The Horrifying Way Rome Dealt With Wartime Loss

[@stephanvenner2939]

I expected the decimation. To bury a vestalin alive if she breaks her virginity was the common punishment and has nothing to do with the battle of Cannae.

[@stephenpowstinger733]

Stephan Venner possibly a feminist interpretation here.

[@deguohendali1104]

John S that was used in order to strengthen resolve and prevent future desertion.

[@caryboy2006]

John S You don’t do that while on defensive. Decimation was done to legionary troops that bolted from a battle. There was no one to decimate after Cannae. The main fighting legions were wiped out or captured. Estimated dead was around 48,000.

[@oldrabbit8290]

i thought she was talking about the killing of 2 Gauls and 2 Greeks (ie, human sacrifice) after the battle of Cannae. but nope, bury a priestess, who was accused of adultery, alive.. don't get me wrong, it's awful - but also very common across the world during that time (and even long after that).. and not just in time of war either..

[@illegalaryan823]

@@oldrabbit8290 Feminist "historian"

[@CrimsonGuard1992]

For all the messed up things that happened in ancient history, someone being buried alive is rather tame.....

[@oswaldchai9865]

Much better than burying hundreds of thousands of surrendering enemy soldiers alive. Note that this is during the warring states of ancient China

[@CLASSICALFAN100]

The small amount of food & water was a formality. Buried underground in a sealed vault, the VV would have suffocated in less than an hour...

[@fuckman297]

CLASSICALFAN100 you’d spend a good couple of days in there tops. Humans don’t actually take in that much air I don’t think

[@SDeww]

+ Oswald Chai cant u see this is a feminist show with male bashing in it.

[@visiblejeff8886]

Demon Hunter I honestly thought it would have been flaying or mauled by dogs from the way they described it.

[@jonsteiner1182]

This video is misleading. It implies that Fabius Maximus arbitrarily decided to bury the Vestal Virgin alive for breaking her vow of chastity. He was actually following Roman law, which prescribed that a Vestal Virgin be buried alive (actually placed in a sealed chamber with a couch and some provisions, and then be left to die) for breaking her vow. This was not ritual murder but capital punishment. To us this seems horrible, but we are not Romans living over 2,200 years ago. The ancient Romans believed that the safety and success of Rome was based on the protection of the gods (the pax deorum, or peace of the gods), and that this protection was based on the strict adherence to ritual by the Romans in worshipping the gods. To the Romans, the Vestal Virgin had committed sacrilege by breaking her vow. She had endangered the entire community and had to be punished in a way that would appease the gods. By the way, her lover would have been whipped to death according to the law

[@oliberrr]

Maybe not murder in a legal sense. Still, unjust and inhumane.

[@GelebFlamebringer]

Lol Nazis, really?

[@d4rrylexmachina]

@@oliberrr sitting here n judgement thousands of years after, from the privilege of being born in the safest, wealthiest the in History is easy. Hope you can mantain those values when your society is falling apart, facing a real existential threat and you need a scapegoat for the peoples anger to be directed against. Is it nice? Fair? Humane? No. Was it necessary? Yes.

[@veritasnunc8749]

. Clearly I stated obeying orders is not always right. I regret you could not see my meaning. Have a great day, boy!

[@BELCAN57]

Unjust and inhumane in the 21st Century. Perfectly normal though in that period in time.

[@alfthealien]

This is extremely mild by ancient standards and I can even understand their rationale. I initially thought they massacred the entire population of weeping women.

[@cosimopastia8389]

Yes, yes, yes

[@finalment]

I had the same thought

[@Poodle_Gun]

ghost soldier, a lot of ancient cultures burned war widows on the funeral pyre.

[@BryonLetterman]

I think nailing someone to a cross is worse than what happened to that girl, and that's not to downplay what happened to her. But being crucified is basically the definition of a horrific death.

[@Seek1878]

Scaphism was worse.

[@tryfryingmikejones]

both are state abuse of power and your mind is small.

[@Darqshadow]

@@tryfryingmikejones Rome was a superstitios society with strong ties to tradition. Those Traditions allowed Rome to conquer the known world. This so called historian does not understand that Vestial Virgins were to be pure till their service ended at age 25-30. Till then they were to safegaurd the light of Rome, a brazier that burned eternally.

[@dgerdi]

Crucification is worse, when it comes to physical pain. To bury someone alive is more of a psychological torture. Both execution methods take days to be accomplished. Jesus died so fast, because they tortured him to the bones, because they feared, that he could have preached from the cross.

[@sabyasachibandyopadhyay8558]

Ever heard of the blood eagle?

[@bguen1234]

The slow, overly dramatic narration is tiring.

[@adlsfreund]

The whiny, overly negative commentary is annoying.

[@jstrahan2]

William Guenthner: I thought the same thing.

[@danielromberg685]

Like that comma?

[@inhumanfilth681]

Its not even 4 minutes long. Your lack of attention span and general whinyness is tiring.

