Excellent work. The extra flourishes in post-production are appreciated, but I think they are fine at the current quality. Don't fall into the trap of incorporating ever more time-consuming details post-production, as this quickly leads to burnout! If the videos remain like this going forward, we will all be plenty happy.
Yep, beyond this point is dininishing returns. The production will become longer to make and more expensive while the added details won't be notuced by the majority of viewers.
I've been obsessed with the Roman empire since I was a small child, but that's the first time I've actually seen such a good explanation for the use of the pugio, superb job .
Roman and Greek History, Etc. (My Library) If you're into “Roman” stuff Michael Curtis Ford's “Gods and Legions is the book to read. If you're into history I suggest you get Ammianus Marcellinus' History. The ass kicker here is that Marcellinus actually went to battle with Emperor Julian. The Loeb Classic is almost an adventure novel all by itself. As far as Gladiators, a couple of “definitive” books are The Way of the Gladiator by Daniel P. Mannix and Spartacus by Howard Fast. Here are books from my library. Ass kickers every one. Ammianus Marcellinus History Loeb Classical Library The Battle for Gaul by Julius Caesar Illustrated edition by Anne & Peter Wiseman. Caesar: The Civil War by Jane F. Gardner Suetonius: The Twelve Caesars by Robert Graves The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon The Way of the Gladiator by Daniel P. Mannix Spartacus by Howard Fast Julian by Gore Vidal Gods and Legions by Michael Curtis Ford The Ten Thousand by Michael Curtis Ford The Sword of Attila by Michael Curtis Ford The Fall of Rome by Michael Curtis Ford The Last King by Michael Curtis Ford Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield Tides of War by Steven Pressfield The Virtues of War by Steven Pressfield Last of the Amazons by Steven Pressfield Thucydides: History of the Peloponesian War. Alexander the Great by Paul Cartledge The Spartans by Paul Cartledge Eagle in the Snow by Wallace Breem The Eagle and the Raven by Pauline Gedge The Last Legionary: Life as a Roman Soldier in Britain AD 400 by Paul Elliott Gladiator: The Roman Fighter's (Unofficial) Manual by Philip Matyzak Legionary: the Roman Soldier's Manual by Philip Matyszak On Roman Military Matters (De Re Militari) by Flavius Vegetius Renatus Marius had long ago showed us that the legionary has a weapon that is the bane of the civilized world, one more formidable than the dual-edged Roman short sword, more effective than the bronze-headed javelin, of greater defensive strength than the concave bronze-sheathed shields. It is a weapon in which the legionary is trained from his first day of induction and which he uses daily, in peacetime or in war, on the march or hunkered in camp under siege from flaming missiles. And upon their arrival at The miscyra, every able-bodied Roman immediately whipped out this most fearsome of all weapons: The Legionary's shovel. Before even breaking to rest or scouting for supplies, the Roman troops had unpacked their shovels and commenced digging, and the dirt flew, and the dust rose. In the space of an afternoon, a Roman camp for thirty thousand men had been constructed just beyond range of our catapults. Before dark it had been ringed on all sides with a trench twelve feet deep and three feet across, the dirt thrown up into an embankment ten feet high inside the ring. Topped with a thick palisade of sharpened stakes. Inside, four sturdy walls were constructed of felled trees, guarded by squat log towers twenty feet high, stationed every fifty feet and surmounted by bolt-hurling field catapults. Inside, a space of a full two hundred feet was left between the walls and the tent line, a distance calculated to prevent our missiles and burning arrows from reaching the tents. This space was occupied by prisoners, cattle, plunder and supplies. Within a few hours, the Romans had constructed a stronghold that would be the envy of a lifetime's work of many civilizations poorer then theirs. A fortress impregnable. Yet this was not a permanent stronghold they had built. This was the Roman's usual daily campsite, Every day of a legionary's working life he would dig such a trench, construct such an embankment, hew trees, and build such palisade. All to be torched at sunrise, when the legions marched off to their next encampment. Javelins, when thrown, may miss their mark entirely. Shields may cave upon impact with a Scythian battle-ax; and a sword, though reliable at close quarters, still dulled, broke upon ribs. Or shivered if struck upon armor. But the shovel...the shovel was the legionary's best friend, his most faithful protector, the one weapon that allowed him to sleep soundly at night, behind his magnificent trenches and embankments. The shovel could stop a cavalry charge cold, stymie hordes of barbarians. Rome conquered not with its brutal leaders, not with the strength of its soldiers, not with the ingeniousness of its weapons...but with the most rustic, pigheaded, inglorious, gods-bedamned tool of them all...the shovel. Michael Curtis Ford “The Last King”
@@larrysingleton2864wow. Admire your passion and effort put into this post. Still not sure about logistical reality of building fortified camp every afternoon to specs described above. Surely some of it must have been roman propaganda
@@Prosper661Good point. It reminds me of the "bias" that might be said of people like Josephus or Caesar in his book The Battle for Gaul. (And weren't a lot of these writings by Caesar and others political speeches?) But the Romans did build those forts, as can be seen in archaeology, and there's a good argument that the Roman soldier's primary weapon was one of "prevention"; The Legionary's shovel. Also I seem to remember in the book The Battle for Gaul(?) Caesar's emphasis on keeping the soldiers busy. Thanks for the response. Surprised you got through the censors. I get almost ZERO replies in comparison to the dozens and dozens of comments I submit.
