Roman Legions (218BC-453AD)

[@SandervkHistory]

When i was a little kid, i used to watch this video all the time. Glad i found it 14 years later again!

[@diamonddashers5738]

still watch it to this day

[@ItRemindMeOfHome]

The Roman Legions. The greatest fighting force of all time. In the glory days of Rome, it took a force four times the size of a legion to defeat a legion

[@Daylon91]

Have you not heard of hannibal whose battles he was outnumbered by the romans but brute force en mass doesn't always work

[@SherlockHolmes000]

daylon boender Hannibal wasn't fighting Legionaries, he was fighting the Polybian army, which was composed primarily of undisciplined troops without the money to equip themselves with proper equipment. The Polybian Hastati, compared to the Iberian Swordsman that Hannibal recruited, had absolutely no chance.

[@romaaugustus1694]

The polybian legions were one of the best armies of all time, you should never underestimate them. However, their leadership in the beginning of the second Punic War lacked this quality, which caused the catastrophic defeats against one of the best generals in history.

[@loganfox2386]

He said in the glory days.

[@eriktegnander6329]

this is factually worng, the fighting force of a roman egion depended on how many men were in it and the level of leadership and training

[@varyllus]

7:15 the real reason the Roman army declined in quality - they were spending too long practicing cool spear lowering ripple effects.

[@AlienDark12]

Alcadius This post deserves more likes.

[@varyllus]

λιεnδαгκ12 Thankyou. You've given me the confidence to teach my new theory in universities. ;P

[@thejjmulti1401]

Alcadius contrary to popular belief, the Legiones Romanorum didn’t decrease in quality, there were however, too little men to fill the ranks because of constant civil wars raging in the empire. The equiment of the army evolved constantly to counter new threats and to better handle those threats, the REAL issue was manpower and the loyalty of Rome’s generals.

[@michaeltoonen7187]

bultshit

[@michaeltoonen7187]

the real reason is grow to big and a corupt power hungry men

[@ChristusVincitAMDG]

Probably the best video i saw of this kind

[@jvincent6548]

The video was utter dross. Right from the start. If you want to see a video / film that is probably more realistic (in so far as credible historians know) then watch Rome. In that there are man battle scenes: the formation is right and so to the military equipment. Also Gladiator (Russel Crowe) is not bad - opening battle scene. Other than that - read a few books.

[@jsjuno]

i wonder what it would have been like for a legionary to look at his legion's eagle in front of him, glimmering in the sunlight as he and his army is charging into the enemy. must've been quite a sight. good video, i really like the first song, very dramatic, i think it fits with the romans very well.

[@atanasion]

I really love this video, it is one of my favourest. I watch it almost everytime I log on youtube. Great work!

[@Bigsnake210]

Epic tribute to my ancestors, i just love this video.

[@newg4515]

lmao i remember watching this in like 2009

[@contoon1563]

Same, I thought it was the coolest thing, it still is dope though

[@evans8882]

So do I aha

[@Ramin2340]

Haha same! I came back to download it. This is a treasure.

[@warpig501]

think just about this: when the prevalent ethnic was the latin/italic the empire went well, it reached it's peek; when they introduced indiscriminately the citizenship to every free people in the empire (Caracalla's edit, 212 d.C.) there started the problems: many civil wars, social tensions, barbarized army, lost wars, religious tensions, lost of the national unity, and so on.

[@TheJarric]

other proplem was free stuff given to people they coud afford it when they conguered and had plenty of slaves

[@emiliobell8276]

when your reinforcements arrive in Rome 2 Total war 5:25

[@GiorgioTn]

this is not a video of rome, this is a great work!!!!! great! very good

[@14Teutonic]

dude this was such a kick ass vid total stunned for words can you please make one with Greeks thanks alot

[@kerosotros]

Thanks for the vid my friend. This is amazing history

[@erwinboeruutgrunn]

one of the best history vids I have ever seen :) ( my english is very bad, i'm sorry for that)

[@passionfly1]

Excellent collage of videos!

[@vegaeb]

Best video on youtube ever, Thank you for this dude.. :))

[@tiberiusjacksonIII]

Enjoyed every second of it. Long live the legions!

[@Trogiss]

That was preeetty epic. Great job!