[@millennialpopculture669]

William Guenthner you sound like a cry baby mature up or shut up

[@jorge1582]

Someone should introduce this lady to a real history channel HISTORIA CIVILIS

[@illegalaryan823]

Better yet, Dovahhatty and his "Unbiased History of Rome" series.

[@jasonmartin4775]

May I remind you that historia civilis also talked about how women were treated?

[@illegalaryan823]

@@jasonmartin4775 and goes into detail to remind the viewer of the context of the era.

[@MegaBlueShit]

@@jasonmartin4775 Yes historia civilis talks about women too, just as they should. Along with a great many other details about Roman society, and usually in a matter of fact way, while reminding the viewer that their society and morals were very different. What the makers of this video do here is cherry pick the two of the great many things Romans did after the immeasurable disaster that Cannae was for them, a time that called for truly desperate measures if Rome was to survive. Both of the measures they picked are things that effected mostly women, and which modern women can relate to. Probably stopped at two because they couldn't find any more. The other - in the historical sense far more important - measures aren't even mentioned. This is not actual history. It is showing history through a very narrow lens, from the viewpoint of modern feminist ideas. As such, the historical value of this documentary is severely limited.

[@GrandMoffTarkinsTeaDispenser]

And this video also fails to mention Fabius Maximus condemned every survivor of Cannae to EXILE to sicily for having lost when they doubled the enemy in number, and REFUSED to pay ransom for roman prisoners of the battle, dooming them all. So yeah there are fates much worse.

[@JohnSmith-il7jn]

I really do dislike Julius Caesar, he was against climate change, was a meat-eater and didn't drive a Prius.

[@alanjames19711]

Yeah he rode a chariot with real horse power.

[@SiliconBong]

no-one's perfect

[@mikewhite3936]

I heard he voted for Trump.

[@craigsteese2932]

John Smith Thanks for the laugh! I needed that!

[@lucianogalan3210]

Also he didn't respect women's desires to join the legion. That is the worst.

[@winzyl9546]

This is really common not just for the romans. I expected something more from all that dramatic opening.

[@justice_crash2521]

I am starting to lose my trust in this channel or the Smithsonians

[@davidk7212]

Join the club

[@thedwightguy]

Brits : re=writing history since before the Battle of Hastings???

[@BlazingOwnager]

@Just thoughts really The events of defeat and this capital punishment literally were not linked at all.

[@colossalbreacker]

I like how they managed to draw out something that could have been described in a few sentences to 3:45 seconds of drawn out suspenseful narration.

[@vornadopro6502]

Kwaringe

[@GrandMoffTarkinsTeaDispenser]

I am educated on the subject of the roman republic and the second punic war and I wish this channel would present this information with rigour and not in a dramatized way to obtain a reaction from a modern spectator unfamiliar with the subject of the video or roman society.

[@righttorecord3538]

If they did it your way nobody would watch the program.

[@ATtravel666]

@@righttorecord3538 You don't have to dumb it down or go over the top for it to be interesting. Some of my favourite childhood TV memories were from a history documentary series made by the BBC called Chronicle. Those sparked off my love for history. They gave the information without the overly dramatic crap that you tend to see today. I sometimes find 'popular' history shows to be quite patronising.

[@LiterallyGod]

I agree but I also understand dramatizing draws a different and additional type of viewer

[@boomboone47]

Anthony Thomas, I thinking remember that series.

[@mattchacon5065]

I’d recommend the channel invicta or lyndibeige to help you understand as both channels delve into both subjects with a lot of effort

[@danpierce8862]

I love how they associate masculinity with 10 year old brides and mythical rapes. Makes you wonder why they word it like that.

[@Tonixxy]

But hey, it worked. Hannibal failed and they burned Carthage to the ground.

[@tobywallis1412]

Liverpool 11 15th Century. And arguably from at least the 13th Century the “Roman” Empire was in no way Roman other than in name and location. After 1071, the Romans achieved no great victories and entered a slope of no return.

[@fransbuijs808]

Hannibal would have failed anyway. His goal was to have Rome's allies turn against the Empire and they didn't.

[@UgandanAirForce]

if only Hannibal had siege equipment

[@jonz2047]

@@fransbuijs808 I think there was a fair chance Hannibal could have attacked and sacked Rome after Cannae. Great as he was, Hannibal hesitated, and I think his fellow generals regretted it. But you're right Hannibal could not turn enough allies against Rome.

[@kennykeating5243]

Let's bring back ritual sacrifice 2019

[@stephenwood6663]

Cannae also led to the raising of two legions of Volones - slave volunteers, who were promised their freedom if they fought bravely. Rome was naturally wary of the idea of slave rebellion, and with good reason: it was something they'd have to face multiple times over the course of their history. It's hard to overstate the sheer stubborn determination of the Senate to drive back Hannibal, but the Volones were a vivid sign of that resolution.

[@ceilconstante7813]

Sometimes we get the romantic notion of how cool it would have been to lived in past eras but the reality is harsh.

[@utubecorporatetroll]

No mention of what happened on the battlefield after the loss. 1 out of 10 men of every poorly performing unit was stoned to death. Otherwise known as decimation.