Read the sources & you will realize that pugio is mentioned probably more then any other weapon. Cuspis are likely the only thing mentioned more then the pugio/dagger as cuspis means both javelins & spears like verutum, pilum or soliferrum etcetera. Scorpio's among all siege weaponry is mentioned extensively by the romans which no wonder when they are the equivalent role of the chain gun in ancient history as a ranged field weapon for surpassing consistent volley's. In a castra or high ground was hands down the best weapon that the romans possessed for it did not win the battle instantly but in a drawn out conflict decided the winner more often then not. If I could only have 1 ranged weapon in an armies composition in the ancient era it would be a Scorpio like how in industrial warfare onward it would be a chain gun. A Scorpio in it's time fulfilled 3 of the 4 roles in support fire. suppression, or attacking infantry & damaging structures like facilities/fortifications. Only thing a sorpio is no good for is (direct engagement) but you had melee infantry & other soldiers for that purpose in the past. Funnily a chain gun fulfils 3 out of 4 role but differs as great at 'direct engagement' but pretty bad at damaging structures like forts-bunkers etcetera. Mind you have field artillery guns for damaging structures as well as being the most harmful at attacking infantry though suppression or direct engagement it is useless if not on mass but that is really overwhelming fire rather then suppression or direct engagement. Auto cannons are the only ranged system that can fulfil all 4 forms of supportive fire but of course still have limitations in some regards like weight & overheating let alone the cost of feeding them munitions as it is pricey. The Romans were very ahead of their time in many regards as they basically all carried a combat knife with a supportive fire system while all wore helmets at the very least. Till Industrial war became a thing Rome really was at the forefront in so very much.
The dagger was important in medieval & Renaissance warfare, so it's not surprising it was a serious weapon in the Roman military. One late-16th-century treatises mentions how pikers often lacked the space to use their swords effectively in the press of battle & had to employ their daggers. Roman formations may not have been as tight, but I suspect the same situations still came up from time to time.
What a great example indeed, it indeed demonstrates perfectly how even a relatively short thing like a sword can be too unwieldy in (super) close combat. Very interesting! Thanks for sharing :)
@@EllieMaes-Grandad The idea of downed horsemen not being able to get back up is greatly exaggerated, unless they're exhausted, suffering from heat exhaustion or already wounded.
Interesting- and a convincing set of arguments for why more pugio could have been used in the northern regions, and/or be more likely to be buried there. Also solid reasoning on the greater value of the pugio in defense against ambush- I admit I was familiar with all the tropes about the superiority of the gladius itself in close combat especially formation combat, over longer swords. Although it makes much sense, I hadn't really thought through that the gladius itself would be too long and awkward a weapon under many conditions.
Sounds like the shorter swords or long knives that were shorter than other greeks' swords adopted by the Spartans for very closely packed presses between formations. In that context moving away from the gladius to a longer sword could be seen as moving from a sword that was a compromise in both close and more open formations to a longer sword for more open fighting and a long dagger for closely packed fighting.
It says a lot about how narrow visions of popular history can be that I never thought about the soldiers of the greatest empire of their era keeping something as simple and universal as KNIVES around before now.
Unlike some daggers, The pugios broad blade would clearly make good size wound. Interesting with combat blades like seax, bowie, dirk, baselard, kukris etc. Good video! Thanks👍
There is no doubt the Bowie knife would make a terrible wound. But, I believe it was really just for intimidation to have such a fat knife. A knife the size of a contemporary bayonet is all you need.
Great Episode! Never knew how vital the Pugio was in adapting to local Germanic fighting styles. Truly interesting and the application of how it was used otherwise was something I’d never head before. Props to everyone who worked on this episode!
Always interesting to draw parallels throughout history and just how little some things change. A Roman soldier had his gladius and pugio just as the soldiers of recent history have rifles and handguns. A Roman officer may own a decorated ivory handle pugio just as a high ranking officer in say WW2 may have owned an ivory gripped 1911. A status symbol that also acts as a backup.
Remarkably professional, informative production. Absolutely evident that this is not only a labor of love but total commitment to produce a first rate documentary on the topic. Well done.
Given that the PUGIO is about the same blade size as the Spartan ZIPHOS, it does seem that when two Shield Walls crash , a shorter weapon is a very practical thing. Good video.
I just wanna say how your ancestors would are rolling in their graves right now seeing their future men wearing Roman armor! You guys make amazing content and I look forward to new videos every time.
Let them roll. Rome, despite being brutal like any other society of the time, brought at least some peace and lots of trade connections to southern and western Germany, so this is a perfect way to show our gratitude. ;D
The work these guys put into their content is amazing. Way better than most produced documentaries about Rome and you can really tell it’s a passion project. Really hope they get the 75. 000 views!
