What Really Happened To The Crucial Roman Legion That Vanished From History? | The Ninth | Timeline

In this first episode, Tristan Hughes tracks the history of the Ninth Legion across the British Isles. From its arrival in Britain during the Claudian Invasion to a dice with death in the Scottish midlands and the last time it is mentioned in history. Featuring Dr Miles Russell, Dr Rebecca Jones, Dr Simon Elliott, Lucy Creighton and Dr Andrew Tibbs.
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[@TimelineChannel]

You can watch Episode 2 right here! -----> Sign up to History Hit with code 'timeline' for a huge discount! ​bit.ly/3dPKsuC

[@cain8134]

Watch a movie call The Eagle (2011) with Channing Tatum,Jamie Bell,Donald Sutherland,Mark Strong. It's a fictional tale about the story of the ninth . It's actually not that bad of a movie ;) , I personally liked it . Enjoy ;)

[@znmcmhn]

@@cain8134 Thank you for sharing. It looks good - My second thought were why is there not a movie on the 3 legions that battled in the rhine. But, as the rhine documentary notes, there are still deep rifts to this day.

[@ritchielovegrove9545]

@@cain8134 you're not wrong about this film there's also a film with a similar story based on the 9th Ritchie 🇦🇺

[@user-lj5xn4ro2g]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXvTYWmworV_aM0 kzbin.info/www/bejne/oImuoYKVes1miq8 kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpXFpYOci5mEmrs kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpm2qmptntZ-qJI kzbin.info/www/bejne/bHOXm418nbZ7fM0 kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHu1gKKPoNN0pKs kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJy3oHtoipKbpbc kzbin.info/www/bejne/l33KqZhmmLSLi80 kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2q5oK13oNJ0hbM ☣ ☠ ☣🌈⛲️☀️🕶👣🏄‍♂️🌌

[@michaelkradenych6408]

LMAO

[@terencehill1971]

The Eagle of the Ninth was not only a "must read" book at my junior school--it was a radio play and the whole school would move to the gym and sit upon the wooden floor while the enormous tannoy speaker was wheeled out and the BBC play spoke to us all--at the time I was fascinated by the sound effects--the horses, clanking weapons, shouting in the distance more than the dialogue--all this sixty-five years ago.

[@bk1147]

Me too.. I loved the book when I was in primary school in the early 70s!

[@kristandevries4835]

That s how little kids should be educated !

[@jackmay52]

Hey Siri Fox yeah I got Alexa

[@richx9035]

Sounds fabulous. I loved Rosemary Sutcliffe’s novels and I then read a trove of historical novels after that. There were a bunch of books by Treece which I really enjoyed too. The Hornblower series was great as well.

[@BlackStump172]

@@richx9035 Me too ! School through the 60’s . Not just boys ! I am a girl . Book worms read everything .

[@cardboardempire]

Timeline....where I automatically fast forward the first 2minutes.

[@BA-gn3qb]

I forward to the last 20 seconds. Then I can replay without commercials.

[@syewilliams2372]

🤣 lmao I’ve just done that

[@21cranberries21]

Lol

[@cardboardempire]

@@BA-gn3qb Are you a wizard?

[@jamesjack6769]

@@cardboardempire He's a PC wizard, he knows every trick. 🤪

[@jayharper3491]

Rosemary Sutcliff wrote three stories, The Eagle of the Ninth, The Silver Branch, and The Lantern Bearers, all centred in Roman Britain. They are collected in a book called 'Three Legions.'

[@fidomusic]

I remember reading Eagle of the Ninth. It was engrossing. Haven't read the other two.

[@cathipalmer8217]

Also Frontier Wolf. And these are part of a larger series about the "Aquila" family and the dolphin ring. "Sword at Sunset" (the King Arthur story) also has the Aquila of "The Lantern Bearers" and his son, Flavian.

[@Deb2252]

I have all of her books about the Aquilas. I read them as a kid and re-read them. I am 70. The idea of living by honor touched me.

[@paavobergmann4920]

as a kid, I came across it purely by accident when browsing the local library, and swallowed all three. It´s an intriguing story arc, really worth reading. Later in my twenties, i searched the internet to buy all three books, i just needed to have them. The way she writes makes you really feel everyday life in a roman colony, down to the smalles, most mundane details, like when two romanized friends meet over wine, and each is tossing the first sip on the floor, quite customary, as an ofering to Jupiter and the Penates. It´s really captivating.

[@ottovonbismarck2443]

I've read them all as a kid in the early 80s. I still have them and re-read them every decade.

[@thedriszen8350]

Got to keep an open mind about this, as there is little record or evidence to go by. But since there were other legions in Britannia (all dealing with various problem tribes), its logical to suspect that at some point it may have been necessary to consolidate legions. It was very costly/difficult to send replacements that far from Rome, so might make sense just to split up the remaining 9th (the worst depleted legion) to quickly bring the others back to full strength. Back in Rome, it may have just seemed a minor bookkeeping oversight. We'll likely never know.

[@Tam0de]

I was just thinking about the exact same thing. What if they decided to send out what was left of the 9th to reinforce the other legions in their various campaigns? Not saying that's what happened but if that's the case, what's there to write about the 9th? Nothing. So we don't hear about it in the historical records because there's simply nothing to document about. Doesn't mean they were all annihilated to the very last man. It just means the 9th, after suffering heavy casualties, was simply disbanded, its surviving personnel sent off to help out with ongoing campaigns somewhere else.

[@smoke1830]

Or perhaps the leaders kept the Ninth as a fictional unit so Rome sent them the cash to pay it, but the men were sorted to the other legions? Similar to what English lords did in the Sharpe's series.

[@martinamonicamaestas2570]

@@smoke1830 The Soldiers did complain, and were punished, could be that of what you said so they would not be punished, instead, and so that they could get paid, and to "follow-not follow," to prove

[@martinamonicamaestas2570]

that the 9th Legion Soldiers were "bad" and received punishment, by the harsh orders of Rome to kill every tenth Soldier. So could be, "to 're-treat (with a paycheck) to fight again (in another un it)".