[@anonamouse2780]

utubecorporatetroll sources? I thought this was when treason was suspected.

[@nima4797]

@@anonamouse2780 search it up yourself there are plenty online

[@wufongtanwufong5579]

@Anon Amouse Decimation was only used when a legion broke ranks and ran away from a battle. It wasn't done just because they lost a battle or treason. Although fleeing a battle was considered as betraying Rome amongst other things. So i suppose treason was involved

[@heliotropezzz333]

Decimation often involved one in 10 soldiers being killed by their fellow soldiers. The soldiers were forced to do it.

[@dgerdi]

Nah - that’s a punishment for men. Feminists don’t care about this stuff, so they didn’t cover this.

[@vikingdion3174]

I was expecting something horrific like every tenth man from the survivors be beaten by his comrades or more blood sports with the defeated soldiers but this as bad as it seems is not that bad. The whole video had an feeling of trying to pin this victim as a pawn in a mans world, like men against woman, where it really was the nobles against the peasants and common folk. What a let down

[@jonz2047]

I think it was Romans being terrified Hannibal was taking over and Roman custom must be followed so that cohesion among all Romans-- nobles and commons-- in the face of imminent danger is held firm. The vestal virgin seemed to break the custom at exactly the worst possible moment and get caught. The other vestal virgin accused of the same offense at the same time committed suicide.

[@worsethanjoerogan8061]

@@jonz2047 If I thought Hannibal was coming to sack my city I might have done the same thing she did

[@documentationslave397]

Survivors??? What survivors. Oh the mercenary cavalry which didn't even return to Rome? oof

[@a.t.c.3862]

Exactly.

[@oildrum2953]

"It's an appalling measure" >Oh wow. Who knew people from ancient period were like this. Nobody expected that!

[@persistentapparartionkitty5830]

Watch a solar flare take out the power grid and society will rediscover what Humans are really like without Smart Phones to pacify em.

[@kellyj5610]

And here I thought she was going to talk about Decimation in the Roman Army.

[@deino117]

The Carthaginians, on the other hand - in addition to practicing child sacrifice on a regular basis - had a tendency to execute generals who lost battles. Plenty of brutality to go around.

[@ClodiusP]

Indeed. Crucifixion was a Carthaginian punishment the Romans picked up.

[@carlomariaromano4320]

@@ClodiusP Romans "perfected crucifixion" and turned into a mass punishment. They were the crucifixion experts.

[@ClodiusP]

@@carlomariaromano4320 Contrary to popular opinion, and what Hollywood would have us believe, capital punishment was quite rare in the era of the Republic. There are of course famous incidents of it being carried out. E.g Sulla's execution of prisoners at the Colline gate, and Crassus' mass execution (by crucifixion) of the Spartacan rebellion (about 5000 on the Appian way).

[@trinitytwo14992]

You can tell how civilized a society is by the way they treat their women.

[@levievans2964]

neo-feminists seething in this comment section

[@jasonmartin4775]

Do you cheer on human burials?

[@bendover9620]

@@jasonmartin4775 I do. Not just live ones. How else will we bury the dead?

[@annwe6]

@@bendover9620 Cremation... or left out for the birds

[@chickengenius4202]

@@jasonmartin4775 only when it’s necessary

[@Raoul2122]

Bad documentary. Please just report facts, we are not interested in your personal judgement of Roman society

[@GrandMoffTarkinsTeaDispenser]

Yes indeed, I fear the childish reporting of everything nowadays. They have to insist on how evil the romans are just in case the spectators think someone who just reports the facts is siding with them.

[@fransbuijs808]

@@GrandMoffTarkinsTeaDispenser And to make the story exciting.

[@hoatattis7283]

I am, so shut the cake hole. This historian knows more about the Med than you my friend . If you don't like it go and get a book

[@ExVeritateLibertas]

No scholarship is complete today without a dose of woke feminazi bile.

[@britannistanhollandistan24]

Pseudohistorian at best

[@Otter-Destruction]

Oh I thought they were going to talk about Decimation.

[@jedispartancoolman]

It barely happened.

[@DowntownDeuce2]

Me too.

[@tryfryingmikejones]

one is corporal punishment in an armed forces context the other is governmentality. you are a shallow thinker! do better!

[@VatiWah]

Let's see... getting killed, along with 50,000 of my fellow brothers in a defeat or having to be married off at a young age. Hmmm.. which seems worse?

[@neondiddle2039]

I think I’d rather fight along side my brothers tbh

[@seabrook1976]

Would you rather be dead or hen-pecked?

[@KianoUyMOOP]

As I always tell myself whenever the very concept of arranged marriage crosses my mind: kill me first.

[@dude8746]

Their deaths were really truly horrendous just to add. Those in the center of the envelopment had to wait for hours awaiting to be cut down, while unable to move barely a foot in any direction. Some - perhaps going mad - just buried their heads in the ground and suffocated themselves rather than to live through the experience any further. In short, in this case, I would take marriage and hope for the best.

