Rome's GENIUS border defense strategy | 3D modeling the Rhine frontier

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We covered Roman frontiers in Britain, Jordan, Egypt, and the Neverlands... We thought its time for the largest one; the Rhine frontier! It is often said that Augustus founded and built the Roman border with the Rhine, that he installed stone forts along it, and that it was an unshakable border meant to repel any invasion. This video aims to dispel the above myths and shed some light on Roman borders. It wasn't one emperor who built it, it took decades for the wooden forts to slowly become permanent stone ones, and the border was very dynamic network that shifted through the centuries! This video covers the grand strategy of the Rhine frontier and explains how Roman borders worked, as well as how Rome built its largest border. (Defense in depth - How Rome guarded its LARGEST border)
Primary Sources:
O. Krok. 93
O. Krok. 6
O. Krok. 14
Secondary Sources:
Baatz, D. ‘Zur Funktion der Kleinkastelle am Obergermanisch-Raetischen Limes’, in A. Thiel (ed.) Forschungen zur Funktion des Limes Bad Homberg: Deutsche Limeskommission, 2007, 9-25.
Breeze, D. J. The Frontiers of Imperial Rome. Barnsley: Pen and Sword. 2011.
Kortüm, K. Zur Datierung der Römischen Militäranlagen im obergermanisch-raetischen Limesgebiet. Chronologische Untersuchungen anhand der Münzfunde, Saalburg, Jahrbuch, 1998 , 49: 5-65.
Planck, D. ‘Das Kleinkastell Rötelsee nördlich von Welzheim, Rems-Murr-Kreis’, Archäologische Ausgrabungen in Baden-Württemberg, 1974, 40-43.
Reuter, M. and Thiel, A. Der Limes: Auf den Spuren der römer Darmstadt: Konrad Theiss. 2007.
Sommer, C.S. ‘Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, Marc Aurel...? - Zur Datierung der Anlagen des 'Raetischen Limes’, Bericht der Bayerischen Bodendenkmalpleg 52: 137-180.
Symmonds, M. Protecting the Roman Empire: Forts, Fortlets, and the Quest for Post-Conquest Security. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2018.
Thiel, A.‘The Odenwald limes and its relation to the Antonine Wall’, in W.S. Hanson (ed.) The army and frontiers of Rome: papers offered to David J. Breeze on the occasion of his sixty-fifth birthday and retirement from HistoricScotland Portsmouth: Journal of Roman Archaeology, 2009, 134-141.
Woolliscroft, D.J. 1997 ‘Signalling and the design of the German limes’, in W. Groenman-van Waateringe, B. van Beek, W. Willems and S. Wynia (eds.) Roman Frontier Studies 1995 Oxford: Oxbow, 595-602.
Intro (0:00)
Creation of the Frontier (1:55)
The Roman thought process (5:37)
The watchtowers (9:17)
The fortlets (11:21)
The Roman Grand Strategy (13:28)
Fighting Invaders (14:32)
Impressive self-sufficiency! (16:07)
The frontier's death (17:51)

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[@bashkillszombies]

Thank you - this is exactly how I like my videos. Lightly contented adverts. Just like I prefer lightly fries'd salt from McDonalds. You're doing the lords work of working for the megacorps, I'm sure the few hundred bucks you get for wasting a million years of manhours on adverts is worth it. Especially when you're 1. selling merch, and 2. also doing sponsored adverts for bloody Opera.

[@HistoriaMilitum]

The “few hundred bucks” go towards the creation of more FREE quality videos for everyone’s enjoyment. This all costs money; welcome to the real world! If a 1 minute ad of a great app like Opera is too inconvenient for you, then consider Netflix, where for only $20 a month you will watch amazing ad free documentaries like Cleopatra and Alexander. Good luck enjoying those!

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Everyone, remember, if it's free, you're the product. Especially so when it's free and they're still spending money on advertising.

[@davidhughes8357]

After years of studying Roman military history videos like this one with this kind of detail are so important. Thank you friends .