Thanks for the awesome video once again :) It's interesting to know that such a small weapon could be effective in combat. I would've guessed the moment an opponent sees that you are using such a tiny weapon, he'd try and keep his distance. But I am no expert on ancient combat. Then again, in a way like it was recorded, where they got pierced when climbing onto the ramparts, might also show that it was more effective in that kind of combat, where the enemy climbing up might not have the ways to keep his distance if he wants to get into the camp. And a longer weapon might not be the most useful if you have limited space yourself. Gives one a lot to think about. ^^
Great to see you again Jeremy! It was indeed highly practical in very close combat, like the situation on the ramparts. It was a secondary weapon, but a very effective one.
Very informative, originally I believed the pugio was more of a symbolic weapon of distinguishing a legionary from an auxiliary but nope I was wrong. Thank you.
Thank you for all your hard work! By the way, just want you to know that there are a number of us Ancient World enthusiasts on Tumblr who share links to your videos--your audience is wider than RUclips alone.
Astounding analysis! The work you do and the revolutionary methods you use with in person acting and time related equipment is absolutely riveting, and more like this needs to be done in this field.
Top quality content. I find there are some similarities with the 15th cent. cinquedea. Especially the handle. Were any of these discovered in the 15th century?
Love your energy, your commitment, and the passion you put into your recreation of Ancient Rome. Your realness will pay off and be rewarded with increasing subscribers. It will take some time, however, quality+ niche content is usually rewarded. Just keep doing what you’re doing. Thumbs up.
Great job bringing us more info on the roman arsenal. Many channels focus only on the gladius and scutum, there are so many more weapons that together made the roman war machine the powerhouse that it was.
You find a similar outlook to certain daggers on into the medieval period as well. Such as Rondel daggers for example. They were not only military weapons but almost a badge of office showing that the man wearing it was military.
I’d like to posit that the reason that pugio saw very little to no use further east may have been because of the cultural influence of the Greeks. Perhaps the reason that pugios were so uncommon was that a Greek or other eastern dagger may have been playing the role of the pugio.
24.1 thousand subscribers.. that means every video should have 24.1 thousand well earned and deserved likes. This content is great and not as appreciated as it should be.
Came here from M.Laser, definitely impressed by your detailed, insightful content. Although I'm unable to financially support your work, I will share your videos widely. Would love to see you succeed, as I've seen other channels do. Much luck! 🍀
Excellent content! You provide a lot of information, which is presented beautifully. I have to say that your videos are, in my opinion, better than a vast majority of documentaries on TV. The full gear helps here a lot, of course! Keep doing the fine videos, will support you for sure :) P.S. Nice integration of Rome I and especially Rome II music ;)
Awesome video once again guys! I really like the detailed comparison between the three types of pugios. Can't wait for the next video; keep up the great work!
Its so fulfilling that as History Channel, Nat Geo, A&E, TLC, etc have abandoned educational entertainment, people like you are picking up the baton. Thank you all so much
Fantastic video again - have you read Pugio - Galdius Brevis Est (2012) ? They make a great argument that the 3rd century pugio is not the semi-spatha. Loved the video and look forward to the next one! Alex
@@Rymontp ha I know some of the guys who are in the documentary! I really enjoy their work and it inspires me, though I don't have the production value they have... Yet :)
@@AlexIlesUK Very cool. I enjoy their videos as well! It is probably easier if you make videos like these in a group. Division of labour etc. So the stuff you do on your own is very impressive too! And it will only get better
Muy buen video!!! Me gustan muchísimo estos videos de gran calidad y con un excelente contenido!! Gracias a nuestros 3 integrantes del equipo que lis hace posibles. El Imperio Romano es fascinante y sus videos nos acercan y enseñan muchísimo!!!! Gracias!!!! Me encanta verlos!!!!!
Great info. Looking forward to seeing your channel expand. An episode about the Siege of Masada onsite would be fantastic. Even today, that place is quite magnificent & sad.
Wow ... I've learned about Roman Empire militaries these recent times, but it first time I found out details of Pugio. I'm really glad to watch this awesome video.
Would be cool to see you level some old ruins with a trebuchet. You have my full support ;). Jokes aside, great doc. again. Cant wait for the next one.
You guys create the most extraordinary content! Please keep it up. I'm always completely captivated by the videos you make. The way you guys dress up in the historical attire and address subjects that are often overlooked by others makes for unique, interesting videos. I know that this channel will explode once people start finding it. Please keep the content coming until they do.