[@memirandawong]

It will be a mystery until it isn't!

[@docbrosk]

"The Eagle of the Ninth" was the first book I read on Roman Britain - for that matter, on the Roman legions - in the late 1950s. It sparked my interest in Sutcliff's work and that of others on similar topics. Her "Lantern Bearers" (the last in her trilogy on Roman Britain) is something we should all re-read: It deals with the dying years of Roman Britain and a glimpse of the origin of the Arthurian legend. Ave atque vale!

[@CHCLA6779]

"The Eagle of the Ninth" remains my favorite childhood book. First read it when it came out (I am rapidly approaching 73) - borrowed from the library while on summer vacation. I must have been terribly enthusiastic and told the whole family the story at supper one night, because my father immediately picked it up. And every summer after that, I'd check it out and Dad and I would 'fight' about who got to read it first. I have all three of the Roman Britian trilogy and love them. Was so excited to find this documentary on KZbin! Thank you for the upload.

[@bsaneil]

Alan, there was a follow up book to 'The Lantern Bearers' that Rosemary wrote called 'Sword at Sunset', which details Artorius' adult life and the ultimate fate of Aquila. After this came a book called 'Dawn Wind' which features Owain, a distant descendent of the original Marcus and his Great - multigreat grandson Aquila, and is set around the time of the visit by St. Augustine, and the last vestiges of Romano British culture.

[@katherinesmolin7794]

0

[@docbrosk]

@@bsaneil Never ever heard if ut befiore. I will sweek ir out. Many thanks!

[@valerieobrien5521]

Is Boudicca the same person whom we learned of in our history of lessons named Boadecaea ? ( Can't spell it properly but it sounds l ike Bo da see a ) Can anyone enlighten me on this ?

[@elizabethannegrey6285]

Oh, The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliffe - now that brings back memories of plunging into history as a young child and an avid reader. You got me from the start!!!👏👏👏

[@LittleRedSlipper]

'went straight to purchase for my little neighbor!

[@fredgervinm.p.3315]

Ahhh, the imagination with a good story teller... A Great Adventure story for any young man.

[@QED_]

props

[@jenniferberensen3048]

Ooohh! I read The Eagle of the Ninth and many other Rosemary Sutcliffe novels! So lovely to hear of someone else who has too!

[@MikeWhiskyTango]

I was 15 yrs old and my Mum gave me the Eagle of the Ninth book to read. I was hooked forever.

[@micheltibon6552]

😀😀When you mentionned your fascination as a youngster with the Romans I was thinking what the name of that English writer was who wrote books about the disappearance/withdrawal of the Romans from Britain. And then you held up her book..The Ninth Legion. I have fond memories of reading her books at a young age.

[@AmandaComeauCreates]

There's a good series by a Canadian named Bishop I think too. Multi book series

[@williamkennedy5492]

The old Roman military road can be such a lonely road to travel as you head up towards Newcastle. I heard the stories of the 9th being seen marching along that road but i have never witnessed anything of the sort, but its a damn good yarn ! Its a very interesting area to travel through and to stop and look !

[@simonlawrencesings]

Like that old house in York, where people over the years say they saw and heard Roman soldiers marching in the basement. But they only saw the soldiers from the waist up. When they dug down they found a Roman road beneath the basement. No idea if true haha (was on a York ghost tour) but a great story!

[@kymmoore853]

@@simonlawrencesings it wasn’t people it was a person called Harry Martindale who, at the time, was an apprentice heating engineer. He apparently witnessed “at least 20 Roman soldiers visible only from the knees up...” in the cellar of the treasurers house. It shook him so much he took two weeks off work and, due to ridicule, didn’t talk about it for around 20 years.

[@GILR8]

@@kymmoore853 I can't prove it happened, but I do personally believe it. The Archeological Excavation was certainly a real, true, event that definitely happened. I saw him give an interview on a ghost show dealing with Roman Soldier Apparitions. He gave this interview in the same basement where he described his maintenance work. The show filmed the Actual & Very Real, Ancient Roman Cobble-Stoned Street some feet below the ground floor Level of this particular basement. The (9th?) Roman Legion was seen marching from their knees up from this ground floor Basement Level FIRST, then AFTERWARDS is WHEN The Archeologists Discovered the Roman Cobble-Stoned street which explains WHY Harry Martindale only saw The Legion from their knees up from the Basement ground floor. I also read a personal account of how a young man saw a Roman Legion Fighting & Dying in some National Forest Preserve in Scotland before they Disappeared. I can't remember the name of the Park, but I do remember it was in Scotland. Personally I do believe The 9th Roman Legion WAS SLAUGHTERED. If not, & they were Re-Absorbed then WHY WASN'T THEIR SACRED EAGLE CARRIED BY ROMAN LEGIONS left in Britannia AFTER The 9th Disappeared? Eagles were Sacred to Roman Legions because they venerated the Pagan Roman war-god Mars (Ares in Greek); Eagles (Aquila in Latin) don't just DISAPPEAR!

[@kymmoore853]

@@GILR8 the other interesting thing from Harry’s account was the fact that he described the legion as having rounded shields, at the time this threw his entire account into disrepute as the ‘experts’ of the day claimed that they would be carrying rectangular shields. Apparently it wasn’t until several years later that the experts were proved wrong and that rounded shields would have been in use during the period.

[@martinamonicamaestas2570]

@@kymmoore853 As an example, the Spartan in "300" gave their shields up as a gift. So, the, bye-bye- birdie. There is a drift who were killed instead, without saying the movie 'spoiler'.

[@krevin543]

It is amazing how the romans laid the foundations for so many of England’s major cities. Arguably the most influential nation to exist was Rome.

[@ragael1024]

yeah, they came, they saw, they built. funnier was when they left though XD

[@Kevin-bl6lg]

Noooooo.... USA is the most influential country. Our language is spoken all around the world, the world economy is based on our technology and 💰 Also, just compare how many PhD thesis were written by American scientists vs how many Romans wrote PhDs about our glorious US history. Science facts!

