Good morning, we are going to work through the Ascent of Civilization Series and today we are looking at the Roman Empire. The run time for this episode is 50:55.
Rome was one of the greatest empires the world had ever seen. The Romans dominated much of Europe. They build infrastructure that could not be rivaled in the Ancient World. The Roman Empire was born on the shores of the Tiber. Few people would have settled in these mosquito-infested hills. However, the people would eventually take over the Italian Peninsula and then eventually most of Europe. At the height of its power, Rome dominated a quarter of the known world. So how did the Romans accomplish this feat? The first thing covered is the Roman Army. They marched and conquered the people. Even Egypt had to surrender to Rome. Their weapons are the best in the world and the military is perfectly organized. Nothing can stop the Roman army. Its power depends on the legionaries. Legionaries had different jobs in the empire. Some were road builders. Others were administrators. Some were fighters. There is work for them in the empire. At the time of the empire, there were twenty-eight legionaries and they were stationed at the borders. Their accomplishments were recorded in triumphal monuments in Rome. Wherever the legions go, they construct fortresses. They are well-prepared and their weapons are unbeatable. When a legion goes to war, it is a logical challenge. The defeated locals need to supply the military with food and other supplies. The army needs to be sustained. Oftentimes, the legions march straight through the land. The landscapes bear the marks of the Roman Legion. This section goes into what it took to feed the Roman legion. Men look for jobs in the military, the money is good and there is a pension. However, the soldiers live far from home for long periods of time. Then there is a discussion on the cities that sprung up around the forts. It was here that the Roman soldier would try to relive life in the Roman capital. Living in Rome was the dream of the empire’s citizens. However, only the wealthy were able to live high life. The rich live in beautiful villas. Lower-class citizens make do with rentals. People live in rooms over the shops. Rents are high, even if the apartments are run down. We then explore the Colosseum. Every day public trials are held on the forums and anyone can attend. It is where all of society meets. There are sharp divides between the rich and poor. At the top of society are the rich. The middle section is knights, they are rich. Below them are the workmen and farmers and at the lowest level are the slaves. Over 400,000 slaves would make their way to the capital. Then we explore one of the best-preserved Roman Villas and explore the bathhouse of the villa. This villa was found in the countryside. From time to time, slaves would find themselves working in bathhouses. A guide explains what jobs the slaves would have been performing in the bathhouses. This guide also talks about the monastics found in the villa. Then the next section talks about how Rome transported water to the capital. The way water was transported was through aqueducts. Water was important to the Ancient World. The aqueducts were masterpieces of construction. The aqueducts would have transported water to a reservoir and from here it would have been distributed to the different areas in the city. Fountains, latrines, bathhouses, and wells were all fed with fresh water. The citizens had access to fresh water. The Roman water system was the most advanced in Europe. Who made this all possible? Roman life was run by politicians. This next section talks about the politicians who made things work behind the scene. It is the politicians who hold the empire together. How did they do this? Tune into the rest of the episode to find out more. The recreations were good. The animations were good as well. I do not know if I would have started with the legionaries and the Roman military in the documentary, so I wonder what was the thinking behind that. The documentary moved quickly and hit the high points of the Roman Empire. This would be on my “consider to show list,” for a history class.
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