Roman and Greek History, Etc. (My Library) If you're into “Roman” stuff Michael Curtis Ford's “Gods and Legions is the book to read. If you're into history I suggest you get Ammianus Marcellinus' History. The ass kicker here is that Marcellinus actually went to battle with Emperor Julian. The Loeb Classic is almost an adventure novel all by itself. As far as Gladiators, a couple of “definitive” books are The Way of the Gladiator by Daniel P. Mannix and Spartacus by Howard Fast. Here are books from my library. Ass kickers every one. Ammianus Marcellinus History Loeb Classical Library The Battle for Gaul by Julius Caesar Illustrated edition by Anne & Peter Wiseman. Caesar: The Civil War by Jane F. Gardner Suetonius: The Twelve Caesars by Robert Graves The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon The Way of the Gladiator by Daniel P. Mannix Spartacus by Howard Fast Julian by Gore Vidal Gods and Legions by Michael Curtis Ford The Ten Thousand by Michael Curtis Ford The Sword of Attila by Michael Curtis Ford The Fall of Rome by Michael Curtis Ford The Last King by Michael Curtis Ford Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield Tides of War by Steven Pressfield The Virtues of War by Steven Pressfield Last of the Amazons by Steven Pressfield Thucydides: History of the Peloponesian War. Alexander the Great by Paul Cartledge The Spartans by Paul Cartledge Eagle in the Snow by Wallace Breem The Eagle and the Raven by Pauline Gedge The Last Legionary: Life as a Roman Soldier in Britain AD 400 by Paul Elliott Gladiator: The Roman Fighter's (Unofficial) Manual by Philip Matyzak Legionary: the Roman Soldier's Manual by Philip Matyszak On Roman Military Matters (De Re Militari) by Flavius Vegetius Renatus Marius had long ago showed us that the legionary has a weapon that is the bane of the civilized world, one more formidable than the dual-edged Roman short sword, more effective than the bronze-headed javelin, of greater defensive strength than the concave bronze-sheathed shields. It is a weapon in which the legionary is trained from his first day of induction and which he uses daily, in peacetime or in war, on the march or hunkered in camp under siege from flaming missiles. And upon their arrival at The miscyra, every able-bodied Roman immediately whipped out this most fearsome of all weapons: The Legionary's shovel. Before even breaking to rest or scouting for supplies, the Roman troops had unpacked their shovels and commenced digging, and the dirt flew, and the dust rose. In the space of an afternoon, a Roman camp for thirty thousand men had been constructed just beyond range of our catapults. Before dark it had been ringed on all sides with a trench twelve feet deep and three feet across, the dirt thrown up into an embankment ten feet high inside the ring. Topped with a thick palisade of sharpened stakes. Inside, four sturdy walls were constructed of felled trees, guarded by squat log towers twenty feet high, stationed every fifty feet and surmounted by bolt-hurling field catapults. Inside, a space of a full two hundred feet was left between the walls and the tent line, a distance calculated to prevent our missiles and burning arrows from reaching the tents. This space was occupied by prisoners, cattle, plunder and supplies. Within a few hours, the Romans had constructed a stronghold that would be the envy of a lifetime's work of many civilizations poorer then theirs. A fortress impregnable. Yet this was not a permanent stronghold they had built. This was the Roman's usual daily campsite, Every day of a legionary's working life he would dig such a trench, construct such an embankment, hew trees, and build such palisade. All to be torched at sunrise, when the legions marched off to their next encampment. Javelins, when thrown, may miss their mark entirely. Shields may cave upon impact with a Scythian battle-ax; and a sword, though reliable at close quarters, still dulled, broke upon ribs. Or shivered if struck upon armor. But the shovel...the shovel was the legionary's best friend, his most faithful protector, the one weapon that allowed him to sleep soundly at night, behind his magnificent trenches and embankments. The shovel could stop a cavalry charge cold, stymie hordes of barbarians. Rome conquered not with its brutal leaders, not with the strength of its soldiers, not with the ingeniousness of its weapons...but with the most rustic, pigheaded, inglorious, gods-bedamned tool of them all...the shovel. Michael Curtis Ford “The Last King”
I love how you tackled the pugio. The thing of the pugio being used in replacement of the gladius was very interesting. I'm also surprised it was mainly for military use. I thought for sure that a notable number of citizens would carry it around for protection.
I suppose many citizens would have used household knives or hefty sticks for cost reasons. Or maybe it was simply unfashionable to carry a military knife -- considered pretentious, disrespectful, etc.
![CWC 4th Listening Session with Speaker Prof. Dr. Ilia Delio OSF [ENGLISH]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/w49_TcqaCeU/mqdefault.jpg)
Excellent work. The extra flourishes in post-production are appreciated, but I think they are fine at the current quality. Don't fall into the trap of incorporating ever more time-consuming details post-production, as this quickly leads to burnout! If the videos remain like this going forward, we will all be plenty happy.
Agreed!
Agreed.
As someone who knows this field well… I agree!
Yep, beyond this point is dininishing returns. The production will become longer to make and more expensive while the added details won't be notuced by the majority of viewers.
I've been obsessed with the Roman empire since I was a small child, but that's the first time I've actually seen such a good explanation for the use of the pugio, superb job .
Same
Roman and Greek History, Etc. (My Library)
If you're into “Roman” stuff Michael Curtis Ford's “Gods and Legions is the book to read. If you're into history I suggest you get Ammianus Marcellinus' History. The ass kicker here is that Marcellinus actually went to battle with Emperor Julian. The Loeb Classic is almost an adventure novel all by itself.
As far as Gladiators, a couple of “definitive” books are The Way of the Gladiator by Daniel P. Mannix and Spartacus by Howard Fast. Here are books from my library. Ass kickers every one.
Ammianus Marcellinus History Loeb Classical Library
The Battle for Gaul by Julius Caesar Illustrated edition by Anne & Peter Wiseman.