[@montaguegray7486]

@@Kevin-bl6lg im kind of sad no one took the bait

[@cosimodemedici1530]

No Greece = no Rome

[@Kevin-bl6lg]

@@cosimodemedici1530 Well, yeah...nice restaurants, but nothing like the American BBQ

[@kymmoore853]

The issues with Boudicca had nothing to do with the fact that a vassal state was supposed to leave their worldly goods to the Romans but to do with the fact that, under Roman law, women couldn’t directly inherit, and since half of Prasutagus’ inheritance was left to his daughters the Romans enforced Roman Law and took the lot.

[@JohnSmith-vy4lh]

This video is total bullocks, it's yet more disinformation about our history. The first roman army to lose in Britain was Julius Caesar's at Ravensburgh hill fort near Hexton. Britain was never conquered by the Romans. The big Roman style villars were owned by Britons not Romans. The Romans were in Britain to do trade and to persuade us from selling arms to the Gauls. Don't you find it strange that an occupying force over a 400 year period didn't leave any DNA behind. As for mining, we were mining gold and tin 3000 years before the romans rocked up. Briton was known for it's high learning and kings and nobles from around the known world would send their sons to be educated here just like today. And nobody seems to mention the two legions that was destroyed by Caractacus sons in the west country. That's why Caractacus never had the same fate as Vercingetorix the Gaul King, in fact they built a palace for him and his family which had a chapple built into it where his granddaughters were martyred some years later, it was the first Christian place of worship in Rome nearly 300 years before Rome turned to Christianity. Part of the chapple still stands to this day known as the church of Santa Pudentia. The first Christian church built in Briton was in 37 AD at Glastonbury .

[@seanphil4610]

Good bit of fact that. So "What did the Romans ever do for us?"

[@spiritualanarchist8162]

@@JohnSmith-vy4lh Not really. Britannia was conquered just as Gaul. It became a province . Making client states out of defeated kings was the way Rome was able to build such a huge empire in the first place. Those who opposed got killed or enslaved, while those who surrendered and cooperated were rewarded. . Caractacus became a client king, because he surrendered to Claudius. So long as the client kings payed taxes and accepted Roman law, they could keep ruling their former kingdoms.

[@spiritualanarchist8162]

@@seanphil4610 'Romans need us more then we need them '

[@chrisparnham]

@@JohnSmith-vy4lh Not true the Romans failed to conquer Britannia in the first invasion by Julius Caesar but they lost to Aulus Plautius under Emperor Claudius in the 2nd invasion of AD 43. I'm not sure what point you're trying to make by denying that fact?

[@donjarrett9485]

Rome kept excellent records.5000 men missing would be a big story to cover up ,some very important people were part of the armies and in Caesar army most came from rich families.

[@martinamonicamaestas2570]

I thought it was 500,000 Soldiers. Either way, yes, you are right, Camouflage does only go so far. Trees move.

[@szymonbaranowski8184]

Not about failures. And it wouldn't be the first time to disband a legion for incompetence or fearfulness, not a reason to note in history really. Reinforcement after previous failure could have change the ratio. Not all rich want to sacrifice another child. And this was after Caesar, times changed, what worked when Caesar eyed the top1 didn't need to work when system got centralized in one hand. It also seems as they pushed to far after gaining all the needed resources there. As classical Romans they were overly cautious attacking before giving time to enemy to unite. Using every opportunity to push long term grand strategy. It was a kind of investment. Securing islands closes all fronts there & that would be a huge gain, major win in shortening borderline to guard all the time & great opening to crush germanic tribes one by one encircling them along continental shoreline. But in my view Romans moved too far north and thats not their field of expertise. Other elements were stronger there until Normans came, funny enough with north in name...

[@portcullis5622]

My guess is that they got battered into oblivion by Asterix, Obelix and their fellow Gauls. That magic potion is powerful stuff.

[@wolfdog7265]

Some of them might have landed on the moon. I have to call nasa to verify though.

[@Raz.C]

I think the recorded activities of Lucius Aemilius Carus (Leg IX Hisp Tribune) is evidence enough that the legion wasn't destroyed, but likely disbanded, as had happened numerous times in its history before. He went on to have a career in Roman politics long after the ninth legion was supposed to have been destroyed.

[@MrLantean]

Why there are no records of its disbandment? Rome has records of legions being destroyed, disbanded or merged into new ones. The fate of the Legio IX Hispana is indeed a mystery. There are no records of its fate. It was the 19th Century German historian Theodor Mommsen who proposed the theory that the legion was annihilated by the Celtic speaking Picts. This theory went unnoticed until Rosemary Sutcliff's novel 'The Eagle of the Ninth' was published in 1954. This novel portrays the destruction of the Legio IX Hispana at the hands of the Picts. Since then, it becomes the predominant theory to explain its disappearance from history. The last attested activity of the legion in Britain is in 108AD where it is rebuilding a legionary fortress in stone at Eboracum present day York. The discovery of a tile bearing the stamp of Legio IX Hispana is found at a remains of a Roman fortress in Nijmegen present day Netherlands and the date is post 120AD the supposed date of the supposed destruction of the legion. This tile suggest that the legion is relocated to the Netherlands though many history historians argued that it is a detachment rather the entire legion got relocated. In the end, the true fate of Legio IX Hispana remained unknown.

[@haroldjones9321]

Thank you! Logically astute!

[@shawkorror]

Roman historian Spurius Symantix points out that disbanding it destroyed it...

[@Raz.C]

@@shawkorror Ok, I didn't think I needed to be so painfully specific, but it would appear that I do... When I say "destroyed," the inference is "destroyed in battle." So my supposition is that the 9th is unlikely to have been *destroyed in battle,* due to the large numbers of Tribunes who served in the 9th, who went on to have distinguished political careers. edit - The above refers to Tribunes who served in the 9th during decades when the legion shouldn't have existed, according to those who think it was destroyed in battle in the 120s.

