Roman Military Intelligence - How Good Was It? (Scouts, Spies, Secret Agents)

[@InvictaHistory]

You almost never hear about Roman covert ops and its beena blast to explore! What units should we cover next? Use code Invicta at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: incogni.com/invicta

[@QuizmasterLaw]

To tell you all about this fascinating topic, I need a slave, a razor, and a tatoo gun!

[@KroiAlbanoiArbanon]

The unsullied,dothraki,knights of the vale.

[@bigfenix8272]

Video idea: How mental health issues were seen and handled in Roman societies. I know you have the PTSD video, but, what I'm interested in is how Romans may have treated citizens who could reasonably be seen to have a condition such as schizophrenia, autism, etc.

[@jimjones1130]

You should make an episode about times when they had to use gladiators in the field

[@The88Cheat]

Roman medical units

[@huantruonginh2946]

Too good it was. One of them sneaked into the Strip and approached me with some gibberish about Caesar when I walked out of the Lucky38 the other day.

[@huyang7734]

Wow, a fellow NV fan in the wild, didnt expect to find one here.

[@huantruonginh2946]

@@huyang7734 Chao fellow wastelander, I won’t go quietly, the Legion can count on that.

[@kingalexbade1109]

​@@huantruonginh2946NCR SCUM

[@johnpritchard3516]

I beat him with charisma one time

[@이이-n4z8y]

Sneaked isn't word

[@nuclearmedicineman6270]

I'm not sure "foreigner" is a proper translation of Peregrina in this context, "guest" would be better. As far as I know Castra Peregrina was essentially guest barracks for soldiers in Rome for temporary assignments. The Frumentarii had their HQ there, but all kinds of other units were present too. You have a messenger waiting to go out with a delivery, you stick him there until the parcel is ready. Someone's coming back from vacation, waiting for a transport to Africa, you room him there. They're not strangers, they're soldiers passing through town.

[@theempiredidnothingwrong3227]

Would make sense I mean you wouldn’t want people to actually know where your spies go in and out of. Labeling a frumentari legionary as being sent to a “temporary duty station” as a “guest” provides a lot of cover for covert operations when it comes to documentation.

[@JAR98]

@@nuclearmedicineman6270 - "Peregrino" is the old Italian (not latin) word that is today's "pellegrino" in modern Italian. Pellegrino means traveler, the literal translation is pilgrim. I don't know, maybe the latin word bears a similar meaning

[@egoalter1276]

Traveller or wanderer I believe is the literal translation.

[@Wowthatsfunnylol121]

I really loved the previous videos you did about roman legions that touched on this aspect of things, excited to see even more details.

[@awesomehpt8938]

Not good enough to save Varus and his legions it seems 😢

[@kasino007]

@awesomehpt8938 Varus was told about the possible ambush, and he ignored the intel.

[@gerardoaguirre7054]

Not cool bro

[@germanmandalorian3514]

Well... the best Intel brings nothing if there is a high ranking Traitor. That was the Reason why the Tribes got the Chance... i would love to know if the tribesmen got them way before(most of them i would guess if so) they got the Legions. Varus tell the Tribes Scouts probably on which Places they have to search...

[@Kruppt808]

The hostage you thought you Romanized had full control of your scouts, his jealous family member betrayed him and told the Roman's the whole plan...... Unfortunately for them they trusted "their" Barbarian.

[@theempiredidnothingwrong3227]

Intelligence is only as good as the person who recieves. Stalin recieved all sorts of intelligence about operation Barbarossa before it was even assembled. The NKVD and GRU were easily the most effective intelligence service of WW2. Thing was Stalin was convinced Hitler would never do something so foolish as to start a war with the British Empire and USSR at the same time. He also hated being proven wrong and would kill anyone who gave him contradictory information this included the Director of the GRU who told the truth. As such it didn’t matter Soviet intelligence knew exactly when the Nazis would attack, where it would come from, and how it would happen. Joseph Stalin was Joseph Stalin and no one was going to tell him he was wrong. And so operational Barbarossa took the Russian army completely by surprise and caught the entire red army with their pants down resulting in over twenty million deaths over the course of the war. The same thing happened to Varus. He wanted a successful campaign so bad he refused to believe that he was leading his troops into a trap or to even inform his subordinate officers that an ambush was very possible. Contrast that with Julius Caesar in Gaul the Gauls fought the same way, however Caesar anticipated every ambush they set because he listened to his intelligence personnel. The Nervi almost had him. But he had tenth legion already armed and ready further towards the rear so they didn’t get caught in the ambush. Mad lad then chucked himself into the troops who were getting ambushed to hold up morale while the boys in the tenth advanced to enemy rear. He knew the Nervi would ambush him he didn’t know when or where but he took moves to prepare for it when it did happen. If the Commander’s smart so is the army if he’s stupid so is the army.