Caesar: The Civil War by Jane F. Gardner
Suetonius: The Twelve Caesars by Robert Graves
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon
The Way of the Gladiator by Daniel P. Mannix
Spartacus by Howard Fast
Julian by Gore Vidal
Gods and Legions by Michael Curtis Ford
The Ten Thousand by Michael Curtis Ford
The Sword of Attila by Michael Curtis Ford
The Fall of Rome by Michael Curtis Ford
The Last King by Michael Curtis Ford
Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield
Tides of War by Steven Pressfield
The Virtues of War by Steven Pressfield
Last of the Amazons by Steven Pressfield
Thucydides: History of the Peloponesian War.
Alexander the Great by Paul Cartledge
The Spartans by Paul Cartledge
Eagle in the Snow by Wallace Breem
The Eagle and the Raven by Pauline Gedge
The Last Legionary: Life as a Roman Soldier in Britain AD 400 by Paul
Elliott
Gladiator: The Roman Fighter's (Unofficial) Manual by Philip Matyzak
Legionary: the Roman Soldier's Manual by Philip Matyszak
On Roman Military Matters (De Re Militari) by Flavius Vegetius Renatus
Marius had long ago showed us that the legionary has a weapon that is the bane of the civilized world, one more formidable than the dual-edged Roman short sword, more effective than the bronze-headed javelin, of greater defensive strength than the concave bronze-sheathed shields. It is a weapon in which the legionary is trained from his first day of induction and which he uses daily, in peacetime or in war, on the march or hunkered in camp under siege from flaming missiles. And upon their arrival at The miscyra, every able-bodied Roman immediately whipped out this most fearsome of all weapons:
The Legionary's shovel.
Before even breaking to rest or scouting for supplies, the Roman troops had unpacked their shovels and commenced digging, and the dirt flew, and the dust rose. In the space of an afternoon, a Roman camp for thirty thousand men had been constructed just beyond range of our catapults. Before dark it had been ringed on all sides with a trench twelve feet deep and three feet across, the dirt thrown up into an embankment ten feet high inside the ring. Topped with a thick palisade of sharpened stakes. Inside, four sturdy walls were constructed of felled trees, guarded by squat log towers twenty feet high, stationed every fifty feet and surmounted by bolt-hurling field catapults. Inside, a space of a full two hundred feet was left between the walls and the tent line, a distance calculated to prevent our missiles and burning arrows from reaching the tents. This space was occupied by prisoners, cattle, plunder and supplies. Within a few hours, the Romans had constructed a stronghold that would be the envy of a lifetime's work of many civilizations poorer then theirs. A fortress impregnable.
Yet this was not a permanent stronghold they had built. This was the Roman's usual daily campsite, Every day of a legionary's working life he would dig such a trench, construct such an embankment, hew trees, and build such palisade. All to be torched at sunrise, when the legions marched off to their next encampment. Javelins, when thrown, may miss their mark entirely. Shields may cave upon impact with a Scythian battle-ax; and a sword, though reliable at close quarters, still dulled, broke upon ribs. Or shivered if struck upon armor. But the shovel...the shovel was the legionary's best friend, his most faithful protector, the one weapon that allowed him to sleep soundly at night, behind his magnificent trenches and embankments. The shovel could stop a cavalry charge cold, stymie hordes of barbarians. Rome conquered not with its brutal leaders, not with the strength of its soldiers, not with the ingeniousness of its weapons...but with the most rustic, pigheaded, inglorious, gods-bedamned tool of them all...the shovel.
Michael Curtis Ford “The Last King”
@@larrysingleton2864wow. Admire your passion and effort put into this post. Still not sure about logistical reality of building fortified camp every afternoon to specs described above. Surely some of it must have been roman propaganda
@@Prosper661Good point. It reminds me of the "bias" that might be said of people like Josephus or Caesar in his book The Battle for Gaul. (And weren't a lot of these writings by Caesar and others political speeches?) But the Romans did build those forts, as can be seen in archaeology, and there's a good argument that the Roman soldier's primary weapon was one of "prevention"; The Legionary's shovel.
Also I seem to remember in the book The Battle for Gaul(?) Caesar's emphasis on keeping the soldiers busy.
Thanks for the response. Surprised you got through the censors. I get almost ZERO replies in comparison to the dozens and dozens of comments I submit.
Read the sources & you will realize that pugio is mentioned probably more then any other weapon.
Cuspis are likely the only thing mentioned more then the pugio/dagger as cuspis means both javelins & spears like verutum, pilum or soliferrum etcetera.
Scorpio's among all siege weaponry is mentioned extensively by the romans which no wonder when they are the equivalent role of the chain gun in ancient history as a ranged field weapon for surpassing consistent volley's. In a castra or high ground was hands down the best weapon that the romans possessed for it did not win the battle instantly but in a drawn out conflict decided the winner more often then not.
If I could only have 1 ranged weapon in an armies composition in the ancient era it would be a Scorpio like how in industrial warfare onward it would be a chain gun.
A Scorpio in it's time fulfilled 3 of the 4 roles in support fire.
suppression, or attacking infantry & damaging structures like facilities/fortifications.
Only thing a sorpio is no good for is (direct engagement) but you had melee infantry & other soldiers for that purpose in the past.
Funnily a chain gun fulfils 3 out of 4 role but differs as great at 'direct engagement' but pretty bad at damaging structures like forts-bunkers etcetera.