[@nobbytang]

this is very good , I recognised some of the battle scenes as titus / vespasians assault on jersusalem , battle of phillipi and zama . even attila late on inthe 5th century AD long after the height of roman military might Very good effort

[@MattRampton54]

SWEET VIDEO MAN I LOVE IT!! i need to know some of those movies, i know theres a few from the bbc series of rise and fall

[@valentinocba]

Congratulations!!! this is the best video of the roman legions XD very good.

[@jovitski]

great video, great music and great roman empire!

[@Praetorian349]

(pt 2)...the Lorica Hamata had to have it's chain links painstakingly forged and linked and hammered closed, it was far heavier has the Lorica Segmentata was thin but overlapping sheets of plate metal which supported each other and had no wasted mass like the Hamata did. The Lorica Segmentata was easy to mass produce, simply sheets of plate metal lashed together, and it was flexible and light as the thin yet strong plates could slide over each other. Just thought I'd add to that conversation :)

[@comicalstuffnn]

Thank you so much! great video by the way! AMAZING! Especially for your first one! you are pro, I subscribed!

[@comicalstuffnn]

The Romans designed weaponry that both gave some protection to their men but also were designed to smash into fortifications. Battering rams and siege towers were used for this the latter allowed the Romans to gain access to a fort by effectively removing the problem of a high wall. Battering rams had a cover to them made of wood and animal hide. This combination was enough to stop arrows etc but was still flammable.

[@Draggis92]

Nice video man! I really hope some will make a HIGH budget movie that is historically accurate, in stead of those crap movies that are already made.

[@Intranetusa]

And Lorica-Hamata chainmail was used throughout the entire Principate era, entire Dominate era, entire post-Marian Republic era, and most of the pre-Marian era. Chainmail was standard issue because it was relatively light, flexible, quick and cheap to produce, and easy to maintain. It was the most common form of armor for standard legionaries and auxiliaries alike for more than 700 years.

[@Dead-Historian]

Great video and great song! Greetings from Greece!

[@comicalstuffnn]

The Romans also developed an early form of large attack catapults called onagers. These hurled large stone boulders at a wall to smash it down. The Romans also used catapults to fire iron bolts at the lines of the enemy facing them.

[@triggersots4686]

i wrote this date because of the documentaries that i have used in this video. the time in these clips are from the second Punic War started in 218BC with Hannibal Barca of Carthage to the defeat and following the death of Attila the Hun in 453AD. but thank you for pointing this out

[@Praetorian349]

You would think so, ae, but actually Lorica Segmentata, being simple sheets of iron lashed together was very easy to manufacture and relatively cheap while Lorica Hamata had to have each chain link painstakingly linked together. Estimated production time of a single Lorica Hamata piece of armour is 2 months (even with constant slave labour). Lorica Segmentata had little cost for a huge payoff. It was most likely replaced because the Peregrini of the Roman empire were all granted Roman...

[@deltaforceee]

i hope this video never gets deleted or removed from youtube

[@triggersots4686]

@Intranetusa yep mail armors were generally more often used than segmented armors, but in border regions where most of the fightings occur, lorica segmentata were more often used i think, in the first 200yrs of imperial rome.

[@Intranetusa]

@CasperDalboe Lorica segmentata was never the standard equipment in any time period. Chainmail was always more popular even during the height of the lorica segmentata's use. There was no shift. It is a popular misconception that Trajan's troops all wore segmentata - mainly because of the historically inaccurate Trajan's column in Rome. The more accurate Adamclisi Tropaeum column in Dacia itself shows all regular legionaires wearing scale and nobody wearing lorica segmentata.

[@RealLy96]

amazing video, thank you for this work ;)

[@erik260196]

What I kinda miss in this video is the pila storms before every roman charge, but still very badass vid :)

[@Pamela2017]

Awesome video! Where would historical films be without reenactors? LOL

[@Thsiscool]

dang, this video is freakin awesome!!!...

[@Tophor72]

This is awesome!

[@comicalstuffnn]

The Roman Army developed fighting techniques that were linked to a ferocious training regime. All new recruits to the army became very fit and disciplined. Training was harsh, as were punishments for failure. In a battle, new recruits were always placed at the front of the more experienced soldiers in the army.

[@comicalstuffnn]

The most important fighting unit of the Roman Army was the legion commanded by a legatus. This consisted of between 5000 to 6000 legionnaires. 500 to 600 legionnaires made up a cohort while between 80 to 100 soldiers were a century commanded by a centurion.