[@ciuyr2510]

indeed, thank you for such detailed inner-workings of an empire. All behind Praetorian for atmosphere, yum.

[@daylight3325]

Grammer?

[@rainmaker132]

I contributed in this video. I am happy you enjoy the video, but please, don’t call me friend.

[@rainmaker132]

@@daylight3325grammar**

[@ditto1958]

@@rainmaker132Huh?

[@wfr1108]

That letter from "Bassus to Galatus" made me think of my brother. I have many qualms with modernity, but I am glad I don't have to worry about him like that. Doubt I'd ever leave my family's locality if I lived in such a troubled world.

[@jonbaxter2254]

People haven't changed.

[@plazmica0323]

Guard duty was, is and will be most hated duty in the world hah I can only imagine the horrors on alien planets future human guard will have to be on a look out post

[@Proud2bGreek1]

The soundtrack from the Praetorians is a nice touch, brought back memories.

[@kogerugaming]

I was wondering why is it so familiar, then I also realised that it is from praetorians.

[@ZefiBear]

Your channel is quickly becoming one of my favorites. The 3D models help so much in visualizing how life was!

[@andychap6283]

Love how this channel provides in depth coverage of the ancient world by focusing on a case example of a specific section of the roman border

[@SenorTucano]

Wow I’m impressed. I thought the Roman defences were on the Roman side of the Danube and Rhine. I never realised they projected so far forward into Garmania

[@benjamindees]

The Rhine was named after the grapes that the Romans planted all along it. They would have preferred a southern exposure, which means controlling the north bank.

[@pipp972]

Very neat to be able to visualize day to day life in the frontiers so well!

[@GarfieldRex]

Incredible the complexity of such defenses, not only locally, but the regional strategy done, they were truly advanced and sophisticated. Great video as usual, excellence is the cognomen if this channel 👌🏼

[@ROGERIUSTEUTONICUS]

Incredible seeing more focus on my home region. The agri decumates and the other border regions are the most interesting thing for me in roman history. The way the roman culture merged and organically adapted the germanic and celtic influences seems kind of like a return to a panindoeuropean conciousness like parts of a whole that were torn apart and now put together again. I would appreciate more focus on these topics.Thank you for this interesting video.

[@HistoriaMilitum]

Im very happy you enjoyed. There is a good chance we will be 3D reconstructing a huge legionary fort on the Rhine. Just have to decide on which one!

[@DarkVeghetta]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="236">3:56</a> Hadrian's love of walls continues into the modern day in all those RTS players that build three rows of walls around their entire base, cover every inch of said walls with towers, and keep a decent mobile response force handy in case of long-ranged attacks. It's possible to break those defenses, but it _will_ be painful for any attacker.

[@thalmoragent9344]

Man, imagining Rome with an Industrial Revolution would've been wild to see. Same with what if the Eastern Roman Empire had continued on, with aid from the West to stand up to the Turkish armies.

[@david7384]

imagining any European power rising without white guilt would be insane. global government in decades

[@DazBochiz]

tbf the eastern roman empire was ransacked by\from the west multiple times

[@wedgeantilles8575]

A Rome without the (later) constant civil wars would be enough. Without these constant fightin legions vs legions, Rome would probably never have fallen - and then sooner or later it would have come to an industrial revolution in the Roman Empire. Well, I can't change the past - but at least in Stellaris I always create my Roman Empire and lead it to domination in the galaxy :) (And funnily enough I must have a lot of "brothers" who do the same - the devs implanted Roman numbers and names for leaders and ships several years ago!)

[@odd-ysseusdoesstuff6347]

Its a good day when Historia Militum uploads a Roman Fort video!

[@Tjalve70]

Q: "How often do you think of the Roman Empire?" A: "Only once per day. Unless I have a sleep in the afternoon. Then it is twice per day."

[@HistoriaMilitum]

Same for me; just 1 continuous thought in between bedtimes…

[@larsrons7937]

...and thank _YOU,_ Historia Militum, for your time and effort in creating this interesting, thought-provoking video for us. Super graphics. Good flow in the story. Cheers from Denmark.

