to conflict". Many of the other videos are called HIS YEAR, and focus on the actions of one consul, if this isn't great man history than nothing is. I love this channel and the content it puts out (need to think seriously about becoming a patron) but lets not pretend that there isn't great man history going on here.

[@enternamehere2222]

***** Yeah it is, but at least not as much as extra history. Extra history tries to get you to understand and empathize with the characters more so than anything else.

[@pete9320]

The difference is: Extra History creates a narrative which might be false. Historia Civilis or something like "The History of Rome" by Mike Duncan use the sources, perhaps create a narrative; but it starts as "Stories say" or as a reference. So yeah it most definietly is great man history, but the sources were as well. Hope you all see my point. :)

[@Flyingtart]

Felt depressed for no good reason all day today, then I came home and saw you uploaded a new video and suddenly the day became a bit brighter.

[@charlesbliss4860]

Literally me

[@42ouncesofPAIN]

+Karl XII Exactly what I was about to say.

[@aruhe6650]

A depressed male swede wearing makeup wow what a surprise.

[@Flyingtart]

***** You clearly are an edgy teenager though. First of all, you are deliberately being provocative. That's where the "edgy" comes in. Second of all, you just called a random person on the internet "faggot". That's where I get the teenager vibes from.

[@42ouncesofPAIN]

***** Here here! Do you live in America? Hopefully if Trump gets in we will see it called what it is on stage from Washington soon.

[@DrinkingStar]

I remember translating the Latin of Caesar's Gallic Commentaries about the Helvetians in 2nd year latin class. Your video was very much more in depth. Thanks.

[@mimus6596]

I just rewatched this and realized how planned the Caesar-series was. I mean if it had not been already planned he would not have said, that he named Titus Labienus his successor, so there wouldn`t be this major turning point when Labienus switches sides in the civil war.

[@Buts]

No joke I was planning on watching some of your older videos when this popped into my subs. Fortuna smiles upon me,

[@TheFlameOfHeaven]

Proud Patreon of this great Channel!

[@sarasamaletdin4574]

Do you get to see what future videos he makes as Patron?

[@TheFlameOfHeaven]

He shows previews!

[@JohnVKaravitis]

The Roman situation, from these days until the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 C.E., is just mind-boggling. Read Tacitus's Annals and Histories. Just incredible. I'm surprised that the Romans survived the reign of Tiberius, let alone the FOUR emperors that lived in just one year: 69 C.E. Great videos and explanations, I look forward to them.

[@pete9320]

Oh the year of four emperors - but the Nerva-Antonninr dynasty was amazing tho.

[@sirtimidly]

+Newsman This channel uses C.E./B.C.E. Don't get triggered by fucking calendar era's like a normal person

[@jormaojos6544]

What's the difference between A.D/B.C. and C.E./B.C.E.? Could you explain?

[@pete9320]

One is centered around the Birth of Jesus (Anno Dommini as Wiki says, means in the year of the Lord). B.C is of course before Christ. B.C.E. and C.E. is centeref around Common Era. I assume it's because of the current (almost) universality of the "year 0" being "year 0." That's as far as what I understand.

[@krillissue]

Then why not use the farmer's calendar? Let's drop that gregorian calendar bullshit because the lunar calendar is just OLDER. Totally.

[@karl_fookin_tanner9605]

your animations are so cute and funny i love them!!!!

[@simonchapman9201]

Remember the folks who make those graphics real. Hungry. Tired. Confused. Listening for orders. Signaling for help. Not failing. A whip only goes so far, Caesar goes further.

[@ultra-papasmurf]

Why do I want to hug a red square?

[@mmuhr88]

Hey man, love your videos! You do a really good job of visually explaining all the battles. Its a very different experience from reading/listening to accounts of these same events. Keep it up!

[@omsrswt]

Every video you upload captivates my attention completely. Thank you for doing this.

[@EndOfSmallSanctuary97]

Great video. Probably the best you've done yet (I loved all of the little comments in the speech bubbles). Even though I've read a biography on Caesar, it's always good to see a visual representation of the battles, because in purely text form they can get sort of confusing.

[@vesteel]

do you have any plans to do some videos about Classical or Hellenistic Greece? -it's still unlisted- nope, turns out i'm too early

[@sarasamaletdin4574]

What you mean by unlisted?

[@deathman11jackd]

Congrats on 100k. You seriously deserve it.

[@acent7731]

I love your videos so much! Simply animated, easy to follow, and so interesting. Please keep making more your videos are my favorite!

[@lovroluketic9031]

I just love watching this. And the animation is so simple yet does the job perfectly. Keep it up!

[@JK_2998]

This channel is so unique, I love it!

