What was it like to journey beyond Rome's Rhine Frontier? DOCUMENTARY

A live action documentary on the journey of Roman auxiliaries beyond the Rhine frontier!

In this history documentary we explore the Roman Germanic frontier in the year 100 AD. However rather than encountering a world embroiled in bloody conflict as depicted in our Avenging Varus series, the Germanic frontier has actually settled down in an era of peace. This live history video seeks to bring this fact to life by portraying the daily life of a group of germanic auxiliaries who have actually been serving as guards in the Roman Army. As winter approaches, they are given leave and now return home to their village for some well deserved time off. We follow their journey beyond the Rhine frontier to get a taste of daily life of a Roman soldier in this era.

Stay tuned for more episodes of Live History which will cover other aspects of daily life in the past though reenactment footage and on location aerial shots. Let us know if you like this format.

Credits
Research: Chris Das Neves
Writing: Chris Das Neves
Narration: Guy Michaels
Reenactment: Imperium Romanum
Editing: Penta Limited

[InvictaHistory]

"Live History" is our team's attempt to bring out the human side of history by focusing on daily life in the past. Typically when I see mainstream documentaries cover such topics it is done with quick cuts, overdone narration, and bombastic music which ends up taking you out of the scene. My goal here was to see what it would be like to really let things breathe. Its a slower style but hopefully one that adds a unique value in letting the past speak for itself. I welcome all feedback on this approach and certainly want to know if you'd like to see more of this.

[henrikgustafsson]

Wonderful documentary, about the everyday life of a soldier. More of these, please! Maybe in the roman camp, bread making, the sickbay etc? seeing some similarities to my own service:
The spread out of items before a march, the helmet on the front, and the making of camp before dark.
We swirled out in the forest, collecting as much firewood as possible, up to two thirds of the company.
The rest seting up tents and list of guard duty. I wonder if those spikes under the leaves were marked out in some way? Maybe with a stick, so the did not get lost.

[dirkuhdirk]

This was amazing. It really does justice to the ancient soldiers. Its so easy to forget that these were actual people that had lives, families, interests, and hobbies when we see a block formation representing hundreds or thousands of soldiers. This felt like an intimate tour of a person's life instead. Would love to see more in the future.

[MartyBones]

Great commentary and amazing recreated footage! Invicta never disappoints

[Crytica.]

PLEASE Do more with Imperium Romanum about the Limes region! It has so much history that gets easily overlooked. Loved every second of this episode. Great job to Invicta and Imperium Romanum's team!

[NuclarDude]

Honestly, the soldier setting caltrops across an arc on the most likely avenue of enemy missile fire or infantry approach to the sleeping soldiers is something that has literally transcended nearly 2000 years of history into the modern day. We still set up trip flares, claymores and the like to cover areas and pull them down the next morning for reuse - just like these guys would. Marching in column, scanning the horizon for enemy armies and dust clouds, they were likely ready and trained for a quick IA to enemy ambush (since they marched armed and with shields in the left hand, so always ready to drop packs and fight), I never would've realised that section-level day to day life on ops in the ancient world could look identical to a low-level 21st century peacekeeping deployment from the soldier's perspective.

[okin_rezresua]

This was absolutely great. Keep in mind that by the 2nd century agriculture had been a thing in Germania for 5.500 years. This means that especially the land surrounding larger rivers and streams had been cleared off forrest and cultivated for thousands of years. Millions of people lived in Germania and although rough and wild by Roman and modern standards, it was by no means a wasteland all covered by forrest.

[drewinsur]

Ah yes the kind of approach that helps enrich my imagination when daydreaming about my mount and blade adventures and total war campaigns... What my soldiers were really going through.

[khiemtran]

I just found Imperium Romanum a few days ago and wondered how great it would be if these guys collaborate with Invicta. And Lord behold, they delivered!

[TantiFighter]

I recently moved to Germany and Invicta has been the best source of ancient German history for me to fill this place with context. Thank you!

[Sheepdog]

I come from a town on the Main River, which flows into the Rhine. There is much roman architectural presence, even after all these years...this is well done....heck, now I'm homesick....

[markovic]

This is beyond amazing! The fact that we are getting this for free is absolutely ridiculous. More historically correct than the history channel, and in some cases even better production value. With all due appreciation for your partners. Invicta, you have gone beyond anyones expectations. You are truelly the history teacher of the world. INVICTA INVICTUS!!

[aaronpaul]

As a modern day soldier awaiting holiday leave, it is incredible to see the similarities of soldiers from way back when to today!

[themetroidprime]

I'd love to see similar stories about all kinds of folks living along the Rhine. Merchants, officers, citizens of Cologne and Trier, farmers, bandits, etc

[Puffpuffpuff]

This channel is really showing great progress in animation and their videos overall, great job guys!

[PakBallandSami]

"To abandon your shield is the basest of crimes; nor may a man thus disgraced be present at the sacred rites, or enter their council; many, indeed, after escaping from battle, have ended their infamy with the halter.“
— Tacitus,

[No-llmh]

This is an even more humanizing take on an already incredibly humanizing series. The live action adds another dimension to the already highly enjoyable and informative series, and I think it should be continued. Looking forward to more!

[Finkaisar]

For some reason i was expecting the reenacment to be from Imperium Romanum channel even before watching the video.
So glad to see them take part in this <3

[shaundavenport]

Imperium Romanum have shown us an excellent recreation of Roman soldiering. Well done guys, really enjoyed it.😁👍👍👍

[allonzehe]

More vids like this. No notes, this was perfect, just make more. I want to see Live History short docs for every ancient topic you can make one about.