[@realtomic]

Brilliant video, in my view communication was the reason the Roman’s were able to defeat most opponents. Being able to make dynamic decisions mid battle was the reason they were able to beat even the toughest enemy. And the lack of it, … well, just look at Crassus …

[@Kruppt808]

Imo the system they built didn't hinge on one massive defeat. So even with you Cannae/Tetourbourg Forest and other defeats the Roman's were never in any real danger of losing their empire. The fact that they have had some of history most psychotic cruel inhuman Emperor's and still held together for so long..... then another 1k years with the Byzantines

[@Shadow83.]

​@@Kruppt808 for Teutoburg, the empire was never threatened, for Cannae, it wrong Roman Republic was threatened, Cannae and several towns defected, Rome itself was in panic. IF Hannibal walked on Rome, maybe he could win the war?

[@michimatsch5862]

​@@Shadow83. That's a massive if. Hannibal had no siege engine and no supplies to attempt a siege. What you gamble on in siege is that you can wait longer than your enemy. And I don't think Hannibal could have done that.

[@Shadow83.]

@@michimatsch5862 it's why I said 'if' and 'could'. siege weapons would have been easy to build on site so this wasn't really a problem, remains the supply problem. In the case where Hannibal has enough supplies, he could win. But Hannibal thinked as a merchant, not a warrior unlike romans.

[@michimatsch5862]

@@Shadow83. You underestimate how hard it is to build siege engines. He had no engineers that could have constructed those. And he was in enemy territory. He had won fragile allegiances. He needed more triumphs to set these in stone. Waiting around without ways to resupply and having his army die of illness would not have sent a signal of strength.

[@joe18750]

@Invicta, a small detail but one that lends to you so much credibility is how you give examples for concepts and ideas. Great video, thanx.

[@RoyalTeaLegion]

I can, never get enough of that deep voice! Makes my cooking and watching you on the side more entertaining! ❤

[@maddog4u31757]

@@RoyalTeaLegion sounds like the comments I get on my Tiktok videos lol

[@alfredlaalpacadeageofempir9215]

🎵 And military intelligence is 🎶 🎶 Still two words that can't make sense 🎵 🎵 Possibly I've seen too much 🎶 🎶 Hangar XVIII, I know too much 🎵

[@stonefish1318]

They are the Frumentarii, the Legions watching eyes, and telling Truth to Tariis is always very wise!

[@intermaria]

Thank you for covering this topic! Was researching this topic earlier today

[@InvictaHistory]

I highly recommend this book on the subject: "Exploratio: Military & Political Intelligence in the Roman World from the Second Punic War to the Battle of Adrianople" By N. J. E. Austin, N. B. Rankov

[@Daniel_leading_the_13_Plateans]

@@InvictaHistory Thanks

[@intermaria]

​@InvictaHistory Thanks for the recommendation!

[@tedchirvasiu]

Are there any historical documents describing Frumentarii as glowing in the dark?

[@majordakka5743]

The OG glowies...how do you do fellow barbarians

[@stonefish1318]

Only their red eyes... ❤️ ❤️

[@nuclearmedicineman6270]

Well, there is this mosaic in Ostia at the site of a former Frumentarii outpost. It shows a male figure with a spiky crown thing on his head. Sure, it could be Sol Invictus, or maybe even Mithras, OR, it could show a Frumentarii glowing in the dark. It's really up to interpretation.. I'd say 50-50 they did in fact glow.

[@nikolakaravida9670]

There actually are some, by a Roman writer called Terentius Davidus.

[@tedchirvasiu]

@@nikolakaravida9670 He could see them when he was riding his chariot, he just ran them over

[@Noble_OverDramaticShoeBOO1]

Suggestion: make a joke video of the true size of a ant army.