[@sugarnads]

​@@gusshredney1491where was thejoke

[@chrisnelson3884]

Didn't even know I was in the mood for a history documentary but here I am, watching the whole thing. Very interesting.

[@wegladstone1967]

I remember the Eagle of the Ninth being broadcast on the radio in the 1950s. It was very well done.I'd loke to near it repeated.

[@coleparker]

I remember many many years ago in the 70s when I was in England, there was BBC or Thames miniseries as we call it, about the Ninth Legion and its disappearance. As I remember it, the story revolves around the son of commander who goes north of the wall disguised as a doctor, into the wilds of Scotland determined to find out what happened to the legion and his father.

[@WillyEckaslike]

theres a movie which is pretty good called "The Eagle" 2011 which covers this subject and is well worth a watch

[@cathipalmer8217]

That's the book he leads with, The Eagle of the Ninth.

[@marjoriekloster8949]

@@WillyEckaslike It is a good movie; wish they would have made a sequel.

[@coleparker]

@@cathipalmer8217 Ah, thank you. I liked the series back then when I could see it if the bed and breakfast I was staying at had a television set I could watch.

[@brianford8493]

I was obsessed with the BBC series of Eagle of the ninth when I was younger....great stuff ✌️

[@elyjane6078]

The Ninth has been with me since I was very young.

[@rogersledz6793]

Thank you so much for uploading this video. It is helping me get through the pandemic!

[@tracicomstock6525]

The movie 'The Eagle' is about the 9th, but of course the Eagle is found and brought back. So I am thrilled to hear the truth.

[@johnjohnon8767]

If it is the eagle of the ninth

[@bigantplowright5711]

Back in the 60's my Latin text book stated that the Brigantes wiped out the 9th. That is one of the few things I remember from my ill fated Latin studies.

[@TruthFiction]

Except they found evidence of it being posted on the Rhine 20 years after it's supposed disappearance.

[@captainamerica6525]

The loss of the 9th could most likely explained by the dissolution of that legion force to fill in the gaps of other legions based in Britannia at that time. Whether this was due to grievous battle losses, political decisions or a military administration decision I guess we'll never know.

[@jerryadamek3153]

Also legioners did integreted with locals,getting married,their sons even was fallowing fathers food steps(become legioners)speaks very limeted Latin,and they sons speak hardly any Latin,never have any bond with grand faters home soil

[@martinamonicamaestas2570]

@@jerryadamek3153 Farmers, as the Apache.

[@LesterMoore]

Captain, I tend to agree with you. In military histories of the world, units that are reduced in strength due to the results of arduous battle are often retired, their flag/unit standard furled and stricken from the books. The remainder marshaled into other units.

[@dnmurphy48]

There are later inscriptions about that legion in northern Europe. at the time there were major wars in Eastern Europe (on the Danube) and each legion was required to send vexilations to support other areas of the empire. It may well be that the legion was run down by these actions, and then had to fight some rebellion in Britain by various British tribes. It's possible that the remains of the legion was destroyed and its vexilations eventually syphoned off to other legions.

[@helenamcginty4920]

@@jerryadamek3153 legionaries were not allowed to marry until they had served their 25 years.

[@Light-zk7fo]

I love how we are here even though it will be online in 2 days

[@stevenlouton6381]

You know it!!!

[@jeddy1961]

@@stevenlouton6381i lysi.25 i 9😱 😱 boken tegner hei hei hei D090000errick 0g 0g 0900000990099fall kan vi jobbet 9se hva vi har en liten 0g 09the 0g til Dere

[@casualyoutubeviewer9198]

@@jeddy1961 Okay norwegian man, don’t fall asleep on your ipad again

[@bunkzzz]

In reality the ninth were never lost, the Romans of the time knew exactly what happened to them. Its just modern Historians that have lost track of them.

[@nathanezra3345]

What evidence do you have to suggest that claim??

[@StoneCoolds]

@@nathanezra3345 technically he needs no evidence, just common sense, like south american polaticians, you know they are corrupt and dirty even if there is no official evidence and European nations regard them as noble gentlemen History its a collection of broken peaces put in a line and the rest filled by imagination and probability by historians, thats why we dont know for example exactly how the immortals were equipped, or how lots of know battles actually developed, or how the check mate roman formations worked, just pieces of data and tons of imagination Why yo do think everything its "ritualistic" for historians? Cuz its the ezz way to get a PHD without to much investigation or data lol 😆

[@taifun442]

@@nathanezra3345 This has to be the dumbest question on the internet. OF COURSE the people who lived back then, including any surviving members of the Ninth, would know WHAT HAPPENED TO THE NINTH. Jesus! You know what you had for breakfast this morning, don't you?

[@sirmalus5153]

"modern" historians are great at guessing what the truth is. I always remember that proggramme about the french archeologist going to Egypt, seeing the remains of a pyramids foundations, then declaring that the pyramid was removed to wipe out the name of the pharoah who had it built, such was the hatred the locals had for him. Turns out after beating Marc Anthony in battle, Octavian (the future Emperor Augustus) took one look at the nice white and purple coloured pyramid on a hill, said "nice, i'll have that for building blocks back in Rome) then promptly had a lot of it shipped off. The local people stopped using it for building materials in the 1960's I seem to remember. It's not often historians REALLY know what happens in history, as there weren't any mobile phones to take pictures of the events back then.

[@johnkirschman9397]

The best book on the Boudicca Revolt is "Imperial Governor" written by George Shipway, a novel that starts out slow but becomes gripping. Well researched and written by a retired cavalry officer who served in India.

[@chris.asi_romeo]

Love watching documentaries like this

[@bobapbob5812]

I also read this in my early years. Loved it.

[@georgej.dorner3262]

Being a standard bearer was even more hazardous than described. Think a moment. One man is the rally point for his side. There would be multiple enemy soldiers trying to kill him and thwart their enemy's rally into formation.

[@martinamonicamaestas2570]

Did the enemy respect the standard soldier, sometimes, long before, if they believed ion a chivalry action, as later early Knights did.

