The Worlds First Chemical Attack (245 AD) | The Siege of Dura-Europos Historia Militum 2025-09-27 | This video is a collaboration with @toldinstone. You can watch his video about the remarkable history and findings of Dura Europos here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR5P_Fc0_UcIn 256 AD, at the siege of Dura Europos, Roman soldiers entered a tunnel for a sneak attack—and encountered history's first recorded chemical weapon. This is the full story of the brutal clash between Rome and the Sassanid Empire. The siege was a key battle in the centuries-long Romano-Persian Wars. The city was a crucial Roman frontier fortress on the Euphrates, defended by the Cohors XX Palmyrenorum and legionary detachments. Its strong walls were tested by the besieging Sassanid army, leading to desperate tactics. This video explores the entire history of the siege, from the Roman defenses to the shocking archaeological discovery of the tunnel where Persian forces used toxic smoke from bitumen and sulfur to kill the Roman soldiers. We uncover the truth behind this ancient war crime and the fall of a Roman border stronghold. This is the World's FIRST Poison GasPrimary sources:Theo. Simoc. II. 9.Eugippius. XX.Passion of the Sixty Martyrs of Gaza. I-IV.Gregory the Great. Letters. XLVIProcopius. V. 12, 14-19Secondary sources:Soto Chica, J. De Aecio a Siagrio: Las Galias y el último ejército romano en Occidente in Desperta Ferro, Specials XXV: La legión Romana El Ocaso del Imperio.Soto Chica, J. Las últimas Legiones in Desperta Ferro, Specials XXIX: La legión Romana Las últimas LegionesCoello, T. Unit Sizes in the Late Roman Army. BAR International Series 645, 1996.Dura EuroposSecondary SourcesCowan, R. (2003): Imperial Roman Legionary AD 161-284. Oxford: Osprey Publishing.James, S. (2011a): “Stratagems, Combat and Chemical Warfare’ in the Siege Mines of Dura-Europos”. American Journal of Archaeology, 115, pp. 69-101. James, S. (2011b): “Dark Secrets in the Archive: Evidence for ‘Chemical Warfare’ and Martial Convergences in the Siege-Mines of Dura-Europos”, en Brody, L. R. y Hoffman, G. L. (eds.), Dura-Europos: Crossroads of Antiquity. Chestnut Hill, MA: McMullen Museum of Art.Soria Molina, D. Como Topos. Minas y Contraminas en el Asedio de Dura-Europos in Desperta Ferro, Especiales XVII La legión Romana: La Anarquía Militar.
What it took to become a Roman General | Comparing Roman vs. Modern Ranks Historia Militum 2025-10-05 | Ever wondered how a Roman Centurion's role compares to a modern US Army Captain? Or what the equivalent of a Legionary is today? In this video, we break down the chain of command, comparing the ranks of the world's most famous ancient military—the Roman Empire—with the modern structure of the United States Armed Forces. We'll see which ranks translate directly, which responsibilities have changed, and how the principles of leadership have stood the test of time.