Mind you have field artillery guns for damaging structures as well as being the most harmful at attacking infantry though suppression or direct engagement it is useless if not on mass but that is really overwhelming fire rather then suppression or direct engagement.
Auto cannons are the only ranged system that can fulfil all 4 forms of supportive fire but of course still have limitations in some regards like weight & overheating let alone the cost of feeding them munitions as it is pricey.
The Romans were very ahead of their time in many regards as they basically all carried a combat knife with a supportive fire system while all wore helmets at the very least.
Till Industrial war became a thing Rome really was at the forefront in so very much.
The dagger was important in medieval & Renaissance warfare, so it's not surprising it was a serious weapon in the Roman military. One late-16th-century treatises mentions how pikers often lacked the space to use their swords effectively in the press of battle & had to employ their daggers. Roman formations may not have been as tight, but I suspect the same situations still came up from time to time.
What a great example indeed, it indeed demonstrates perfectly how even a relatively short thing like a sword can be too unwieldy in (super) close combat. Very interesting! Thanks for sharing :)
English archers in the middle ages used knives, to kill downed horsemen, who could not rise from the ground when in heavy armour.
@@EllieMaes-Grandad The idea of downed horsemen not being able to get back up is greatly exaggerated, unless they're exhausted, suffering from heat exhaustion or already wounded.
@@skaldlouiscyphre2453 yes you can do back flips with knight armor
You also need a weapon, in case you've fallen to the ground.
Incredibly professional, entertaining and detailed historic channel about Roman militrary history, keep it up
Much appreciated Andy, the best is still to come:)
Very good!
@@renatoricci2010 best
Really love this episode, never heard anyone else talk about Pugio so deeply. thank you.
Thank you, these kind of comments motivate us to continue our work.
maybe not too deeply senators like it probably too. ouch...
Interesting- and a convincing set of arguments for why more pugio could have been used in the northern regions, and/or be more likely to be buried there. Also solid reasoning on the greater value of the pugio in defense against ambush- I admit I was familiar with all the tropes about the superiority of the gladius itself in close combat especially formation combat, over longer swords. Although it makes much sense, I hadn't really thought through that the gladius itself would be too long and awkward a weapon under many conditions.
Hello Random observer, we are glad you learned from our video, thanks for sharing your experience.
Sounds like the shorter swords or long knives that were shorter than other greeks' swords adopted by the Spartans for very closely packed presses between formations. In that context moving away from the gladius to a longer sword could be seen as moving from a sword that was a compromise in both close and more open formations to a longer sword for more open fighting and a long dagger for closely packed fighting.
It says a lot about how narrow visions of popular history can be that I never thought about the soldiers of the greatest empire of their era keeping something as simple and universal as KNIVES around before now.
Unlike some daggers, The pugios broad blade would clearly make good size wound. Interesting with combat blades like seax, bowie, dirk, baselard, kukris etc. Good video! Thanks👍
There is no doubt the Bowie knife would make a terrible wound. But, I believe it was really just for intimidation to have such a fat knife. A knife the size of a contemporary bayonet is all you need.
@@eddarby469 well ..a danger is a 22 win mag....a fat Bowie is a 357mag, the way i see it😁👍
Great Episode! Never knew how vital the Pugio was in adapting to local Germanic fighting styles. Truly interesting and the application of how it was used otherwise was something I’d never head before. Props to everyone who worked on this episode!
I can already tell this is-going to be one of my favorite historical channels on RUclips.
Always interesting to draw parallels throughout history and just how little some things change. A Roman soldier had his gladius and pugio just as the soldiers of recent history have rifles and handguns. A Roman officer may own a decorated ivory handle pugio just as a high ranking officer in say WW2 may have owned an ivory gripped 1911. A status symbol that also acts as a backup.
😂 What self serving shite
Once again a wonderful piece of work, glad to support.
Thanks Carde!
Remarkably professional, informative production. Absolutely evident that this is not only a labor of love but total commitment to produce a first rate documentary on the topic. Well done.
Given that the PUGIO is about the same blade size as the Spartan ZIPHOS, it does seem that when two Shield Walls crash , a shorter weapon is a very practical thing. Good video.
Thank you, the depth of analysis on the Roman Pugio, is great.
These videos are so well done and so insightful. The best Roman content on RUclips.
I love deep dives like this into single items, every little thing has such detailed histories. Absolutely love the visuals for this video too!
Its great how you are teaching history arround this channel keep up the great work.
Amazing. Thank you for making such quality content
Love this channel. It is nice to see the little things in Roman history get covered. Keep up the awesome work, y'all.
The leaf shape is very difficult to forge, but so iconic looking. I intend to make one this summer. Great video!
Love the content so far. Excited to see what else is coming in the pipeline. Thank you.
Fantastic …… you have opened up the Empire history , this makes life back then real .
Hello John, that is indeed our goal and we are glad you enjoy our videos!
I absolutely love your style of telling Roman history and the amazing realistic scenes!
Thank you Milush, we are glad you like it:)
This quickly became a must-watch channel. Amazing work!
As a man , I am required to think about Rome, several times a day. Thank you for making this more accessible. Subscribed!
Great video. The acting in full gear really makes it come alive. Your videos always sound like they are very well researched. Well done & thanks!
Cheers Ryan!