[@NUMMEHARBEN]

@@martinamonicamaestas2570 A good question.

[@donald8066]

Its simple and some documents and roman habits proof it. The ninth was a underperforming Legion, ( not like the 2 Augusta or 14 Gemina ) taking heavy casulties, with only small victroys, and was fast considered an unlucky number. So she was disbanded ( there were many legions formed and disbanded over the time ) without much paperwork, and there Men were sent to the other Legions to fill them up.

[@LeePenn2492]

Very interesting and informative. Nice one

[@Algimantaz]

I love how at 13:35 the governor of Britannia is depicted as getting out of bed all flustered when he hears that Boudicca is attacking 😂 perfectly sums up my idea of how Roman officials were- laying around in robes eating grapes in fancy houses

[@markgardner4426]

I believe they were disbanded and their surviving men were folded into other legions. I don't believe that a full legion just vanished into the wilderness. Could also be that later mention of the 9th has been lost to time, so they might not have physically disappeared, just the written mention of them has.

[@jockyoung4491]

That seems most likely, but everyone loves to speculate

[@robertnegron9706]

I agree. Trying to create a mystery

[@dnmurphy48]

three legions were wiped out in germany and I think some others were wiped out in wars against the persians.

[@garyslomczynski6579]

Melted into the local population!! Lost legion Lots of fantasy and touch of history movies The ninth legion was the Dragon 🐉 legion!!!

[@richx9035]

Yes loved reading Rosemary Sutcliffe’s books - especially “The Eagle of the Ninth”. Seemed credible to me.

[@alexcore697]

There is village just outside Aberdeen called Kintore,It was a huge Roman fort its on the road to Bennachie,,Thats where you will find your beloved 9th probably buried in the bog

[@markaxworthy2508]

A contradiction: If the night attack was the last literary reference to the IX Legion, how do we know it was later at Mons Graupius?

[@nigelsheppard625]

They are known to have gone along the Rhine. Although the Eagle of the Ninth is a cracking read, for a twelve year old, it is just supposition.

[@andersholmstrom3571]

I have been in the foundation of the Yourk cathedral and seen the roman drainage chanel still flowing with water. Amasing to see that things the romans built about 2000 years ago still stands and still work.

[@vacysmotuzas4267]

Thank you for sharing ...

[@GranMastaDee]

I know that it would eat away at the budgets of these wonderful Timeline history productions, but I personally love a little CGI to give us a better understanding of how things looked virtually, i,e, the 1st-century fort in York.

[@iainmiller3113]

TimeLine posts out of date documentaries. They don't make content!

[@seanphil4610]

Rosemary Sutcliffe, for me, brought ancient Britain to life.

[@philipr1567]

As Henry Treece did for the Vikings. Two of my favourite authors as a child, along with Ronald Welch.

[@seanphil4610]

I don't think she wrote anything from a Viking perspective.

[@philipr1567]

@@seanphil4610 No, but Henry Treece wrote a Viking trilogy.

[@user-wj5sc4iz6c]

The eagle of the ninth….what an amazing place to start a career. Well done.

[@davidhunt8685]

Great subject and presentation :-)

[@KaliCush]

Unless I'm missing something, Calling them "British" during that time is like calling "Aztecs" Mexicans during theirs. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[@jennieacosta3303]

Actually Aztecs were also called mechicas, And tenochas before being called Aztecs

[@KaliCush]

@@jennieacosta3303 Oh I see. Exactly what I'm saying about calling them "This" instead of "That".

[@jimmiller5600]

The Romans referred to the islands as "Britannia".

[@Lycoson]

Technically it would be "Britons" rather than "British" but it's not entirely incorrect. Britons is the catch-all term for the numerous pre-roman peoples of that region who spoke languages in the Brythonic language family (which would later give rise to Welsh and Cornish). But i've heard a number of these documentaries use "British" to mean "The people of Britain at that time" rather than what we would consider "modern" British people.

[@user-xq4st9ie7r]

there just were no English

[@scottiesrockmaggie6279]

As a female high school student of the '70s, in university, & as a librarian for 36 years, I have read every Rosemary Sudcliff novel I could get my hands on. She could weave a great story that made you care about her characters; including the 9th legion itself. RIP Dame Rosemary Sutcliff. They were novels, and written with the limited knowledge available to you, but they madehistory come alive.

[@1Passingthrew1]

Rosemary Sutcliffe also wrote A Sword at Sunset which is an expansion of King Arthur story. Read it several times mid 1960. Adds believable detail to what is dismissed as legend.

[@TD402dd]

What really happened is the changing times. The Romans fought other armies, but this time they fought the Pics, and they were guerilla fighters. A marching army has no chance against a hit and run enemy. The same thing happened in Germany.

[@MiriamJL]

I’m all out of Ancient Rome awesomeness to watch so this will be welcome.

[@dangerdan2592]

Have you listened to the History of Rome podcast by Mike Duncan yet? It's very good and covers all of Roman history from the it's earliest beginnings to the end of the Western Roman Empire. You should check it out if you haven't yet. It's on Spotify but someone also compiled all of the episodes and put them on KZbin as well under the channel name "Timaeus". I like listening on Spotify though personally.

[@metalhigh0043]

Fantastic series, I've listened twice ✌️

[@tylercoombs1]

Usually, if a fighting force is decimated in a time of war the unit is disbanded and the fit soldiers are sent to other units. Of course, I'm assuming they were decimated.

[@martinamonicamaestas2570]

I understood as decimated, with survivors, there were hardly any Soldiers in that fighting force, and being at war, they needed to recuperate fast. So, the transferred them into a larger unit and worked on that decimated unit later with more of a Soldier populace when they had a chance to breathe.'

[@McCRBen]

Decimation: The lesson is never to join the army in the first place if it can be avoided. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimation_(punishment)

[@frankpienkosky5688]

@@McCRBen they built that wall for a reason...."Indian country" up there....

[@jamesbrien1944]

Fascinating!