[@jimster1111]

I NEED MORE. do one on the real story of Spartacus and the Third Servile War.

[@olaf6987]

Quality video as always. Your lessons on Caesar is great! Fun to see the battle tactics drawn like that.

[@ArcticTemper]

Stunning work, more of this please!

[@SuperAwesome10101]

New Historia Civilis video, yay! Also, congratulations on 100,000 subscribers!

[@oteswwv]

You're really entertaining man, good job

[@VxV631]

A delight as always to see a new video from you. Was a treat I needed during the stress of school. Great job as always!

[@poormanslimo]

These are the highlight of my day. Thanks for making this information available.

[@ringodoom2559]

Oh I knew this story. When I learned latin we translated lots of Bello Gallico. :D

[@Speederzzz]

poor you XD

[@ringodoom2559]

Speederzzz what ? It was fun! I enjoyed it. And Ceasars latin is quite easy to translate. He wrote simple.

[@mariamf.7234]

I also had to translate a lot of de bello gallico (this included) It was quite fun actually because we also got comics which simplified the latin and then we would move on to the original text :0

[@user-sd8ec5jv2z]

Aye, Virgil and Ovid were awful compared to Caesar (in difficulty, not content).

[@mariamf.7234]

we didnt translate vergil but we translated ovid's ars amatoria... oh boy.

[@austinhaynes6420]

Gauls: The Helvetii are trying to move into our lands! Caesat: Were gonna build a wall and make Rome great again!

[@perkeleman]

This channel is great. Even tho I`ve read extensively about most of your content , your presentation is very informative , and easy to follow. Thanks for the videos. I am really enjoying them.

[@davidmontalvo5641]

I'm absolutely in love with this channel

[@MrFrankyAnd]

Right now, id say best channel on youtube

[@spencert3099]

My favourite thing about rewatching these videos for the 6th time is "In the week of silence, Caesar secretly constructed a 20km line of defenses" and this shit happens in more than one circumstance, how is this man stealth building so fast?

[@TheEpicTricycle]

If I remember from the Gallic Wars, Caesar also said that he didn't trust that the Helvetti would pass through Roman Territory without causing mischief. He was probably concerned about how allowing a Gallic tribe into Roman Territory, who then start looting things, would affect his standing in Rome

[@95bever]

This series and channel... so damn AWSOME!!! Thanks for making this!

[@ThePrinceofPlots]

My God yes! Every time you upload a new video I feel like a little child going into the candy store. Or like I'm waiting on my favorite series to drop a new episode I get excited! Keep up the magnificent work!

[@Kenster-gn7hv]

10:14 Caesar: It's over Helvetii I have the high ground! Helvetii: Don't underestimate my power

[@hayesbonfiglio7936]

I love your content! These videos have made me more interested in my Roman ancestors than ever before!

[@gregtheglobal]

Oh my god thanks so much for these videos, you do a kind service for all history buffs out there. Especially those like me taking an interest in Rome's history. 👌

[@FahimWasif]

Congrats On 100k keep it up :D

[@Mankindatwar]

aww yisss historia civilis time

[@Bosihiov]

I get so excited when you upload. I drop everything to watch. :)

[@ludvikhejl6922]

Thanks for the upload, great video as always!

[@soham6649]

This is the first time I've seen Caesar not as the great military general. He survived this due to the skill of the army alone and not due to expert tactics

[@thefrosty1925]

I don't know whether that's exactly true.. He planned to have 10,000 of his most experienced men to make a surprise attack on the Helvetii but that never came to fruition because of the lack of experience in his scouts, or maybe just a simple mistake. Some things like having his cavalry ahead of his infantry to essentially make a curtain so the Helvetii couldn't see what the infantry wss doing wasn't a good idea. Roman cavalry was only light and were never really praised for their greatness and since the Helvetii were used to the surroundings and could easily make an ambush, like they did, the cavalry were lucky to get away with their lives. But although he doesn't have a good chance to really prove his tactical skills, he definitely shows some such as creating the 28km wall and sending the rest of his men on to the hill, where the rest can regroup to. Some Roman generals struggled to even do things such as that and suffered greatly because of it

[@soham6649]

I'm talking about the decisive battle, the night march surround idea was novel but it failed cause reasons. The final battle was an all out slugfest, with Caesar deployed in the usual Roman formations, no fancy tricks, no ingenious traps. Just a good old brawl

[@thefrosty1925]

Soham Sarfare Ah fair enough. True, there's no fancy tricks but the use of holding the hill instead of just helping his rear guard immediately was a decisive decision. If he had immediately sent all of his men to the rear then the 15,000 Gallic allies could've easily surrounded them. But yeah, it was a classic Roman brawl, where they're outnumbered but their superior experience and strength leads them to victory

[@sarasamaletdin4574]

This was his first pitched battle. He had some military experience when he was young and some commanding experience in Hispania as praetor where he could have gotten a triumph if he had not run for a consul instead but there were no big battles, it was skirmishes and manouvering. So everyone needs to learn to get better. But it is not like there was something wrong with his plan with Labienus.