I just wanna say how your ancestors would are rolling in their graves right now seeing their future men wearing Roman armor! You guys make amazing content and I look forward to new videos every time.
Let them roll. Rome, despite being brutal like any other society of the time, brought at least some peace and lots of trade connections to southern and western Germany, so this is a perfect way to show our gratitude. ;D
To be fair didn't a lot of Germanic tribes in the what is now current-day Netherlands wear Roman armour too? Like the Batavians?
werent alot of them hired on as auxilia?
Amazing content and production!
Thanks a lot Marco!
Keep up the good work! Interesting to see the development of the design.
The work these guys put into their content is amazing. Way better than most produced documentaries about Rome and you can really tell it’s a passion project. Really hope they get the 75. 000 views!
Amazing work. So much production value. True professionals. Thank you.
Thanks for the awesome video once again :)
It's interesting to know that such a small weapon could be effective in combat. I would've guessed the moment an opponent sees that you are using such a tiny weapon, he'd try and keep his distance. But I am no expert on ancient combat.
Then again, in a way like it was recorded, where they got pierced when climbing onto the ramparts, might also show that it was more effective in that kind of combat, where the enemy climbing up might not have the ways to keep his distance if he wants to get into the camp. And a longer weapon might not be the most useful if you have limited space yourself.
Gives one a lot to think about. ^^
Great to see you again Jeremy! It was indeed highly practical in very close combat, like the situation on the ramparts. It was a secondary weapon, but a very effective one.
Very informative, originally I believed the pugio was more of a symbolic weapon of distinguishing a legionary from an auxiliary but nope I was wrong. Thank you.
Thank you for all your hard work! By the way, just want you to know that there are a number of us Ancient World enthusiasts on Tumblr who share links to your videos--your audience is wider than RUclips alone.
Another great video. This is an excellent Roman history channel. Thank you for these documentaries.
Astounding analysis! The work you do and the revolutionary methods you use with in person acting and time related equipment is absolutely riveting, and more like this needs to be done in this field.
Top quality content. I find there are some similarities with the 15th cent. cinquedea. Especially the handle. Were any of these discovered in the 15th century?
Stunning quality. And super informative, as always.
Love your energy, your commitment, and the passion you put into your recreation of Ancient Rome. Your realness will pay off and be rewarded with increasing subscribers. It will take some time, however, quality+ niche content is usually rewarded. Just keep doing what you’re doing. Thumbs up.
Great job bringing us more info on the roman arsenal. Many channels focus only on the gladius and scutum, there are so many more weapons that together made the roman war machine the powerhouse that it was.
You find a similar outlook to certain daggers on into the medieval period as well. Such as Rondel daggers for example. They were not only military weapons but almost a badge of office showing that the man wearing it was military.
I’d like to posit that the reason that pugio saw very little to no use further east may have been because of the cultural influence of the Greeks. Perhaps the reason that pugios were so uncommon was that a Greek or other eastern dagger may have been playing the role of the pugio.
Fantastic episode, keep up the good work!
Amazing channel and really informative
Thank you!
The quality from this channel is amazing. I wish you the best of luck!:)
Yes that's exactly why I started supporting you via Patreon, great content!
Great to see you again Caspar:)
Great video, as always! Yet again, independent creators make better history content than mainstream tv.
Love video, thanks for all you are doing to bring us this living history
Amazing video my friend, I thoroughly enjoyed this terrific graphic
24.1 thousand subscribers.. that means every video should have 24.1 thousand well earned and deserved likes. This content is great and not as appreciated as it should be.
Thanks Jesse, we really hope to hit the 100K again, lets see how far we get!
@@ImperiumRomanumYT hear, hear
Came here from M.Laser, definitely impressed by your detailed, insightful content. Although I'm unable to financially support your work, I will share your videos widely. Would love to see you succeed, as I've seen other channels do. Much luck! 🍀
Excellent content! You provide a lot of information, which is presented beautifully.
I have to say that your videos are, in my opinion, better than a vast majority of documentaries on TV. The full gear helps here a lot, of course!
Keep doing the fine videos, will support you for sure :)
P.S. Nice integration of Rome I and especially Rome II music ;)
Awesome video once again guys! I really like the detailed comparison between the three types of pugios. Can't wait for the next video; keep up the great work!
Cheers Yannick!
Got sent here by invicta , awesome video and can’t wait for the cataphracts!
An amazing documentary! Well done gentlemen!
Its so fulfilling that as History Channel, Nat Geo, A&E, TLC, etc have abandoned educational entertainment, people like you are picking up the baton. Thank you all so much
Great video as always
Fantastic video again - have you read Pugio - Galdius Brevis Est (2012) ? They make a great argument that the 3rd century pugio is not the semi-spatha. Loved the video and look forward to the next one! Alex
Didn't think I'd randomly find you in the comment section!
@@Rymontp ha I know some of the guys who are in the documentary! I really enjoy their work and it inspires me, though I don't have the production value they have... Yet :)
@@AlexIlesUK Very cool. I enjoy their videos as well! It is probably easier if you make videos like these in a group. Division of labour etc. So the stuff you do on your own is very impressive too! And it will only get better
@@Rymontp thank you.. who knows maybe I can get some British reenactors onboard. You'll enjoy April's videos - Hadrians wall content coming!