[@luciadugliss3888]

I love this book, and I found it in my thirties!

[@89ludeawakening1]

"He was holding a decorated pole in his left hand" That's his right hand. Haha

[@BA-gn3qb]

And . . . He's not defenseless. He's got a big pole to hit people with.

[@grapeshot]

I've heard that the Ninth Legion might have been destroyed in the second Jewish revolt 132-135 CE or it was destroyed in Syria during a war with the Parthians around 161 CE. One of the motto of the Ninth should have been don't mention Boadicea.

[@katarinavidakovic4718]

Mee to herd then

[@christobalcolon6601]

AD

[@grapeshot]

@@christobalcolon6601 I prefer CE. Common Era.

[@christobalcolon6601]

@@grapeshot Graffiti on our monument

[@frankpienkosky5688]

@@grapeshot still,..we all know what the starting point of that calendar was......

[@bigg7047]

I live not far from York. My daughter lives in Colchester and it’s so interesting walking around the town .

[@sethsoderman2731]

Looking forward wiching is on timeline

[@missmaryjanegreen]

How does it already have 3 thumbs down 35 hours BEFORE the premiere?

[@itwasagoodideaatthetime7980]

Troll Bots.

[@marcelovolcato8892]

Because they'll show the second part only to subscribers?

[@tpl608]

Timey wimey Doctor Who visited

[@rodritchison1995]

Haters gotta hate. It gives them a purpose in life.

[@barrycrump6189]

Not everyone likes the very woke Dan Snow.

[@patriciapalmer1377]

2 burning questions. Where is Shelly Miscavage and what reallyr happened to The Ninth Legion ? History is a tough mistress.

[@SilverIchimaru]

Excited about this

[@stevenlouton6381]

Fosho!!!

[@dstaff7373]

Only those TRULY enjoying KNOWLEDGE enjoys this.

[@backyardchoppers4571]

for any kind of history lesson on this subject. you have to ask how loyal was the 9th to the empire. huge losses bad morale

[@YYIVURecords]

I didn’t get a chance to watch this yet but - wasn’t the Ninth the legion sent in to take on Queen Boudicca after she destroyed the roman uk capital? I thought there was a massive battle / you’d think there would be a lot around them to know as a “big guns” regiment. I’m really looking forward to this one, the feeling of starting to recognise names and numbers across history is really fulfilling for perspective. How figures and the human side of history starts to fall into place across it all, from ancient to modern… but you’ll turn a corner, and realise you know nothing about centuries on entire continents. Still. Over time, the tapestry gets filled in from the sketches, despite its boundless nature.

[@maryannsarkady7950]

Loved the Boudicca story

[@saigonmonopoly1105]

Here try this the first one got the elete treatment and the second one is it special selection to be next in line for the selection to be refill when the position is needed...kind of the special op force

[@oresteus]

To the best of my knowledge, most historians agree that it was most likely disbanded due to losses incurred at the Bar Kokhva rebellion in Judaea. sse the research of Werner Eck on the subject.

[@garyrussell7406]

Just like in the World Wars units were amalgamated together when numbers were depleted. But those original units didn't just disappear, they were re created back home and then deployed once again or the remnants were sent home and the unit rebuilt with new members and deployed once more! The big problem I have with the loss of the 9th is the legion was never recreated, it just ceased to exist? The other times this has happened in more modern times is when the unit has been completely destroyed and too honour that unit it was officially retired and its colours(a Roman eagle is similar)laid to rest and this is recorded as so! So both reasons would be recorded, the only answer for me is that even the Roman hierarchy didn't know the truth about what actually happened too the 9th and it could be embarrassing too the Roman's too admit their legion had been destroyed by what they viewed as a inferior force,so they just stopped all mention of the 9th legion itself!!!

[@philipschaffer9544]

What you have suggested seems like the most obvious answer . That's the reason

[@solpat1977]

The BBC series 1977 is a must watch for fans of the book. Starring Anthony Higgins as Marcus, I watched it as a teenager years after reading the book and it’s a great adaptation.

[@rachaelskibbe7899]

Anyone watch the Centurion? Interesting take on the 9th legion. Good flick.

[@dinarusso3320]

Yes and it's very possible, 5,000 easily outnumbered by the Northern Tribes when they were going up there to kill or enslave anyone who didn't bow down to them.

[@kiwifruit27]

I Remember reading the Eagle of the 9th as a kid in the 70’s

[@montyhaialeia1603]

Funny because I just read it, however, remember living the Eagle of the 9th in the 70's. Yet again in another era. Btw, think we found Ed Ved's real Dah, Alan Watts.

[@alanaw27]

My husband I both enjoyed the book and a tv play. We got our children involved. One became an archeologist. All thanks to this book.

[@kleinweichkleinweich]

me too

[@glennrussellapura6403]

There is a movie about the novel 'Eagle' starred by Channing Tatum and Donald Sutherland.

[@frankpienkosky5688]

plus "Centurion"....the prequel.....

[@patrickhobbs96]

"How often do you think about the Roman Empire?" Clearly, some think about it A LOT!

[@markstoyle2244]

Period is of great interest to me, thought this would be good, but was put off when he said dissappeared above Hadrian's Wall, which was not build until a few years after the 9th dissappearance.........

[@nobodyspecial4702]

It serves as a landmark most people would know as opposed to valleys that nobody living outside of that area ever heard of.

[@mikef.1000]

Great docco, I like the fact that the majority of the commentary is sane and controlled. Except for 20:30... this tombstone "puts a name, a face, a personality to a member of the 9th Legion...". Now that is real overreach: the tombstone provides us with a name, no "personality" as such can be deduced, and there is no face, as it's been (literally) defaced.

[@charliewatts6895]

Yeah, it's strange and rather jarring when she says puts a face on him, and you see no face.

[@philk1853]

Yeah she said the figure on the tombstone "Held it in his left hand" it was his right !!!