Did Roman Legions get SOFT? | The Late Roman Army Explained Historia Militum 2025-09-07 | What really happened to the Roman legions in the Late Roman Empire? Were they in decline, or did they simply adapt to survive new challenges? This video explores the transformation of the Roman army from the Principate to the 4th and 5th centuries, examining the evolution of Roman legions, auxiliaries, and cavalry into the Comitatenses and Limitanei. We’ll cover how Roman military equipment, tactics, and organization changed after the Crisis of the Third Century, why the creation of mobile field armies was necessary, and how the frontier defenses of the empire were structured. Along the way, we’ll bust the myth of a “declining” army and show how the Late Roman military remained disciplined, powerful, and capable of defending the empire against foreign invasions and civil wars alike. So How and Why did the Roman Legions change? Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/HistoriaMilitumOur NEW YouTube channel: youtube.com/channel/UC1PiGi79snPk_qBH_VfCTsg?sub_confirmation=1Primary sources:Ammianus Marcellinus, Res Gestae, 16.11-12; 18.2; 20.10; 21.3; 24.2-6; 25.3,6; 27.1-2, 8; 28.3; 29.4; 31.10-13Libanius, Orations, 59.99-120Procopius, History of the Wars, 3.11Vegetius, On Military Matters, 1-4Zosimus, New History, 1.40.1; 2.34.1-2Secondary sources:Anderson, E.B. (2016) Cataphracts: Knights of the Ancient Eastern Empires, Barnsley, Pen& Sword BooksM.C Bishop and J.C.N Coulston (2006) Roman Military Equipment: From the Punic Wars tothe Fall of Rome, Oxford, Oxbow BooksBishop, M.C. (2020) Weapon 72: The Spatha, Oxford, Osprey PublishingBishop, M.C. (2020) Elite 234: Roman Shields, Oxford, Osprey PublishingCampbell, D.C. (2006) Fortress 43: Roman Legionary Fortresses 27 BC - AD 378, Oxford,Osprey PublishingCowan, R. (2015) Warrior 175: Roman Legionary AD 284-337, Oxford, Osprey Publishingedit. Michael H. Dodgeon and Samuel N.C. Lieu (1994) The Roman Eastern Frontier and thePersian Wars AD 226-363: A Documentary History, London and New York, RoutledgeEsposito, G. (2018) Armies of the Late Roman Empire AD 284 - 476, Barnsley, Pen & SwordBooksElton, H. (1994) Warfare in Roman Europe AD 350-425, Oxford, Clarendon PaperbacksElton, H. (2018) The Roman Empire in Late Antiquity: A Political and Military History,Cambridge, Cambridge University PressElliot, S. (2016) Legions in Crisis: Transformation of the Roman Soldier AD 192-284, Stroud, FonthillElliot, S. (2020) Romans at War, Oxford and Havertown, Casemate PublishersHaynes, I. (2016) Blood of the Provinces: The Roman Auxilia and the Making of ProvincialSociety from Augustus to the Severans, Oxford, Oxford University PressGoldsworthy, A. (2003) The Complete Roman Army, London, Thames & HudsonGoldsworthy, A. (2004) In The Name Of Rome: The Men Who Won The Roman Empire, London, Phoenix Goldsworthy, A. (2009) The Fall of the West: The Death of the Roman Superpower, London,Weidenfeld & NicolsonKulikowski, M. (2016) Imperial Triumph: The Roman World from Hadrian to Constantine,London, Profile BooksLee, A.D. (2007) War in Late Antiquity: A Social History, Malden, Blackwell PublishingLoades, M. (2016) Weapon 43: The Composite Bow, Oxford, Osprey PublishingMacDowall, S. (1994) Warrior 9: Late Roman Infantryman 236-565 AD, Oxford, Osprey PublishingMacDowall, S. (1995) Warrior 15: Late Roman Cavalryman 236-565 AD, Oxford, Osprey PublishingNigel Pollard and Joanne Berry (2012) The Complete Roman Legions, London, Thames &HudsonStephenson, I.P. (1999) Roman Infantry Equipment: The Later Empire, Gloucestershire, Tempus PublishingSouthern, P. (2006) The Roman Army: A Social and Institutional History, Santa Barbara, ABC-CLIOSouthern, P. (2016) The Roman Army: A History 753 BC - AD 476, Gloucestersire, AmberlyPublishingSage, M. (2020) Septimius Severus & The Roman Army, Barnsley, Pen & Sword BooksPatricia Southern and Karen R. Dixon (1996) The Late Roman Army, New Haven andLondon, Yale University PressSyvänne, I. (2024) Late Roman Combat Tactics, Barnsley, Pen & Sword BooksPotter, D. (2013) The Roman Empire at Bay, AD 180-395, London and New York, RoutledgeTaylor, D. (2016) Roman Empire at War: A Compendium of Battles from 31 BC to AD 565,Barnsley, Pen & Sword BooksThe Principate Army (0:00)The Late Army (1:47)Origins of the Field Army (3:45)Comitatenses (6:27)Limitanei (9:16)Moesia Secunda (12:09)Contemporary disapproval (15:58)Barbarization (17:08)The Army at War (18:41)
These Legions survived the fall of Rome and held their forts! #history #romanempire #romanlegions Historia Militum 2025-08-30 | ...