[@foxtrotpi]

yea, this vid is amazing, i really like how you matched the music with some of the scenes. epicly awsome >=D . i actualy watch this a few times (if not more) a week lol.

[@triggersots4686]

@CroPETROforever i LOVE your videos too!!! keep up the great works my friend!!!

[@twirajuda]

It should be from 753 bc to 1453 ad. Byzantium is only a name given by the west to the later Roman Empire. For all intents and purposes it is, and always has been, Rome

[@illillino]

honor to the legions

[@tyh5796]

Tunggul Wirajuda Um..... Roman empire(Byzantine) did not own Rome......

[@bobafett9348]

洪建寧 It actually did... Emperor Justinian went out to reunite the Roman Empire and succeded by bringing The province of Italia, Africa and Iberia back under Roman control. Though sadly... With the passing time, the Eastern Romans lost Rome in 750 AD or something like that, but the Eastern Romans were truly gone from Italy only in 12th Century. And the last official Legion was byzantine Legio Macedonica which perished during fights against muslims in 7th Century.

[@bobafett9348]

DVN And why would you do that ? Those 2 Empires were one and the same, with Eastern being far more stable, and actually doing good political decisions...

[@ebujunior6206]

dude it shoudlnt its talking about roman leigons not roman ancestory and blood in the eastern empire its talking about roman leigons the worlds greatest war machine! Rome for ever! LONG LIVE ROMA

[@mreddison12345]

great video!!

[@padamibr]

You made the romans proud with this video, good sir.

[@Thsiscool]

wow!!!...The greatest army of the ancient world, in a great video....awesome!!!

[@Intranetusa]

@CasperDalboe We know enough based on circumstantial evidence - the majority of armor depicted has been chainmail hamata or scale, and the majority of armors excavated has been chainmail. The segementata is usually excavated in border regions and historically is clustered around the 2nd century period.

[@padamibr]

Great vid . The world owns such a huge debt to the Roman Empire, the shapped the world as it is today.

[@Intranetusa]

Segmentata had brass components that wore down, & leather straps that rotted. Chainmail is easier to maintain than segmentata because it didn't even need to be polished or cleaned - friction keeps it rust free. Circular shapes is not wasting metal - it keeps the entire thing together. You could make the same argument for segmentata having excessive parts that don't connect with blows. Chainmail also stops arrows from penetration & when hammered flat, is even more effective against arrows.

[@comicalstuffnn]

Legionnaires would run forward at the enemy and throw their pila at them. While this caused disarray among the enemy, the legionnaires would move in for close quarter fighting using their swords (gladius). Each attack was the result of meticulous planning and practice hence why they were usually so successful.

[@24680kong]

Best Video on KZbin!

[@evans8882]

God I remember when I watched this every day in about 2010

[@Praetorian349]

Chain links waste metal as because of the circular shape not all the metal is being used in a defense of a blow. Also, segmentata sheets overlapped due to the Legionnaire moving, resulting in a defense that could stop an arrow with no harm to the soldier. Also, they wore tunics underneath their breastplates, hence no chaffing. And segmentata required far less maintenance as it was easier to polish and clean, due to the flat surface. And marching men don't want leg armour.

[@TheRomanRuler]

@triggersots4686 AWESOME!!!! Thanx. I know Rise and fall of an empire, also, Attila the Hun, what others? Thanx

[@Wulle90]

What are the names of the songs ? They go really good with the video.Had watched most of them,some are documentaries.

[@archelalus]

the best video on youtube!!!!!!

[@pipooa25]

nice viedeo dude!!!

[@Intranetusa]

I've already repeatedly stated that chainmail was not heavier because with a belt, it distributed weight better. The segmentata distributed all weight along the shoulders, so chainmail was actually less encumbering and felt lighter to wear. The LS actually took more time to create because its plate is hard to produce - especially since the Romans didn't have a standardized metallurgy industry. Plate is easy to produce TODAY due to machinery. Back then chainmail was actually easy to produce.

[@Intranetusa]

Is your LS suit made of wrought iron as was historical and not aluminum or some type of alloy that is common with modern reenactors? Chainmail is pretty comfy to wear too, and the Roman chainmail had a belt to distribute the weight of lower portions to the waist. I will say that the lorica segmentata as an armor piece looks great.