[@thomasjefferson9310]

isn't the introducer of timeline a son of a former historian ? just asking ... BTW excellent podcast

[@angiedougan]

Yes his dad is John Snow and his name is Dan Snow

[@thomasjefferson9310]

@@angiedougan Okay, thanks

[@kleinweichkleinweich]

you know nothing Jon Snow

[@14067913]

Excellent story teller - Rosemary Sutcliffe.

[@JorgeLuis-gd1wx]

Creo que se refieren a la Novena hispanica legion, en verdad no fue destruida en inglaterra, hay registros de ella luego en otros paises.

[@eeec7]

Cuales registros?

[@elizabethbower2168]

What a great video… I’ve always been fascinated with Roman history… But what I find really distracting was that every so-called expert was waving their right hand up and down to emphasise what they were saying… It is possible to talk without waving your arms about… Anyway looking forward to the second episode but I’m not signing up because I don’t want to pay

[@williamharris8367]

I tend to gesture when I talk too. I am completely unaware that I am doing so, and I suspect that these speakers are the very same way. I once saw a video of myself in an intense discussion/negotiation session, and I was quite surprised to see how much I flailed about while speaking.

[@jasong782]

Elizabeth.. chill....

[@PeachysMom]

That’s how professors are. If you want to keep the attention of a lecture hall full of students, it’s best not to stand like a statue.

[@colinhickman4071]

Yes..Elizabeth taketh a chill pill ...

[@fonziebulldog5786]

No mystery when they was defeated in the Battle of Camulodunum, also known as the Massacre of the Ninth Legion.

[@xispaster]

Legio IX Hispana ("9th Spanish Legion"),[1] also written as Legio VIIII Hispana,[2] was a legion of the Imperial Roman army that existed from the 1st century BC until at least 120 AD. The legion fought in various provinces of the late Roman Republic and early Roman Empire. The nickname "Hispana" was gained when it was stationed in Hispania under Augustus. It was stationed in Britain following the Roman invasion in 43 AD. The legion disappears from surviving Roman records after c. 120 AD and there is no extant account of what happened to it.[4]

[@paulcollyer801]

9:12 Caraticus, inspiration for Uderzo & Goscini’s Mykingdomforanos???

[@viejomarino]

According the History Channel, the true is: the 9th was destroyed by a combination of Apaches and Nazis, with flying saucer help.

[@commonsense7833]

Right?!?!😂😂

[@ianchandley]

🤣

[@dooley-ch]

If you feel obligated to embarrass yourself don’t let us hold you back. After all it’s your entitlement.

[@madlenellul3430]

Nothing better to do today eh. Thought you would make a fool of yourself.

[@welshman8954]

Ye and according to the history channel bigfoot is real aliens built the pyramids and napoleon was a 2 foot tall midget who rode a dragon into battle

[@benjaminmcclatchey9814]

Bunkzzz has it right. There are records that have cohorts of the 9th in Gaul after they are supposedly lost.

[@HappyQuailsLC]

I think the term is "to foment rebellion" not "ferment" : )

[@davidrogers4653]

I am guessing Episode 2 is not on you tube?

[@katdarling]

Why do I find this stuff so interesting

[@nickj2561]

Rhetorical question surely, but everyone loves a good mystery.

[@edithsmom6140]

As a former history major, any time I want to have "fun" and relax...I look for an interesting historical documentary. Explains my lack of a social life.

[@Unmannedair]

@@edithsmom6140 if you run with the crowd you should not be surprised to find yourself going no further than the crowd.

[@edithsmom6140]

@@Unmannedair Thanks. Not sure how that fits in but thanks. PS, I actually have a social life. My comment was supposed to be slightly humerous. See what I did there?

[@ki-td5yb]

Intelligence.

[@scbane]

Roman Legions were quite often reduced by disease, and populations were often reduced by diseases brought by the Romans. Remember, Legions were quite diverse, compared to the tribes they often warred against.

[@martinamonicamaestas2570]

True, As the Natives of North America, smallpox blankets traded by order for the Reservation Natives Buffalo Blankets, Deer Hide Blankets. Decimated population as the Boarding Schools can and did to a free people.

[@johnxscar]

@@martinamonicamaestas2570 yeah but don't forget that the North American Indians introduced syphilis to the Europe

[@ih8hertz1]

The ninth died in scotland after trying to steal the Buckfast recipe

[@RubyOpheliaQuinn]

I didn't realise The Eagle movie was based on a book.

[@yoryteperman429]

It is interesting that Brits are so fascinated with the fate of the Ninth Legion. I read somewhere that it was not really a mystery- that the Ninth legion did not disappear in Britain but was also used to subjugate uprising in Judea, and was mostly destroyed there (in modern Israel) at which point it was administratively disbanded. But I understand that people love the fairytale romance of King Arthus and picts, and Hobbits and many other romantic British things, so it would be more romantic to have the Ninth legion disappear in Britain...

[@taroman7100]

I thought that was the 10th? or was it a mix of Caesars?

[@helenamcginty4920]

Picts arent a fairy tale though.

[@pocnaimsighe2649]

Unfortunately, not having a written record of the 9th's fate leaves it open to fantasy and theory crafting. We can't help doing so as humans, it's that very imaginative, creative curiosity which has caused us to dominate a planet. Here's my hypothesis; We know the 9th were stationed on the northern frontier. We also know that their area of operations was given to the 6th Legion. We therefore know that for whatever reason they had to be replaced. Logistically pulling a unit from the very northern frontier to redeploy it elsewhere makes no sense, since it is the furthest away from anywhere. Unless it has to be pulled off the line. It doesn't have to be destroyed, it just has to be depleted to a degree where it is unable to fulfil its mission. "Combat ineffective" is what we call it today. So perhaps attrition over time. We know that there is evidence of the 9th in the Netherlands after the 6th was deployed to the north of Brittan. Perhaps this was its reformation deployment, where it was stationed until it was brought up to strength again. All that would have to happen is for in that period of time Rome to be taking heavy casualties across its legions. The last legion to receive replacements would be the combat ineffective one. The reason for this is, if you drop 2 green recruit replacements into a unit of ten men, their impact of the fighting capacity of that ten man unit is negligible. If you drop 5 green recruits into a unit of ten men, that unit has drastically reduced capacity comparatively. So if you have heavy casualties across your army, and you have a mauled unit of veterans, the absolute best use of those men is to cannibalise them to replace NCO's who need replaced in your other line units. It may just be there is no record of the ninth disappearing because there was no big dramatic moment around it. It fell to good accounting.