Did the Romans live better than us? | Prices and Quality of Life Historia Militum 2025-08-25 | What did it really mean to live through Rome’s worst economic crisis? Not for emperors or generals — but for ordinary people. In the late 3rd century AD, as inflation spiraled out of control, Emperor Diocletian tried to fix the problem with one of the boldest economic experiments in history: the Edict on Maximum Prices. It failed — but it left behind an extraordinary record of everyday goods and services. In this video, we bring that list to life by stepping into the shoes of three very real Romans from different corners of society. Through their incomes, their meals, and the things they could (or couldn’t) afford, we’ll see how money, survival, and status were woven into daily life. Was life as a Roman soldier better than that of a provincial farmer? Could even the wealthy live well? And how do their struggles compare to ours today? Join us as we explore the Roman economy not through numbers on a page, but through the lived experiences of real people.
Roman Legions that survived the Fall of Rome - Which Legion was the LAST? Historia Militum 2025-08-17 | Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/HistoriaMilitumOur NEW YouTube channel: youtube.com/channel/UC1PiGi79snPk_qBH_VfCTsg?sub_confirmation=1The Roman Empire may have fallen in 476 AD, but some legions lived on; their banners, traditions, and discipline unchanged. From the snowy frontiers of Gaul to the deserts of Palestine, they fought under the same names given to them by Caesar, Pompey, and Marc Antony. This video goes over the incredible stories of the last Roman legions to determine which one can be crowned the winner of the title of "the last Legion". This surprise legion served for 700 years, with 60 of its last soldiers choosing death over surrender. It’s a tale of survival, loyalty, and the end of a golden era.How the Legions changed through time (0:00)The Legions of Noricum (1:20)The Legions of Gaul (1:56)The Legions of the East (3:28)Legio I Flavia Theodosiana (4:58)Legio II Parthica (5:35)Legio V Macedonica (7:24)Legio IV Scythica (8:00)Why Legions died out (11:21)
Heres why ALL Hollywood fight scenes are wrong! #history #romanempire Historia Militum 2025-08-12 | Hollywood fight scenes are filled with epic clashes and impressive free-for-all brawls! But if you factor in basic human phycology and common sense, this idea starts to fall apart...
Why were deep ranks important in ancient warfare? Historia Militum 2025-08-09 | Full video here: youtu.be/SI7WXObY1KI
Romes Largest Invasion Arrives... - The Dacian Wars (Part 2) Historia Militum 2025-08-04 | Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/HistoriaMilitumOur NEW YouTube channel: youtube.com/channel/UC1PiGi79snPk_qBH_VfCTsg?sub_confirmation=1The Dacian Wars rages on and its now time for Emperor Trajan to assemble the largest army Rome has ever brought to bear for an external campaign. The stage is set high up in the Carpathian Mountains, and Decebalus must fight for his life or face the subjugation of his people.