[@r.hyland2986]

His mess up here could have motivated him to be the much better in future. I believe Frederick the Great in his first battle ran for the hills when he thought he'd lost (he didn't, just a mistake) but in later years had quite a few horses shot out from under him.

[@Rikalonius]

Your stuff is good but you leave out a few key factors in, what is seemingly, your desire to lampoon Caesar's actions. The Helevetii had been planning their march for 3 years. The Senate had previously sent delegations. It was Caesar's predecessors who thought they would be dealing with the Helevetii, but were disappointed when that didn't happen. Cicero even comments in a letter that: "Well then, in public affairs for the moment the chief subject of interest is the disturbance in Gaul. For the Aedui-"our brethren" -have recently fought a losing battle, and the Helvetii are undoubtedly in arms and making raids upon our province." ~ M. Tillius Cicero, 60 BC In March of 58 BC when the Helevetti began their march, Caesar had only one Legion available. He marched from Rome to Lake Geneva in 9 days and conscripted as many auxiliaries as he could to tear down the bridge to prevent their migration. After Caesar repelled their attempts to cross his palisades, and the Helevetti proceeded north, he knew they would raid the lands of the Aedui, as Cicero predicted (and they did), so he swiftly moved from Lake Geneva to what is today the Trieste area of Italy to collect his other 3 Legions and to raise two more, which he quickly (inhumanly quick) moved back across the Alps and then marched after the Helevetti. There is no real indication Caesar intended to make military campaign out of Gaul, though it ended up that way. Most lean to the idea that he was aiming at a Balkan campaign.

[@RoboBoddicker]

Good stuff. I didn't get the sense that Caesar really botched anything in this campaign myself (though granted I've only read his own account :D). This channel is usually super pro-Caesar too, so I thought it was kinda out of character.

[@krillissue]

Is it pro-caesar?

[@sarasamaletdin4574]

I guess he has been reading about some comments about being too pro-Caesar, he in the Pharsallus video stressed many times that the numbers were from Caesar too even though he had not previously bothered to do such thing. But it is kind of something most historians and people who read about Caesar do, at some point you realize how much you are relying his accounts of events so you try to be more sceptical but can get too far.

[@RevoBong]

Do you think anyone would have let the Helvetii pass? What was the argument against their migration? The spoils of war must have been substantial if they allowed him to repay his debts, like HC says.

[@iAmEhead]

Great video. I've been reading Rubicon, and ironically, your narrative and treatment in these videos is more clear and less muddled than Holland's, so I've been coming here when I get lost.

[@tiagoaraujo621]

Your videos are always a bright and welcome surprise! Kepp doing the good work!

[@Smartacus98]

So ummmm...Did the Helvetii pay for the wall?

[@buckplug2423]

In the long run.

[@fierypickles4450]

TheAntiParadox lmao

[@htf5555]

yes. With their lives.

[@MinimalistMGTOW]

That's a good reason to not fight with Caesar. You don't want to pay for the wall.😂

[@JeffBrownFilms]

“The Romans were weirdos” had to be my favorite line in all KZbin

[@joaquinmig]

Very good material, thank you very much for having uploaded this video

[@DB-sd2od]

Amazing video man! Quality is top notch.

[@alienworm1999]

>Caesar and Labienus were the same age, and became good friends during the Catiline Conspiracy. Foreshadowing

[@WaterShowsProd]

Everybody remembers "Et tu Brute?" but few remember, "You were my brother, Labienus!!!"

[@ultra-papasmurf]

@@WaterShowsProd Man died betrayed by so many people close to him, to save a old oligarchal republic that was crumbling...

[@sophieward7225]

I know the theme here is Roman history, but have you ever considered making a second channel about another chapter of history? I'd love to see an animated Battle of Gettysburg, or Waterloo, or Nagashino!

[@ZaFrOCDI]

M.W. Vaughn if you go back to his old videos there you can find some "non" Roman subject of videos.

[@VintageLJ]

Aginocourt wasn't that long ago either.

[@sophieward7225]

This is some good stuff! I'm sold

[@sophieward7225]

Well, now you're one subscriber closer :)

[@forgottenbow]

absolutely adore your channel man. Keep it up!