[@philk1853]

Yeah, a sensible view that

[@Uberdude6666]

Whaaat, you mean to say that the 9th legion didn't slowly integrate into the local population until it became more of a feudal levy than a roman legion, and that its last general didn't become the figure of legend we know as King Arthur?

[@ritchielovegrove9545]

P.S. could not help to notice that famous battle scene with Alexander the Great & the Persian King hi there Lucy if i was seeing this famous scene please let me know ? Ritchie 🇦🇺

[@zdenekoldrichmarek2867]

IT became to be the Legion Britanicus and stationed along the Rhine near Breisach and The Kaiserstuhl. There are two Roman military tombstones there to be seen along the pathway behind the Gausthaus at Sasbach !beside the river Rhein. Be Blessed. One has to climb up the pathway going up the steep hill behind the Gasthaus not far from the Carpark just before passing the hill on the right.There is a Bridge crossing into France over the rhine so take the Riegel Autobahn exit to Riegel then turn towards Endingen of George and the Dragon Fame and head to FRance to Sasbach.Have fun.

[@jimkennedy7050]

Poor leadership as Varius was. In the Teutonic forest with about three legions. Made a great target for the enemy.

[@frankpienkosky5688]

he was betrayed by someone posing as a friend and an ally...who lead him into that trap....echoing a similar theme in the movie "Centurion"....which is available for free....

[@philk1853]

Varus's trust in the so-called "Romanised" Arminius despite being warned against him led to the ambush of three legions

[@KernowekTim]

Linguistic professionals agree that the word ICENI, was more likely to have been more accurately pronounced; Ee-Key-Nee, or Ick-Key-Nay, and not Eye-See-Knee or Eye-See-Nye.

[@timarcher7933]

There is suposed to be an Imperium with in sight of the taxastion fort at Chesterton , Warwickshire on the Fosse.The taxsation Fort is visable from black bridge over the railway line to Banbury Oxford London as built by Brunel short of the Harbury cutting. Located at the back of Whitnash St Margret,s church just over nfrom the graveyard to the church. The are is now under house building with the next field over where the Imperium could be located awiting planning consent and building works.

[@justlikeme2797]

Of all the country ruled by the Roman the Brits is the only people who is so passionate about the Roman. I mean you can looks at this people who narrates this documentary thier face looks brightens when they talk about the Roman not only in this video. I have seen many historians from the Brits that Loved the Roman so much. It's a shame how you never see people from Italy who is so passionate about Roman history like the Brits.

[@nobodyspecial4702]

Well, to be fair Italians had the Roman Empire and totally lost it, so for them to glorify it would be praising their greatest failure.

[@oscarberolla9910]

I think the British are a bit obsessed with the civilization thing, as if they felt a certain shame of their barbarian and semi-savage ancestors; when almost most of the world was like that at that time. So they focus on Roman civilization and emphasize it much more than the Mediterranean.

[@claytontucker8179]

A lot of elite forces merge with the people around them. Maybe they decided life in Scotland was the place to retire. The Romans could and possibly did not wish to make this written. As defeat does not look good. Just a thought lol.

[@finnjones9979]

I mean I love Scotland....but really...Rome or Ancient Scotland?

[@marcobassini3576]

Really? A legion was composed of Roman citizens (SPQR on the Eagle standard means Senatus Popolus Que Romanus: Senate and People of Rome), as opposed to auxiliary troops (cannon fodder) that were enlisted from conquered romanized provinces. (The British empire too in WW 1&2 enlisted sub standard colonial troops as cannon fodder to fill the ranks). Do you really think that a Roman citizen that was used to the warm, sunny and lovely climate of the Mediterranean sea, as well as the civilization of the centre of the Roman Empire, could ever consider to retreat in a desolate land at the farthest north part of the empire, nobody ever knew/care about, with cold climate and little sun, full of barbarians? I am sure you are joking. Also because even today, after 2000 years, are some wealthy British citizens that once retired come to live their last years in Italy, and not the other way! Nimes in south France (nearby the Mediterranean coast) was founded by Roman legionaries that retired there after the campaign in Egypt. Still today the municipality of Nimes has a crocodile and a palm tree in his coat of arms. Homage and heritage from the legionaries that founded the city.

[@claytontucker8179]

@@marcobassini3576 sure beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Any army who kills every tenth conscripted soldier, because of a commander decides so. Would most likely have the a mutiny lol

[@marcobassini3576]

@@claytontucker8179 I am sure you have seen the famous movie "The Gladiator" with Russell Crowe interpreting the fictius Roman general Decimus Maximus Meridius, commander in chief of the North Army, who, in the opening scene, lead to victory his legions against the Germanic tribes somewhere in a dark forest in "Germania". In the second scene Russel Crowe returns home somewhere in center Italy, nearby Rome (where he found his family murdered). I am sure you remember the lovely landscape of that countryside, which is typical of center Italy (Toscana, Umbria, Lazio) even today. Then, compare the dark gloomy forest of the opening scene, with the barbarians hiding there, and the sweet and sunny landscape of Maximus Meridius farm house on top of a hill. I am sure that was the same comparison every Roman legionary of Legio IX Hispana had clear in his mind when fighting in north Britannia.

[@claytontucker8179]

@@marcobassini3576 sure I have. Loved the movie. It’s a horrible thing to to happen to such a soldier by his own people. Maybe the legion was a fictitious one made as propaganda then? Or do you think the humble none political heathens destroyed and ate the complete legion posted there. I think some of my ancestors may have been part of it. 🤠

[@martinkirby3100]

It's also available on amazon prime as a subscription channel