[@Noble_OverDramaticShoeBOO1]

also could be any ant you choose

[@Jonas-hp3ht]

Would be the most amazing April fools video

[@rtyrsson]

My Latin may be a touch rusty, but wouldn't a Priceps Peregrinorum translate better to "Chief of the Travelers?" Consider that peregrination (of which peregrinorum is the root word) means "travel" or "journey."

[@jaymata1218]

"For instance" ... "For example" .... the whole reason I love this channel. The levels of research are awesome.

[@Gustavo-z5k]

Thank you sir! For doing what our schools and government should be doing. Feeding our young minds with beautiful history.

[@VikrantSingh-se2zb]

Nice narration of roman military intelligence with deep historical context. Highly relevant to present times. It's still old wine in a new bottle. 😊❤

[@ZeroGaming-el7yt]

Invicta coming in clutch. Loving this. Thanks for my study break

[@robertweeks4240]

invicta is awesome indeed... totally agree!

[@davidpascua4899]

Good segment, good presentation as usual...continued success! ⚔️

[@awesomehpt8938]

Have you ever considered doing the polish winged hussars? Or maybe the Empire knights from warhammer fantasy?

[@Kruppt808]

100% yes to the 1st suggestion 👍

[@Erokk1988]

Incredible topic! Loved this video

[@dstaff7373]

Ahhh to be off work comfortably STONED playing Videos Games as I listen to Videos. THANK you Invicta to Gracing us with Another Quality Video... 🙏

[@jimjones1130]

Gym, diet...fix yourself 💪

[@dstaff7373]

@jimjones1130 Nature's My Gym, My Metabolism to High to Diet, Fixing Yourself Is Subjective to Everyone. I consider "Fixing" yourself by Using SHROOMS to Develop Your Mind into a More CHILL understanding Person who can RELATE to others. If More people Shroomed they be less stressed on the roadways...

[@dstaff7373]

@jmcw9632 TIME is most Important...

[@jimjones1130]

@@dstaff7373 🏳️‍🌈

[@Ciech_mate]

I am so sick of youtube ads i think i need to walk away from it. Not go on youtube, block it from my laptop and remove it from my phone

[@weiquanchua5046]

Bro just use brave

[@aunch3]

The only 2 options are to upgrade to premium or don’t watch unfortunately

[@odin7094]

@@aunch3 Adbl0ck works just fine!

[@Deadlybudz]

@@Ciech_mate the ads are always for some nasty medical advice with no scientific evidence or proof, or some hella weird shit 😂 every 20 seconds.

[@busterbiloxi3833]

Or pay for a premium subscription.

[@joshuahodgson3655]

My commute to work is normally 25 minutes. It took the whole video this time. I was hooked. Excellent video.

[@dougieranger]

This was insightful, thank you for sharing.

[@rtyrsson]

The description of a Speculatore seems quite similar to the Japanese shinobi. Not the unlikely "ultimate assassin," but the sociocultural chameleon and intelligence gatherer.

[@jimjones1130]

Thank you for giving me hours of reading 👍

[@RogueSanta]

Absolutely enjoyed the narration and art form in the video

[@markstuber4731]

3:30 Armies would be unaware of eachother unril they LITERALLY bumped into one another? Did they march with earplugs and blindfolds on?

[@meredithcole2862]

well presented, well researched and very informative...👏👍

[@rokojelavic7493]

I would love to see how financial management was done during these times

[@carrickrichards2457]

Intelligence and Reconnaissance are distinct. The romans sent grain merchants ahead of the army. They met all the big landholders, knew where they lived and to whom they sold how much of their harvest, all without prying. Disaffected sons of nobility (+network) were attracted as a both local expert and 'client king-in-waiting' (Caesar's 'De bello Gallico')

[@lukeywalsh]

Roman Military Intelligence knew how to Act Naturally while dining on Roman Jumbo Shrimp.

[@alexc1561]

wow, wonderful content, love it❤

[@fuoridalsentiero]

Absolutely fascinating video! It’s intriguing to learn just how sophisticated their scouting and spying systems were. Great research and presentation! Thank you friend for diving into such an interesting aspect of Roman history! Like 5333. We join your channel ☺

[@petermitchell8788]

*Bangs head against the wall* "Varus! Give me back my legions"

[@george1la]

Great information. Thanks.

[@mustavogaia2655]

A good companion for this are the videos from the Battleoreder channel on armored and air US army cavalry to see how similar the recon and scout tasks remain similar.