[@HistoriaMilitum]

You are most welcome. More to come! :)

[@larsrons7937]

@@HistoriaMilitum I will be looking forward to it. 😊

[@TP-ym1xe]

This episode was another great addition to the channel - and one of my favourites! The details you have included about the Roman borders was original and insightful. I actually feel I'm getting university-level education with this episode, as well as details about history I would struggle to find anywhere else. Awesome artwork too!

[@nickdreiath4010]

Epic video man! I can‘t believe the quality. Simply lovely 👊🏼

[@HistoriaMilitum]

We are very glad you enjoyed!

[@Purgatory73]

Oh my god finally! A rare gem of a channel that is not same ol! Thank you and keep up the great content!

[@HistoriaMilitum]

Thank you and welcome aboard!

[@nevisstkitts8264]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="362">6:02</a> redundancy = defense in depth, mutual-support + increased reliability; it calls back to the method of fortifying routes of march and logistic support during expansion

[@jonbaxter2254]

Love these 3D vids of yours man. To be so close to the wilderness must have been like being on another planet...

[@istoppedcaring6209]

i'd argue that rivermussels were a lot more palletable when rivers were clean

[@SoulWhite]

I'm going to leave this video for tomorrow to enjoy next to my morning cup of hot stuff. Thank you for amazing content!

[@HistoriaMilitum]

Hope you enjoy it! :)

[@micahistory]

Cool video, I have never seen anyone go into this much depth on this subject!

[@tatianaprokhorova4111]

It is so neat to details, taking me inside to feel the vibe of those times...I forgot the present.. Thank you for your outstanding work!

[@HistoriaMilitum]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed!

[@kafon6368]

Amazing work, definitely one of the best channels for Roman history!

[@vGalaxy1401]

Howdy, love your content

[@HistoriaMilitum]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@prolamer7]

Thank you for this great educational video!

[@HistoriaMilitum]

Now that you know how chaotic and complicated Roman borders were, something equally impressive is how they managed to outfit EVERY soldier with state-of-the-army equipment and supply it to them. Check out their GENIUS weapon production industry here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eoTHq6eLaZtsjNU

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

The difference between chaos and genius is that genius has its limits.

[@robbabcock_]

Thanks for a great presentation; it's particularly stunning in 4k! 👏⚔🎇

[@RENATVS_IV]

Amazingly detailed video. Thank you for this quality content, once again

[@HistoriaMilitum]

Always glad to hear from you!

[@natedarosa3786]

Let’s go another Historia Militum video!!! 🔥🔥🔥

[@qubla2]

"...in safety and peace.." under domination and servitude! Greetings from Germany

[@aleksanderhristov7222]

make more videos lil bro can't sleep without your soothing voice at night

[@matthewmatt5285]

The only videos that I wish were Longer : )

[@philippschwartzerdt3431]

I like that you chose to have a similar music in the background as for the game “Pretorians” 🤔 It really creates a pleasant mood. 😉

[@calebroberts5422]

Love this channel as usual incredibly unique and interesting content .

[@HistoriaMilitum]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed!

[@user-cu3ok8ij5b]

Excellent video and very informative. The 3d rendering really adds to it.

[@lautaronavarra8226]

It would be interest a video of the romanization process of conquered territories. Love your vids 🤩

[@HistoriaMilitum]

That would make a fascinating video actually... Thank you, I'll note it down!

[@awkwardsaxon9418]

Mateo Pascual Music always takes me back :)

[@danko6582]

It reminds me of the Great Wall of China and Hadrian's wall. More about keeping watch and facilitating reinforcement by a rapid reaction force than a trench line.

[@DaniellaCoronel-pr9pq]

When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.

[@neilplace8522]

Fantastic vid! Thorough and detailed. Thanks

[@lachbullen8014]

I love Roman history and I have such a wonderful fascination... By the way what part of the Roman Empire do you generally focus on..

[@HistoriaMilitum]

Thank you for the donation! I suppose our channel has a natural lean towards the late Republican and early principate period, because the sources are the most descriptive for that period. But we will always try to tackle other periods as well!