[@jessefokke9578]

I like your videos, keep up the good work. There were a few inaccuracies in this video, however: -When Caesar set his men to constructing the fortifications along the Rhone at Genava, he had only the Tenth legion at his disposal, and quite probably some local auxiliaries. The other five legions were still at Aquileia. -Caesar's cavalry was not ambushed by the Helvetii but defeated in a skirmish, which was arguably even more humiliating, as there was no element of surprise. -When Caesar was shadowing the Helvetii before the Battle of Bibracte, the Helvetii weren't marching north, but east, through present-day Bourgogne, bound for present-day Saintes.

[@blockmasterscott]

OMG, I'd be mad at those scouts too!

[@yeehaw6553]

We're going to build a great beautiful wall, and the Helvetii are going to pay for it!

[@dwh56595]

great video, great channel. :) if you wouldn't mind, I'd like you to make a video (or more of them) explaining common battle tactics, how and why scouts were used, how cavalry was used, the difference between heavy and light units, how terrain affected the battles, formations, means of communication in battle, etc. it'd be of great help to know the basics of war, and it'd provide an insight to minds of the commanders on the fields, and soldiers themselves :)

[@Krommer1000]

GOD DAMMIT, I love this channel!

[@VineFynn]

What are your sources?

[@gard86]

Pretty sure most of this is from Ceasars own accounts; Commentarii de Bello Gallico.

[@sushanalone]

good point they should be listed in the description.

[@randominternetguy8639]

i want battle vids plz

[@wanadeena]

I love Historia's stuff, I just wished he'd put his sources at the end or in the description.

[@VineFynn]

I don't doubt that he has sources, just wish he'd put them in, since it's good practice.

[@ainsleyfan6926]

Could you do a video on the pyrrhic war?

[@MissLinore]

Very edgy

[@cbooth2008]

Keep the videos coming, love them!

[@LunchBXcrue]

You should do a supercut of these! I know they lend themselves well to a series but putting them in order back to back would be an amazing piece of education. I could see it being used in schools! It's just so astonishing thinking of these massive armies clashing. I mean men hacking each other to pieces with sharp pieces of metal, it must have been an awful sight and sound. Plus the aftermath, the bodies and stench... jesus I cant even imagine the fortitude you'd need to be able to fight like that. These were truly men on both sides to run head long into that.

[@theophrastusbombastus8019]

Scout: General wherae did you put the legatus? Caesar: On the hillum behind the Helvetii S: Therae is no legatus herae! C: Look closer, I put it therae! S: I said there is nothing herae, I looked everywherae C: Don't make mihi come there! C:*angry* What est this?! S: *whith low voice* a legatus... C: And where he est?! S: On the hillum behind the Helvetii... C: This est the last time you make me lose my patienctium young boy, I will send you at metalla for 4 years afther this! S: But Duuuuuuuux... C: No but Dux, I will teach you a lessiones you will remember till the reinassance exploratores, even auxiliaries do betther than you

[@Telsion]

at 5:37 you let the cavalry pass last. was this historical or just a graphical choice?

[@alibryant8588]

Yes

[@ASillyHistoryBuff]

Your videos are amazing man! Keep them up

[@colemanadamson5943]

These videos of yours are quite simple and I wish they were a little more sophisticated, but I do find them very interesting and I am very happy to watch them. Thank you. Please post as many as you can...(and please keep up the good quality)...Subbed.

[@justsumguy6700]

I've volunteered to do a project about why Rome was so successful. So far these vids have been really helpful, but would you mind making one on that overall topic? (Meaning other factors aside from battles like integration of religion). Would it also be possible for you to list your sources? Thank you so much btw and keep the videos coming. You're the best

[@cpob2013]

the legionary cohort was the key. its essentially a phalanx with a short sword and tall shield. together in testudo formation, they are virtually immune to ranged attack and in melee their gladius is easily wielded through their shield wall and goes for a deep stab rather than the more common cut. the pilum complemented this perfectly. at range, it doubles your infantry as skirmishers, and in a pinch as spearmen for anti cavalry. but its design and technique make it so that it would cost the enemy their shields so when they close in against the testudo, they have no defense against the gladius. together these made the roman legionary worth any 5 of any other soldier and able to "carry the pile" of a much larger force. this allowed rome to spread their armies relatively thin over much more territory, either directly ruling it or as allies on other fronts making them a bargaining chip or leverage in diplomacy, which would usually provide auxiliary troops for a more mobile component of the army

[@colinmerritt7645]

In other words you'd like him to do your project for you.

[@justsumguy6700]

Colin Merritt no because that's one aspect of it. It would help but I wouldn't copy it word for word nor would I use any of his material without sourcing him

[@MissLinore]

Time to crack open the books, buddy. You shouldn't cite KZbin videos.