[@pakshirajan8585]

Please make a video on Gurjara-Pratihara Empire ❤❤❤

[@SkiSkillsMontana]

The fact that everybody thinks your videos are sus .... they are sus 🤨

[@WynnofThule]

I wonder if perhaps among the frumentarii there were a sort of inquisitor role. After all, how would the state know the difference between locals or local government hoarding grain vs not having any to give? You send someone to investigate. To me the transition from that to law enforcement, state agent, or even a political tool seems quite natural.

[@nahruz.w3044]

Perfect, I was researching medieval scout functionality for a game that I am trying to make. Treasure Trove

[@Istoricescu]

@@nahruz.w3044 what age is it set in?

[@nahruz.w3044]

@@Istoricescu I would like to set it up in a historical premise but that would upset alot of armchair historian😅 haha. So I am trying to create my own medieval fantasy setting rooted in our history of course.

[@Istoricescu]

@@nahruz.w3044 don't worry about the sitters 😀. I trust you, bro, and I hope you succeed. If I can help, I will gladly do so. ROMÂNIA flag here, flying proud!

[@KK-fi6ms]

Wow I did not know Lionel Messi was a member of the Frumentarii.

[@lokischildren8714]

A brilliant video

[@rtyrsson]

Glad the writer pointed out that the Frumentari would have been well-connected to the goings on in an area. Marketplaces are always rife with information and gossip, even to this day. Furthermore, a foreigner is less out of place in a market as trade invites traders from afar.

[@Mendogology]

Amazing!

[@Curtis-u5g]

Thank you now this is helpful 👍

[@thewhitewolf58]

My question is how would the empire building eras look if they had our technology minus nuclear weapons? Like the roman emperor using satellites to make plans then going on tv to warn the neighboring civilization to surrender or they will get hit with 1000s of foot soldiers and 100s of missiles because rome will build a empire that will go around the earth. I ask because I feel like the instant communication era would make those empire expansions more interesting. Such as seeing a secure video call of 2 emperors shit talking each other all while the one being threatened is sweating, hoping his empire can take the army and not fold.

[@dstaff7373]

That wouldn't work because SAID current TECHNOLOGY has Humans SOFTER n More SCARED ever in LIFE to do such things as ROMANS...

[@-RONNIE]

I appreciate the video thanks

[@SB-qm5wg]

The Frumentarii had the best beer 🍻

[@codgamer]

47:05 this spy went to Iberian Peninsula, showing amazing trickery and mastery of kicking a roman soldier's decapitated head to gain the local's trust. They called him the "Spectaculaores".

[@bassinblue]

Roman spy: Agent V, I'm in...wait a minute, talking devices hasn't been invented yet..dammit.

[@DaLordIsBack1]

Ave, true to Caesar!

[@Theaphilius_Mythology_Channel]

Using this as an opportunity again [while also writing, how brilliant this video about the Roman Military is: It is brilliant! ], I have just uploaded a casual history video about the Roman Republic - If anyone is interested in this topic.

[@Mendogology]

Good luck with your channel!

[@Theaphilius_Mythology_Channel]

@@Mendogology Thank you, I will need it :)

[@iliaselmaghrebi9114]

Is this a re-uploade i remember a vid like this one

[@jm01157]

I think it’s a compilation of several videos

[@iliaselmaghrebi9114]

@@jm01157 make sense thnx for reply

[@SK-iv4ml]

Loved this. Does anyone have any recommendations for fiction novels relating to the units in this video?

[@stevo271]

52:47 "Lore Enforcer"? So if you get the lore wrong....

[@YeahYeahb-tch]

Seeing as Rome lasted almost 1000 years and then some. Probably the best

[@remittanceman4685]

Could the term "frumentarii" have been a slang one perhaps referring to a common cover used by these agents? Such things aren't unknown even in modern times. For example, between the First and Second World Wars it was standard practice for MI6 agents to be placed in British embassies as Passport Control Officers. Might not a similar use of an innocuous title have been used for the Roman equivalent of secret agents? Maybe to the extent it became a sort of in joke. "He's one of the frumentarii," an officer might whisper to a freind with by an exaggerated wink, indicating someone else's true, or suspected, real job.

[@reginaldpasao8390]

Vulpes Inculta is pleased

[@jkosch]

Now all that is missing is another part about the agentes in rebus.