[@lawsonbrady2586]

lets go

[@samym1694]

Yo I thought your gonna make vid about Part 3 of Dacian Wars or what Greek or Barbarian Battles looked like. I still wanted to know that some sources say that the Macedonian Phalanx protects whole unit from projectiles like arrows which doesn't make sense with their use of long but thin Sarissas & their small shield Pelta

[@HistoriaMilitum]

We are actually working on those exact scripts right now; the Dacian wars and what greek battles looked like. But we wont include Macedonian combat yet, maybe next time! We have 2 other videos that will be released before them though.

[@etherealessence]

Add fort Saalburg to my list for a European trip. Thanks for the heads up.

[@HistoriaMilitum]

You and me both! I thought the same when making the video, haha.

[@lachbullen8014]

I actually never knew that the Roman frontier was so complex I actually thought the Romans were light on natural barriers such as rivers in mountain...

[@jasonjason8783]

You sir got a follow just from this video alone 👏🏼 well done

[@soldier22881]

Thanks!

[@HistoriaMilitum]

You are most welcome :)

[@RoniiNN]

Didn’t know there where fragment of letters of such mundane matters from the Roman era.

[@JonEtxebeberriaRodriguez]

There are thousands of documents that have survived. The only downside is that a huge part of them are either incomplete or very damaged for reconstructing the text inside.

[@EokaBeamer69]

As always very interesting video. However I would love to see a legend and scale added to your maps to make them more comprehensible. :)

[@HistoriaMilitum]

A scale is actually a good idea... We will try to do that for the next one. What did you mean by the legend though? We had one for the forts which we color coded.

[@EokaBeamer69]

@@HistoriaMilitum Oh right I missed that because it was not always visible. :) Well anyway keep up the good videos, I freaking love your channel.

[@mariadespina80]

The Danubian Limes, or Danube Limes, refers to the Roman military frontier or limes which lies along the River Danube in the present-day German state of Bavaria, in Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania the ancient DACIA , In UNESCO.

[@blazejdrazkowski1608]

Great video:)

[@HistoriaMilitum]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Ridingaroundandgettingit]

Great work

[@sarcasmo57]

That would be a life of adventure and monotony.

[@JonEtxebeberriaRodriguez]

On equal quantities XD

[@Miamcoline]

Super interesting and realistic depiction. Thanks

[@KyoushaPumpItUp]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="112">1:52</a> Ooh BGM from Praetorians game!

[@aprilthunder]

Rome's INGENIOUS border defense strategy

[@brett.c1649]

So many similarities to my time in marine corps security forces pretty cool 😎

[@JohnSmith-jt5qr]

Thanks for using AD (and BC), so I can upvote you.

[@garypulliam3421]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="975">16:15</a> "... to self-sustain themselves ..." 😂

[@Deamonomnibusintenebris]

Great video!

[@rubenmontaini7676]

Bellissimo video, in più con la musica di Preatorians 😍😍

[@CaptinLongdong1]

Please do a video on post-battle influence it had on the region. Did locals go and pick up all the gear and sell it? Use it? Barter?

[@tonyromano6220]

Wow!

[@georgecristiancripcia4819]

Very nice video

[@user-xg3cq3by9n]

All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy, and great things in that which is small.

[@Bolognabeef]

Damn that's impressive ngl

[@istoppedcaring6209]

its interesting to think how similar these are to US forts in function, they essentially protect roman interests abroad

[@salty82ndveteran]

This is one of the best channels I have accidentally found on KZbin! I love how you break down the economics of ancient Rome! As an archaeologist I totally enjoy and support this channel.

[@HistoriaMilitum]

Thank you, glad to have you onboard. We have many more to come!

[@cutsqwishsqwish3724]

Great video

[@adrianlouw2499]

Great video.

[@iandaniel1748]

I hope add how tower depends from attack or how hold battle and proper use tactics

[@user-my9hg5hf9g]

Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.

[@numberyellow]

This is how you defend a border.