[@t.c.494]

Shhh, don't ruin their propaganda!

[@randomuser6175]

- We have lost the battle of Cannae! What should we do? - Bury a priestess alive duhhh!!!

[@unknownchannel3141]

Nothing about the man's lover who was whipped to death.

[@adams2558]

Please respect wamen

[@ExVeritateLibertas]

Men's lives don't matter. Especially old white men's. And these were really, really old white men. 70k casualties at Cannae. Just a minor detail.

[@adams2558]

@@ExVeritateLibertas please respect wamen

[@Seek1878]

What man's lover?

[@nima4797]

@@Seek1878 ur mom

[@overman6563]

It's only one women. 80,000 Roman men perished.

[@GrandMoffTarkinsTeaDispenser]

Rome lost like a quarter of it's adult male population during the second punic war let that sink in.

[@GrandMoffTarkinsTeaDispenser]

Sorry dear troll I never said that.

[@mathewkanapilly796]

Grand Moff Tarkin cool Carthage lost all of their lives 300000 in total along with their empire forever to the wind id say that’s worse than the Roman loses oh and their city was razed from existence

[@GrandMoffTarkinsTeaDispenser]

Hmmm that was the third punic war and we are talking Cannae so...

[@mathewkanapilly796]

Grand Moff Tarkin ya which took place pretty much right after they’re grouped together for a reason

[@marcmonnerat4850]

The battle of Cannae was only the last of a series of defeat (Ticinus, Trebia, Lake Trasimene). One-fifth of Rome's adult male population has been wiped off in under two years by Hannibal.

[@Unnatural09]

Scapegoating just as people have been doing for generations

[@2fluffs]

Women and children are always the target.

[@hoosierhiver]

Lock her up!

[@lv7603]

Sadly self serving till the end.

[@Unnatural09]

Also as this also explains why many Christians were prosecuted by Romans. As it's easier to blame the problems of the empire to a "cult" during those times.

[@hpensive]

They made it seem like this was new or something, it's an example of how archaic the spirituality of the Roman's were, despite technological fortitude. Sound familiar anyone?

[@brianfoley4328]

Well, before you fall for this revisionist history...read other historians. The Romes did commit "human sacrifice" after the losses at Cannae, there are many historical accounts, but the mistake here is in the interpretation....the sacrifices were related to the prophesies of the Sybil and were recognized at the time as being dramatic and unusual, but due to the circumstances, necessary.

[@GrandMoffTarkinsTeaDispenser]

Wow at last someone educated on the subject thank you Trish.

[@armandosaldanamora9821]

I'd suggest that somebody at the Smithsonian would read a Greek tragedy (or a history book) before posting a video as misinformed as this.

[@yanniskarageorgiou3573]

Why this is between Carthage and Rome? Also they did it and won so no problem.

[@DarkMatterX1]

Pop history bullshit with a feminist twist. That's what this video is.

[@yanniskarageorgiou3573]

@@DarkMatterX1 Historically accurate they just didn't mention how her lover was whipped to death or how 80,000 men died.

[@DarkMatterX1]

@@yanniskarageorgiou3573 It's not even really historically accurate. They omit numerous details. They lead those who don't know roman society, history or culture to think this was a one time affair ordered by Fabius. This was the law. Then they go on to whine about aching machismo. This is tripe.

[@tenarzatuanu3738]

@FBI you clearly don't know much. Romans occasionaly would sacrifice for example a pair of foreign slaves. It happens few times in the history and is well documented.

[@yetidynamics]

isn't superstition just a wonderful thing?? /s

[@ajmittendorf]

Superstition is hideous, yes, but religion, itself, is still important. I say this only because some people see superstition and religion as one. I do not, and ridding ourselves of religion in the name of ridding ourselves of superstition would be a prime example of "throwing out the baby with the bathwater," if you'll please pardon the cliche.

[@jerometaperman7102]

@@ajmittendorf - No, there is no difference between superstition and religion. In both cases people go through inane rituals in a futile attempt to improve their lot.

[@ajmittendorf]

@@jerometaperman7102 I hold that you're wrong, and there is no changing my mind.

[@jerometaperman7102]

@@ajmittendorf - You are certainly within your rights to believe what you want. The same is true for me but I tell you that I could change my mind if I were presented with good evidence. I believe none of the dozens of stories that have been put before me, and I am aware that there are hundreds besides those, for the simple reason that they are are equally empty, devoid of proof. There is nothing to cause a thinking person to choose one over another but, more than that, there is nothing to suggest that ANY of them are real.

[@ajmittendorf]

@@jerometaperman7102 If I shared a link for a video, would you give it a watch?

[@t.c.494]

Romans believed (the vestal virgin included) that things had to be done a certain way to find favour the gods, or they would be punished. Any vestal virgin that broke their vow was demonstrating that she was willing to risk the vengeance of the gods for personal pleasure. A punishment not only on themselves, but everyone. Even if it isn't the case, if you believe your actions will bring about harm to others and you continue you are guilty. Remember the experiment where people were told to electrically shock someone in the next room? Even if the people were not being shocked, the people pushing the button thought they were and were therefore guilty. This video shows an inability to think critically, and is grossly biased.