[@LopaldMukV]

Got it, so if I time travel I will take walkie talkies to the Roman legions and then I’ll become an emperor.

[@ecclesiasticman4417]

11:22 Hom Tolland

[@busterjay64]

The tools and weapons an empire uses against its enemies will eventually always be used against its own population.

[@danielles7766]

What about ancient Chinese military intelligence?

[@iorifori91]

02:24 this was made possible by Nordic VPN

[@yomoyammy]

@@iorifori91 that would have been a great segway

[@paulwood6729]

The CIA don't look internally, the FBI do that. A better comparison would've been the Stasi but that's obviously a sensitive matter.

[@JMObyx]

Aha! It's no wonder the Praetorians were so treacherous! MANY OF THEM WERE RECRUITED FROM THEIR SPIES!

[@graucanal]

Thanks from Brazil. Please give a subs in portuguese.

[@danielblackburn4626]

You forgot the suppositories

[@nebojsag.5871]

The Exploratores were basically Hussars?

[@silverstargaming20]

3 minutes ago is crazy

[@Ataximander]

This is giving me RTW PTSD with its nonsensical success rates.

[@BornEnlightenedNoSell]

Știu că am lucrat 😂boss de boss

[@mbr5742]

Basically not doable. The Romans had neither Vodka nor the 0. So no Agent Vinculum, Iacomus Vinculum in the Emperors Intelligence Service ;)

[@weed.raven.420]

crazy information those byzantine homies surely know how to deal effectively through the fields of conflict and all the strategic warfare agenda that comes after it

[@Jim58223]

Deja vu? I feel like I've watched this before.

[@jimjones1130]

Been covered 100's of times

[@Jim58223]

@@jimjones1130 no it's a compilation of their 3 old videos.

[@UkrainianPaulie]

Crucifixtion got plenty to talk.😂

[@AncestorEmpire1]

They would have been better if they used a cardboard box.

[@Mr.KaganbYaltrk]

Romans are really greatest

[@matthewneuendorf5763]

Sicilian Vespers were a Roman Intel op.

[@TonyisToking]

No... Sicilian Vespers were around in the late Middle Ages, after the fall of Rome. You could argue that the cunning of the Sicilian people did help Rome, but it was not necessarily the Vespers. Sicilians are ancient people that go back further than Rome itself. They knew the Mediterranean as well as pre-Grecian Empire Greeks, as they were essentially the same people. They worshipped the land because they knew it so well. They knew the worst of it and the best of it.

[@matthewneuendorf5763]

@@TonyisToking It was incited by agents of a Roman emperor (specifically Michael VIII Palaiologos) who was acting against a strategic enemy (Charles of Anjou, who wanted to retake Constantinople after Michael liberated it from Frankish occupation).

[@easadventures1349]

"Somehow, the Romans endured"

[@Curtis-u5g]

The rider💀

[@vondantalingting]

Me after hearing about the Frumentarii: Why are those farmers on the wrong field? The MI5 agent who constantly labels classified information with his Cleaning agents: 🤔

[@MrWolfgangtube]

Second Viewer, never been that fast

[@Hidfhjccbxcbhc]

Roman are they existing today those people, i use to heard roman empire and roman army imperialist.

[@KingKendrickTheGod233]

Kendrick LAMAR

[@samuelb.austinfiel738]

Old videos

[@Curtis-u5g]

The X-Men 🪄

[@Andres-v7r2h]

Long live rome

[@turtle926]

7:29 ligmatories

[@DFuxa]

Doemistic Spies. Wonder what this means?

[@commonsense2497]

Too many embedded adds

[@QuisUtDeus828]

Lol theyre coping at their viewership drop off by redoing videos theyve already done

[@ogrehaslayers605]

"nefarious actors"???? 😮 Like... Brie Larson or Tom Cruise???

[@cuhcussington]

Great this would have been good if it were not for the crappy animations:/

[@raj____2003]

Then what happened to romans in Battle of Cannae?

[@LeeTodd-e6t]

The Roman Empire never fell it turned into the Catholic church

[@iankim1673]

@@LeeTodd-e6t why do you say this? That is a serious remark.

[@calvinhosworld]

You sure you are not making up term.- atories. 😂

[@kingivar702]

teutoberg...yeah yall kind of fucked up...

[@mocha8851]

😘😘😘