[@nevisstkitts8264]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="711">11:51</a> it seems the fortlets would employ an elevated structure for observation and communication with adjacent line-of-sight towers. The structure would not require the heavy construction of the independent watch and signal towers. Thus post and truss above an existing building would suffice. There is evidence that fortlets included towers in Ravenscar, Yorkshire, England where a fortlet was found to have a Latin inscription "Justinianus the First Centurion and Vindicianus the Magistrate built this tower and fortification from its foundations" Some speculate that fortlets would present a threat to any raiding party's ability to withdraw, particulary where the fort troops could march out and destroy improvised structures, boats or rafts necessary for exit past a body of water.

[@milanpavlovic2456]

Why wasn't the Maine river a part of the Roman border ? It would be a more logical and natural defensive line and thus by making a continuous Rhine-Main-Danube river border it would increase the defense of the empire and reduce maintenance

[@IosuamacaMhadaidh]

Hmmmmm... Good timing.😉

[@The_ZeroLine]

I don’t think anyone would ever think “a straight line of defenses would make more sense.” That’d be the type of thing someone with no idea of how to setup defensive bastions or lines would do.

[@user-db8su6rj6s]

A man who doesn't trust himself can never really trust anyone else.

[@faustinoelia965]

Am still waiting for The Dacian war part 3😊😊

[@_Bruno_Cesar_]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1094">18:14</a> In Latin America we refer to Germany as as Alemanha/Alemania. And the germans as Alemães/Alemanes. So... Its from these guys that this name came from. Since its the frontier that got occupied by them, i might be plausible to think this was an important tribe that the Romans got a lot of contact with. It might be from the events described on the video that originated the term, which is quite different from the english one.

[@atlantic_love]

LOL, who cares what Latin America thinks of Germany or the Romans :)

[@CrunchyNorbert]

Rome was fighting a losing battle trying to hold the CEP against all the rest of Eurasia at the Rhine and Danube

[@The_ZeroLine]

Hard to see what an easily burned hundreds of miles long timber palisade would achieve. The Romans knew to use stone. So, I have to question that bit. Anyway, I like that Opera tab organizer.

[@ciuyr2510]

When in doubt, build more towers & walls.

[@Marcus001]

Hadrian sure loved building walls

[@user-ho7sp1cq5t]

wheres the link for the merch?

[@HistoriaMilitum]

Just added it to the description. Thanks for the reminder!

[@unifiedhorizons2663]

Man image hanging out with boys and y’all like damn that’s a damn fine bath house then the massager soldier tell y’all gotta move destroy everything and move to the new fort god that be the worse I swear.

[@Sk0lzky]

Watchtower duty must've been hell. Probably boring as hell, cold (or too hot) and with garbage food, but when it stopped being boring there wasn't much you could do not to die a gruesome death (other than, perhaps, deserting in some cases)

[@steiner554]

Imagine if the germanic tribes kept working together. They might have done far more damage. But they kept fighting amongst themselves and occasionally attack the border.

[@920WASHBURN]

Talk to me about life on the backtier and I'll be impressed

[@ioanstef1983]

They Should've Made Swamps There!

[@loge7358]

What music did you use as the ambience?

[@Proud2bGreek1]

From an old game called Praetorians. There's a youtube video with the entire soundtrack.

[@jonbaxter2254]

Is it weird I think that watchtower looks cozy?

[@pierce9019]

Im fucking pissed they didn't industrialize, they were so close

[@DH-.]

I want to know about Roman hospitals, medicine and surgery procedures

[@HistoriaMilitum]

This is great idea for a video that is currently in the works. There is a lot to research here!

[@docjhanidoghouse3184]

Well crafted, informative video! One small "blooper"... the word is spelled "maintenance", not "maintainence". Other than that....um.....carry on!

[@paultyson4389]

Thanks. An excellent presentation.

[@Dr.Yalex.]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="436">7:16</a> Allowing FEWER forts and FEWER men...not "less forts" nor "less men"

[@davidgold5961]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="587">9:47</a> create video. At 9 minutes and 47 seconds, the word maintenance is misspelled.