[@adamhonestyanddecency5054]

I’m more focused on the fact that the Romans couldn’t think critically, vis a vis religion.

[@ltmundy1164]

Millgram experiment.

[@Oppeldeldoc1]

Banning public mourning during a war sounds a lot like banning FOOTAGE of the wrong kind during a war, which this country's government has tried to do many times. (Unfortunately the news networks cooperate with that idea a lot of the time.)

[@shotforshot5983]

Without that, the Japanese and the Nazis might have wrested control of the entire globe.... i suggest you take a broader look.

[@finddeniro]

No Report on Enemy Killed..MIAs... . .WW4 next on dance card...

[@maybeiam3367]

shot forshot that would have been a good thing.

[@Seadog7981]

@bisquitnspanky trump does not ban any media, he call them on their lies and misinformation. Sometimes he over does the fake news thing but there is a lot of truth in it.

[@Oppeldeldoc1]

@bisquitnspanky When some people (like presidents) talk about "the Vietnam Syndrome," that's often what they're REALLY talking about. Vietnam interfered with the "gung ho" attitude about wars, and "ending the Vietnam Syndrome" really means getting the "gung ho" attitude back.

[@Sebanoe]

Let's not forget the thousands of men that died in battle or the Colosseum.

[@9879SigmundS]

Sebanoe, you are not with the program.

[@alyssabrianlaube6935]

It wasn't built until much later 80 ce sorry

[@temporaldisplacement]

Well there are hundreds of books and documentarys on the battles Rome fought ...here's a story of civillian barbarism following millitary loss and you cry "Who will think of the poor soldiers" ...STFU ...really.

[@vikingdion3174]

ALYSSA L haha right? gladiators is what he must have meant, however, blood sports amongst slaves and volunteers had happened well before the construction of the colosseum, his point is partially justified.

[@Amateur_Pianist_472]

Sebanoe and who forgets that? It’s a topic that’s repeated over and over. Then when there just one, just one story on women who were murdered, there’s always a ‘think of the men’ comment. At least soldiers and gladiators were given weapons to defend themselves. This was an execution not a competition.

[@ciaran5588]

"The Romans thought burying a woman alive would purify the state". Husbands all over the country going to the shed for their shovels thinking, "now why didn't I think of that?"

[@ShaneyElderberry]

As cruel as it is to sacrifice an innocent woman, the narrator's voice probably overemphasised the horror to a modern Western audience. We read, not so infrequently, about drones obliterating civilian homes within the Levant by military organisations in the present day.

[@Hyperpandas]

Rather be hit by a drone than buried alive to die of thirst. They aren't even on comparable levels of agony.

[@myoung48281]

And the intent of drone bombing is similar to the sacrifice of that poor girl in Rome, lol.

[@folbykleetwood7462]

@@myoung48281 not really

[@Slayer119988]

mark y no, the intent of drone bombings are kill orders aimed at targeted individuals suspected of terrorist or paramilitary activity. But the result is similar to the roman girl, because innocent civilians are caught in the crossfire of something they had nothing to do with, and didn't cause. Drones give us an advantage because they then don't risk a human life sending it into battle. They shouldn't squander that advantage by killing civilians with a sloppy and uncoordinated assault.

[@Rspsand07]

She wasn't "innocent". She broke vows *SHE* made, knowing the exact punishment attributed to it.

[@bigpaulie806]

It's amazing how much history is still standing

[@leomes]

Judging history by present-day standards is one of the most idiotic things one can do.

[@s0515033]

We can say it is bad by ours standards. That's how ethics works. It's universally applicable and objective.

[@Tetemovies4]

@@s0515033 "by our standards" is literally the opposite of "objective"

[@abbygale420guin2]

" I'll give you something to cry about "

[@JohnnyAngel8]

LOL!

[@vincentwinkleblech3614]

Cannae was a year after lake Trasimene. 2 HUGE losses in a year or so must have been terrifying for Rome !

[@wejie]

I wish she spoke with a clear voice rather than trying to emotionalize her narration.

[@EatAtJoes]

Thank you so much for this obviously agenda-free history lesson, Smithsonian. FFS...

[@Seek1878]

Show us on the doll where it hurt you.

[@RobertEWaters]

Those in this thread who think that the vestal's fate was "mild" should try going without water for a day or two. I think they'd change their minds.

[@PiperTMTotalWar]

Hannibal's brilliance crushed Rome at Cannae.

[@ElementofKindness]

Wow Smithsonian. Way to twist history, to get clicks.

[@starguy2718]

The Smithsonian is "woke", as if you didn't already know that.