[@Konane117]

awesome video

[@comicalstuffnn]

Those auxiliaries who fought on foot would be used to attack an enemy position before the legionnaires did in this way, an enemy position would be softened up before the main assault. Fortifications presented other challenges. When confronted with a fort or the like, a frontal assault by legionnaires would have resulted in large casualties, though the use of a 'tortoise' would have helped reduce casualties.

[@Picard578]

@triggersots4686 actually, Lorica Segmentata was generally only used on Danube frontier

[@Praetorian349]

I know this was an old conversation but can I just say that during the Republican Era up until around 50 BC (Caesar's day) the legionnaires were equipped with Lorica Hamata. From the Principate era (Early Empire, around 27 BC to 284 AD) the legionnaires wore the far superior and advanced Lorica Segmentata, which was lighter, stronger, more flexible, far easier to produce, although it didn't protect the legs legionnaires marched a lot so it allowed for easier leg movement...(pt 1)

[@91plm]

Creative assembly, i want this! CA: no we have Rome II at home *Rome II at home...*

[@comicalstuffnn]

There were three reasons for this. The first was to give them confidence as behind them were experienced soldiers who had fought in battles before. Secondly, it stopped the new soldiers running away if their courage deserted them. Finally, those who were more likely to be killed in the initial phase of a battle were at the front.

[@comicalstuffnn]

To assist the legionnaires, who were professional soldiers, part-time soldiers were used called auxiliaries. These men were often recruited from an area that the Romans were trying to conquer and occupy. They were not fully trained soldiers and their usual task was not to fight when the legionnaires attacked, but to assist them by acting as scouts or archers who would fire at the enemy while the legionnaires attacked.

[@OMGWTFBBQ357]

I havent mentioned Cataphractes, the Persians had heavy cav, armored in scale armor, including armoring the front of the horse. They hired schytians who were horse archers, may have had some of their own too, afterall the superpower before them had horse archers, cant remember the name. Xenophon refers to a heavy cav type he calls cuirassiers, who used shock tactics, they were used as a kind of armoured battering ram, which smashed into the centre of the enemy line.

[@BVargas78]

youre not wrong mate! Just a superficial comparison in that the use of chainmail, shield and longer swords, they resemble Norman heavy infantry a bit! A lot of the footage here is from the documentary/drama series Rome; rise and fall of an empire, very good series! They recreate the roman troops at different phases very well.

[@Intranetusa]

Furthermore LS required each armor to be custom fit to the person, required 2 men to put on, and took a while to put on. Chainmail was usually one-size fits all, only takes 1 person to put on, and was easier to wear and take off. Chainmail goes down to the thighs and provided upper leg/groin protection - something that LS lacked. Chainmail was also more comfortable to wear - you can wear a tunic under LS but it's still uncomfortable and modern day reenactors do experience some chaffing.

[@Intranetusa]

pt2: Hamata provided more area protection than the LS because it went down to the thighs, whereas the LS stopped at the waist. Chain also didn't waste any mass - there were often extra chains around vital areas. Chain was far easier to produce due to simpler tech, easier to maintain, cheaper to maintain, friction kept it rust free, one-size-fits all, etc. LS plate production was inconsistent, had leather that rotted, required far more maintenance, chaffed the skin, needed to be custom fit, etc

[@allysonand]

i love this vid its like my trillionth time watchen it the roman empire is favorite empire make more vids

[@darkdanu89]

Interesting links. But information on this is very scarce. As I said there were 3 classes. Whether they were called by then hastati, principes and triarii, no one really knows for sure. But what's sure is that after they were defeated by Brennus, the romans changed tactics. The triarii were then the only ones that retained hoplite features, and the hastati and principes addopted mainly gallic equipment.

[@gester27]

awsome stuff!. what was the song in the begging? awsome. and the one after it?

[@kukuruku20]

Very nice video

[@darkdanu89]

Right with a few corrections :P When they had a phalanx army they didn't have principes triarii or hastati. They had 3 classes of hoplites and missile support troops that were there by social status and age/experience. When the romans were seriously defeated by the gauls and samnites many times they reformed their army adopting many of their enemies weapons. At this time the only hoplite like forces were the triarii, but in the times of the punic wars the army abandoned hoplite tactics forever.