The Roman Art of Combat | How ancient armies REALLY fought Historia Militum 2025-07-26 | This video serves as part 2 of our series on reconstructing Roman combat, and dives into the mechanics of battle itself! We have all seen numerous reconstructions from movies, TV series, and video games, but how accurate are they? After watching this video, you can say for sure!Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/HistoriaMilitumOur NEW YouTube channel: youtube.com/channel/UC1PiGi79snPk_qBH_VfCTsg?sub_confirmation=1
What did ancient battles REALLY look like? | Modeling Roman Combat Mechanics Historia Militum 2025-07-19 | Roman battles are so often talked about but seldom fully understood. This video stands as an in-depth presentation on the latest theories of how combat actually functioned, as of the latest studies in history. This video was made thanks to the contribution of dozens of historians, and of course our small but very talented team. Enjoy!Subscribe to our channel for my videos: youtube.com/@Historia.Militum?sub_confirmation=1Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/c/HistoriaMilitum
Romes Greatest Challenge | The Dacian Wars Documentary (Part 1) Historia Militum 2025-07-11 | The Dacian Kingdom grew to become a powerful entity and persistent thorn in the Roman side. From the time of Julius Caesar, the Romans recognized the Dacian threat and vowed to one day subdue them. But with Caesar's assassination and continued internal civil wars and unrest, the Romans put off this campaign until 86 AD; all the while the Dacians have been growing in strength and number. Having delayed the campaign until now, the Romans looked on at the, by now, colossal challenge ahead of them: They are to scale the Carpathian mountains, enter the heart of the Dacian kingdom, and fight to the Dacian in their homeland and on their terms. To take on such an undertaking, the Romans will have to assemble the largest and most skilled army they have ever seen, and march them into the deep mysterious forests of Dacia, in what would be their largest challenge yet...Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/HistoriaMilitumOur NEW YouTube channel: youtube.com/channel/UC1PiGi79snPk_qBH_VfCTsg?sub_confirmation=1
The Path to Centurion | The Hidden Ranks of the Roman Legions Historia Militum 2025-07-09 | Every soldier within the Roman army was given an additional designation depending on their role and skillset. Some were hunters, others; engineers, armorers, bankers, stone masons, or craftsmen. Despite this very chaotic mess of different ranks and positions, we can develop a clear hierarchy of promotions that one had to follow in order to become a Centurion - The most respected officer position within each Century of 80 men.Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/HistoriaMilitumOur NEW YouTube channel: youtube.com/channel/UC1PiGi79snPk_qBH_VfCTsg?sub_confirmation=1
The impressive training and recruitment of Roman Legions Historia Militum 2025-07-08 | This video dives into the creation of the famous discipline within the Roman legions; their harsh training, repetitive routine, and unique exercises. This system was used during the Late Republic to bring the first Marian legions up to strength, and was practiced, in one form or another, in legions during the Late Empire, and even other nations during the Middle Ages.Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/HistoriaMilitumOur NEW YouTube channel: youtube.com/channel/UC1PiGi79snPk_qBH_VfCTsg?sub_confirmation=1
How Roman Legions Ran the Empire in times of Peace | Impressive Civil Duties Historia Militum 2025-07-06 | The Roman Legions are typically remembered for one thing - their prowess in battle. But as a standing professional army, they were given large tasks of running the empire when not at war. In this video, we follow the 3rd Augusta legion, which was perhaps the legion with the least time fighting on the battlefield. It was stationed along the relatively peaceful African provinces, but this did not mean they sat idly. In fact, their enormous effort in countless civil tasks was so widespread, that the Provinces would likely not be able to function as efficiently without them. The 3rd legion serves as an example of just how important Roman legions were to the provinces they were stationed in, often taking up tasks like policing, tax collection, transportation, security, and even capturing animals for spectacles in the games!Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/HistoriaMilitumOur NEW YouTube channel: youtube.com/channel/UC1PiGi79snPk_qBH_VfCTsg?sub_confirmation=1
I LOST my channel of 340k subs- Historia Militum Historia Militum 2025-07-05 | Historia Militum was hacked. While Google is still working to resolve the situation, I figured its about time to give you an update and begin reuploading our old videos, alongside new ones. Please consider liking and subscribing to help us grow. For live updates on the situation, feel free to follow our social media pages:Consider subscribing to our channel: youtube.com/@Historia.Militum?sub_confirmation=1Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/c/HistoriaMilitumDiscord: discord.gg/V4GZPbsVmZPatreon: patreon.com/c/HistoriaMilitumInstagram: instagram.com/historiamilitum