[@yuenhai]

But the sacrifice sort of worked, didn't it They did turn the war around and won

[@petergray2712]

Hannibal didn't have a siege train. He could threaten a Latin city with economic ruin by destroying crops, but he couldn't besiege or storm them. Basically he dicked around Italy for years because he could only tie up Roman troops that would otherwise be employed against Carthage, and he extorted money from Roman settlements to keep paying for his army. Cannae was a major defeat for the Romans, but the strategic situation wasn't altered by the loss

[@xxxdieselyyy2]

@@petergray2712 Hannibal sorta relied on mercenaries. They we're expecting daily or frequent payout. When Romans figured this out, they just sorta waited em out built forts in barren passes etc that would take long time to besiege, had little gold for loot and frustrate Hannibal's mercs who were in it for the glory of loot. While this was being figured out the common public needed a reason they can understand and hence this sacrifice.

[@eamonnprunty]

Vlodec good one😂😂

[@nlabanok]

Oh lord, it is asinine to suggest the sacrifice "sorta worked"....that Rome ultimately prevailed had ZERO to do with the sacrifice. That these 2 events coincided is called precisely that -- a coincidence. If you're having trouble understanding this then also refer to a principle in statistics that correlation of 2 events does not equal causation between them.

[@nlabanok]

@Vlodec Are you acquainted with the principle of "I wasn't responding to YOUR comment"....if I had been, then I'd have done precisely that...by clicking the reply button underneath YOUR comment like I'm doing now...but instead I replied to the original commenter (Val) who appears to be at least marginally serious with his silly comment that it "sorta worked, didn't it".

[@boomerman1100]

I remember scripture regarding a woman who similarly committed adultery and was to be stoned to death. Jesus, nearby, says to the crowd, "Let he among you who has not sinned cast the first stone." And one by one, beginning with the eldest, they depart.

[@Seek1878]

Then a stone flew out of nowhere and hit Jesus on the side of the head. Holding his head, Jesus looks around and yells: "OH COME ON MOM!"

[@Chebab-Chebab]

Buried alive. Introverts: Yes, please.

[@ENiceGeo]

You know what's missing here? No mention that ritual sacrifice to appease the gods was something practiced by other ancient empires as well.

[@feereel]

?????? human sacrifice was mentioned in the bible by pretty much every culture mentioned including the israelites...it was very common in the middle east and europe until around the 18th century

[@jackraven2347]

I mean, they won at Zama, it must've worked for something.

[@Sardonac]

That doesn't follow.

[@thebasedspectre3048]

@@Sardonac does it not?

[@Sardonac]

@@thebasedspectre3048 Nope.

[@thebasedspectre3048]

@@Sardonac YES

[@casienwhey]

One of history's greatest "what ifs" What if Hannibal had besieged Rome after his victory at Cannae?

[@clintonramos2393]

He would lost lol, The correct "what ifs" is what if Carthage had sent reinforcements or what if the neighbouring tribes rose up against Rome.

[@starguy2718]

@@clintonramos2393 How would Hannibal have lost? The Roman army had just been destroyed, and there was just the home garrison, to defend the city, from Hannibal's army.

[@crystalglass7106]

Citizen: They shove a living snake up your @$$" Roman Senator: no but, very creative"

[@mrzed2349]

Bettany gained some serious weight

[@detectivefowler4135]

She got huge tittays!! 😀

[@podsmpsg1]

Their ego was bruised, that's all. They thought they were invincible.

[@DipsyMum29]

STEVE P and yet again a woman had to pay the price.

[@podsmpsg1]

DipsyMum29 they believed non-Romans were inferior.

[@manawa3832]

@Vlodec Cody Tweloeki from North Pine Pennsylvania and leading expert on da mUsLiMs is here with us today

[@Tetemovies4]

They lost a quarter of their male population but yeah it's just "Their ego was bruised, that's all." I'd love to ear your take on WW1, it must be brilliant.

[@Tetemovies4]

​@@DipsyMum29 Thousand of men die to protect Rome from a hord of rapists and murderers and a cheating priestress and her lover both get executed but somehow you find a way to make it about feminism, well done.

[@Zamolxes77]

To put things in perspective, romans lost MORE soldiers at Cannae ... than GB did in the 1st day of the Battle of the Somme ! That's guys with swords, javelins and rocks (slingers) killing MORE people than machineguns, rifles and artillery shells. Tech level being somewhat even, is about skill of the commander and his soldiers.

[@davidk7212]

History saw people boiled alive, people burned alive, people skinned alive, people baked alive, people eaten alive, people held down while their lungs were ripped out, men hung up by their testicles until they tore off, peopled lowered onto the Judas Chair, people hung upside down and sawed in half, etc. Being walled up in a room to die of thirst is almost merciful by the standards of the day. Now if she was genuinely buried alive in a tight coffin, against her will, that would be different because the terror factor would be incomprehensible.

[@danielplainview2360]

An even more horrific way would be to force people to watch the Smithsonian Channel 24/7. Clockwork Orange style.

[@teslagirl1]

I question whether this woman actually broke her vow. Like other embattled governments in other times, the supposed crime and its horrific punishment may simply have been a way of distracting the populace, reassuring the frightened and forestalling unrest.

[@andychauhan6544]

All that and passing the buck.