[@valentinocba]

Very good the video, really its a great video congratulations!!! Valentino09

[@dlrussell72]

You made that video? Like with a computer or something? That was incredible! Keep them coming please! Amazing.

[@comicalstuffnn]

To support the legionnaires, the Romans also used cavalry. The primary task of the cavalry was to support the legionnaires by attacking an enemy line at the flanks. Cavalry was also used to chase after a retreating enemy.

[@triggersots4686]

@CroPETROforever the shield one? thats from Ancient Rome, the 3rd episode i think, the one about Jewish rebellion.

[@OMGWTFBBQ357]

They had horse archers including the feared scythians, Elephants, hired mercenaries from greece to india, they could field any kind of troops available to them. What they lacked in heavy infantry they hired Greek hoplites to fight beside their Elite Immortals, but their cavalary was the winning element in the Persian army, from heavy armored heavy cav, medium to light, Royal squadrons and Immortal squadrons, and huge numbers of them. To be continued.

[@VALDIGNE]

it's also possible that Etruscans are related to the Minoans and "People of the Sea". Don't forget the Minoan civilization was conquered and brought down by the Myceneans( besides volcanoes and tusnami)

[@SoccerCroatian]

First song is europa from globus the second song is reqiuem for a dream

[@CALZOLA]

We use to classify 4 main languages in Europe :Latin (Portugal ,Spain ,France ,Italy ,Romania)-German ( Germania ,Dutch ,English )-Hellenic ( Greek)- Finno-Ougrian ( Finnish).By the way,going back to your video ,from 3.10 to 3.30 ,and from 7.07 to 7.29 ,that's exactly what happened in the Pourrières battle too :instead of waiting Romans they got down from their hill to the plain ,Cimbers and Teutons prefered to attack them runnig up to the top . So they were too tired out to fight suitably...

[@demonhorse103]

the shield formation at 6:09 i''ve been reading alot of books of the roman legion and came to not to understand that shield formation it is said it's unpenertrable but th way i see it it looks penetrable

[@VALDIGNE]

I wasn't talking about the Basques , anyway the Battle of Troy was fought betweem the Myceneans and Hittites over the strategic control of the Dardanelles . It's possible that Hittites and maybe Thracians (allied with the Trojans against the Greeks ) possibly fled towards the Italian Peninsula and beyond.

[@comicalstuffnn]

What is the music? Great video by the way! Answer soon please!

[@SirAroace]

@triggersots4686 I think segmented armor was also use more often by higher ranking officers then normal legionnaires

[@triggersots4686]

thanks bro, really appreciated man Salve Roma!!!

[@triggersots4686]

lol thx Daniel, thats from HBO Rome, the Battle of Philippi

[@hater94511]

@triggersots4686 it really just depends were the fighting took place or where the legion was located and the wealth of the region early on the romans did use chainmail but they started to use segmented armour cause it was cheaper and more effective

[@ImperialGuard9001]

I think you mean 1453 and not 453 great video excelent work 5 out of 5!

[@flaviuromanescu4267]

So cool!

[@TheAwp45]

@jutubena actually we are talking about which one is stronger not which one was more flexible or terrain suitable

[@sicksergant42nd64]

Hard time create Strong man Strongman Create Goodtime Goodtime Create Weakman Weakman create hardtime

[@stevanbozic5355]

👍

[@warpig501]

mh, i'm not sure about what you said. Well, for exactitude the term italic was used properly in the classic age, to define the peoples of Italy but the first inhabitants of Sicily were similar to the latins, so genetically and culturally we can approach them together. By the way i'm italian :D (maybe you too) and i say that after circa 27 or 30 centuries of our history we can call ourselves italian or italic, as we want, but we are one unique people :) Have a nice day.

[@thangbemgopro]

So epic!

[@CALZOLA]

Near my home (France)and a village named Pourrières ,there was a battle between Romans commanded by the consul Marius and the Cimbers allied with Teutons ,these both tribes coming from Germany (102 BC). All the Cimbers and Teutons were exterminated ( 100,000 died).The historian Plutarque told this battle in his "Life of Marius". The dead men stayed so long on the battlefield that air was infected and that gave his name to the Pourrières village ( "pourri" means putrid in French)...

[@dominusetdeus060644]

@Intranetusa in the golden ages of the roman empire the lorica was preferred because it was easier to make :) not to mention it looks cooler.

[@hherlevdk]

Whats the music?