[@teslagirl1]

@Natasel Not that she is a lone woman, but that the government would choose to do THIS for reasons that may have had nothing to do with this woman. Certainly it would not have been the first or last time a woman was sacrificed to political expediency. Usually following a show trial. There were other things they could have done if unifying the populace and making them feel right with the Gods were their only aim. Even a few constructive things. But they pacified and entertained their citizens (and presumably the gods) with the spectacle of a frightened girl going to a very dark and very slow death. I would feel the same way if it were a man whose death were used for political reasons.

[@teslagirl1]

@bisquitnspanky Great thumbnail, beautiful little dog. But unless you appreciate Tacitus and would like to discuss the psychology of power politics as it relates to situations such as this one, I'm afraid your charming conversational opening will just have to be wasted.

[@vguyver2]

More likely than anything, someone made the accusation, and she was immediately found guilty. Even if she wasn't a virgin, it wouldn't be too surprising if the interrogator raped her just to make sure the Roman Propaganda to scapegoat her would work.

[@iannordin5250]

@Natasel well those thousands of men were volunteers who died fighting for their nations, the woman was most likely an innocent sentenced to death for political reasons

[@Jauhl1]

Aside from life burial being the proscribed punishment for vestal oath breaking and having nothing to do with Cannae. Fabius Maximus wasn't "Rome's ruler" as such. He had previously been elected dictator after Hannibal's early victories and pursued a war of attrition denying Hannibal the opportunity for crushing battle victories. He became mockingly known as cunctator "the delayer" and many viewed this strategy as cowardice and he was replaced with men who wanted to meet Hannibal mano a mano. They assembled the greatest army Rome by far had ever fielded and met Hannibal at Cannae, where this army was not simply beaten but annihilated. At the news the senate didn't dare to face the people. Instead Fabius Maximus went out to tell them what happened and what needed to be done. Despite not being dictator again, he was now viewed as a the divinely inspired savior of the nation, everything he proposed was immediately adopted with little or no debate.

[@steamtorch]

Thanks for sparking my memory of "Fabian tactics" as they are now called.

[@justinscivally2986]

Shoutout to this professor he was my history teacher in college totally just stumbled upon this video he’s the best

[@rbenm]

I fought Rome the Republic. Never the Empire

[@galidornelkenmeer]

K so 70,000 dudes slaughtered and left rotting in the field equals one chick dying of starvation. Got it. That is the thing she is focusing on as "horrific" here.

[@magnum8256]

Ancient people be like "Something bad happened! Better bury people alive for safe "

[@paulfaber6227]

The tactics at the Battle of Cannae 216bc where the Hannibal's Carthaginian army killed 80000 Romans in a day were similar encirclement tactics the Russians used against the Germans at Stalingrad in 1942 to 1943.

[@jeffreykalb9752]

I don't consider Bettany Hughes to be a genuine historian. She was always window dressing. But even drapes get old.

[@tonylast9181]

Correct, she's merely a tv presenter, not a historian. If you want Roman history, check out Mary Beard. She has written books, made documentaries that are factually correct and doesn't overdo it

[@carlomariaromano4320]

@@tonylast9181 Mary Beard is another leftist, PC and feminist historian.

[@davidkay7389]

Rome loses battle, woman most affected

[@bestamerica]

hi D K... ' thank to strong vikings destroyed the romes

[@thestart5424]

Bro 1/5th to 2/5th of the adult male population had just died in the battles of canaae and battle before it and other half had to be called to defend the city.

[@thebasedspectre3048]

@@bestamerica no Vikings did exist back then

[@Arturo005100]

@@thestart5424 yes, but focus on the one woman who was killed, what a brutal society am i right? Its not like it was their law or anything

[@erwin669]

@@theeternal1766 The Normans were Norse that settled in northern France during the 9th and 10th centuries. The Norse didn't exist at the time of Hannibal's invasion of Italy and wouldn't exist until around the 5th or 6th century AD, so about another 700 years after the Battle of Cannae

[@randomobserver8168]

Roman law was wildly harsh or lenient in ways that don't quite match up to any modern assumptions. They tortured and crucified slaves, war prisoners and some other foreigners, but you could legally do neither to a Roman. [You could illegally do torture in coups and civil wars, if you handled the PR right, but so it goes. Even then, many on your side would call it OTT and desert you.] You could exile citizens from the homeland [though usually to other parts of Italy or provinces], but traditionally not imprison them. They had very different ideas about what offended the body and dignity of a Roman. There were ways you could or could not execute a Roman, too.

[@jimgritty7064]

Hannibal was the man. Don't mess with The 'Bal.

[@lowratehitman]

cant throw a non virgin into the volcano!!!!!!

[@excuzza]

4 minutes in one sentence.. “Ancient Rome would bury people alive to appease their gods in times of loss”.

[@BlazingOwnager]

It's not even true though. They'd bury them alive for reasons unrelated to loss.

[@spinmancorner7543]

And here you can see people, societies, and politics has never changed among mankind...

[@Poodle_Gun]

Finally, an intelligent comment.

[@MM-tw7pu]

What about being buried a live as an infant just because their parents didn’t wanna have a baby girl? That is what a number of societies around Asia use to do about 1500 years ago.

[@fjb4932]

M M Why do we ignore China's One Child law a mere 25 years ago ? Now they don't have enough women ...

[@FlyxPat]

Human sacrifice The charge they leveled at Carthage

[@ahmedjebali7065]

me screaming in my dream 2:19

[@swirlcrop]

This is scapegoating, pure and simple. This is horrible.

[@travisd7888]

Is this channel a worthwhile channel that provides accurate events?

[@hokeywolf3416]

How about the 80,000 men who died in battle? Wasn't that horrific?

[@tom_something]

You may not be aware of this, but there are already seven hundred quadrillion documentaries covering that. Pro tip: Google "Rome".

[@hokeywolf3416]

@@tom_something no shit....I was pointing out the comparative battle loss vs. the hosts comments on the sacrifices.

[@deanseawa]

Is a professor from a Chicago university really the best expert you could find?

[@CLASSICALFAN100]

People from Chicago think so...lol

[@panos617]

It's another way : Send Scipio and 15.000 men in Carhege.

[@roys8870]

That is why the Roman Empire, from the republic to the emperors lasted for over a thousand years. The British Empire on the other hand lasted for only about 200 years.

[@ruggv6217]

Don't forget to look at something that happened over 2000 years ago through the lens of today's morals. Don't just state what happened as a fact. Make it tragic and amplify the tragic nature by having a woman narrate what happened to a woman. Also, make sure you state how macho the society was and make it sound like a bad thing (not taking into consideration the time in history).

[@ajmittendorf]

Very little difference between this sacrifice and abortion today. The face is different, but the people, then and now, are the same.

[@carlomariaromano4320]

Double standard and self-righteous hypocrisy.

[@lomelyo]

Romans rarely practiced human sacrifice. In fact, they hated it and knew it made them savages. Cannae was an exception out of desperation because it was their third devastating loss by Hannibal.

[@tarn1135]

Love it that modern people still judge the past by those same modern standards. The comment just below explains this better.

[@rodrikofharlaw6848]

I'd like to point out that this is the last time Rome ever committed ritual sacrifice of people. And even before Hannibal's rektoning they'd been phasing out the practice much like the Greek had hundreds of years before.

[@naevia9010]

Don't tell that to all the people who died in the arena to honor the gods and appease the masses

[@rodrikofharlaw6848]

@@naevia9010 Thats way different than ritual sacrifice

[@randomobserver8168]

Strictly speaking all they did was sentence an oath-breaker who had held a vital position of the state to death. Not at all unheard of in the classical world. The impulse survived the millennia, to be sure. Why add the melodrama just because it was a woman? The Vestals wielded considerable social and political power and knew the terms of their offices included maintaining a strict reputation.

[@brucewayne3892]

"a horrific fate"... Bitch please, I can think of 100 things off the top of my head that has happened to people WAY worse than this.

[@cheahlionel8925]

Modern Italy: It's a me Mussolini?

[@absurdengine8502]

Thousands of Rome's men died in combat: A Wartime Loss One woman buried alive: Horrific

[@colossalbreacker]

well that wasn't very WOKE Rome . . .

[@juslangley]

What practice is common and accepted today that people in a thousand years might find appalling?

[@nggaknormal]

You know if we talk about cannae aftermath there are more things done than just burying a girl alive

[@worsethanjoerogan8061]

Before calling Rome patriarchal you should look up the punishment for a man getting caught with a Vestal. It involves severing his dangly bits

[@lmjesus2192]

Shhhh they have a narrative to push here. We can't have a balanced out look on history now can we?

[@alcd6333]

This lady barely speaks above a whisper and her narration is lousy. In effect, an interesting historical topic is ruined.

[@thedwightguy]

the USA has millions of students graduating with a degree in Speech Communication, and yet Uboob, CNN ATLANTA, usa, and Aussie Rupert Murdoch seems to try to find Brits. who 'chop" their words off, run them together, and have bad enough "Kings' English" to need SUBTITLES like their movie "Trainsportting". What's THAT all about???

[@Chrisjude100]

I am British, and my mother taught me to speak clearly. My diction is Yorkshire accented, yes, but understandable wherever English is spoken. I get compliments on this all the time, and I find it worthwhile. Today, it seems that you should be ashamed of avoiding glottal stops (warhuh, bohul) and the innits and wonnits, in what is now called Estuary English.

[@naevia9010]

This type of execution absolutely is horrible, but this was not the only way Rome dealt with wartime loss, nor was it the most gruesome. Just off the top of my head, I think that having prisoners of war eaten alive by predators, slaves fighting each other to the death in the arena, public tortures and executions, mass crucifixions, and genocides, all to distract the population from wartime anxiety were drastic, cruel, and appalling measures as well. Ones that had a bounty count of dozens of thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) from the beginning of the republic to the end of the empire.

[@Dr.Pepper001]

When the Papacy became the ruling power in Rome, they were more horrific than the Ceasars had been.