@@AlexIlesUK Sounds great, looking forward to it!
Live this episode! The footage is amazing!
This channel is the best kept secret on RUclips. Amazing work guys.
Keeping it a secret won't help us much though haha ;)
@@ImperiumRomanumYT Agreed we must share.
Reminds me of the old school History Chanel, just 100x better.
Amazing, thanks lads!
You are more than welcome!
You guys are awesome!! Keep up the good work!! I honestly look forward to seeing your videos! 👍
Great video, never thought of the pugio this way !
Thank you for this content!
What a spectacular little documentary!
Thanks!
Great episode and great production! Always a pleasure to watch your videos
I wonder if the Romans being as practical as they were, used broken or worn out gladii to repurpose into pugio? It would make sense to do so.
excellent video on a lesser know item of Roman times , keep up the Stella work
You guys are absolutely amazing and i hope the future brings a lot of good stuff
Thanks Roland! Let's hope so!
Hope you continue this great work
Brilliant and with great detail, thank you!
Fantastic video!
Amazing work, as always! Loved the video. Incredibly informative, but not confusing (unlike many other videos from other channels can be).
Muy buen video!!! Me gustan muchísimo estos videos de gran calidad y con un excelente contenido!! Gracias a nuestros 3 integrantes del equipo que lis hace posibles. El Imperio Romano es fascinante y sus videos nos acercan y enseñan muchísimo!!!! Gracias!!!! Me encanta verlos!!!!!
Thank you guys for your work
This is a great video about a pugio about a shorter short sword
nice docu learned alot!!
Great info. Looking forward to seeing your channel expand. An episode about the Siege of Masada onsite would be fantastic. Even today, that place is quite magnificent & sad.
Commenting for the algorithm, great work lads keep it up!
Great video well researched and articulated
Amazing work, guys!
Really interesting deep dive into the roman dagger. I like how your channel focuses on topics not covered by other history youtubers
Absolutely brilliant video
thank you
My dude you can just upvote instead of wasting a comment
Yet another great video! keep up the good work!
Wow ... I've learned about Roman Empire militaries these recent times, but it first time I found out details of Pugio. I'm really glad to watch this awesome video.
Would be cool to see you level some old ruins with a trebuchet. You have my full support ;).
Jokes aside, great doc. again. Cant wait for the next one.
Off to a good start. A well-done and well-researched video, delivered in an entertaining and engaging way.
You guys create the most extraordinary content! Please keep it up. I'm always completely captivated by the videos you make. The way you guys dress up in the historical attire and address subjects that are often overlooked by others makes for unique, interesting videos. I know that this channel will explode once people start finding it. Please keep the content coming until they do.
Fantastic work. I knows it takes a lot to produce.
Love your guy's commitment to historically accurate reenactment and bringing light to lesser-known aspects of Roman history!
Roman and Greek History, Etc. (My Library)
If you're into “Roman” stuff Michael Curtis Ford's “Gods and Legions is the book to read. If you're into history I suggest you get Ammianus Marcellinus' History. The ass kicker here is that Marcellinus actually went to battle with Emperor Julian. The Loeb Classic is almost an adventure novel all by itself.
As far as Gladiators, a couple of “definitive” books are The Way of the Gladiator by Daniel P. Mannix and Spartacus by Howard Fast. Here are books from my library. Ass kickers every one.
Ammianus Marcellinus History Loeb Classical Library
The Battle for Gaul by Julius Caesar Illustrated edition by Anne & Peter Wiseman.
Caesar: The Civil War by Jane F. Gardner
Suetonius: The Twelve Caesars by Robert Graves
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon
The Way of the Gladiator by Daniel P. Mannix
Spartacus by Howard Fast
Julian by Gore Vidal
Gods and Legions by Michael Curtis Ford
The Ten Thousand by Michael Curtis Ford
The Sword of Attila by Michael Curtis Ford
The Fall of Rome by Michael Curtis Ford
The Last King by Michael Curtis Ford
Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield
Tides of War by Steven Pressfield
The Virtues of War by Steven Pressfield
Last of the Amazons by Steven Pressfield
Thucydides: History of the Peloponesian War.
Alexander the Great by Paul Cartledge
The Spartans by Paul Cartledge
Eagle in the Snow by Wallace Breem
The Eagle and the Raven by Pauline Gedge
The Last Legionary: Life as a Roman Soldier in Britain AD 400 by Paul
Elliott
Gladiator: The Roman Fighter's (Unofficial) Manual by Philip Matyzak
Legionary: the Roman Soldier's Manual by Philip Matyszak
On Roman Military Matters (De Re Militari) by Flavius Vegetius Renatus
Marius had long ago showed us that the legionary has a weapon that is the bane of the civilized world, one more formidable than the dual-edged Roman short sword, more effective than the bronze-headed javelin, of greater defensive strength than the concave bronze-sheathed shields. It is a weapon in which the legionary is trained from his first day of induction and which he uses daily, in peacetime or in war, on the march or hunkered in camp under siege from flaming missiles. And upon their arrival at The miscyra, every able-bodied Roman immediately whipped out this most fearsome of all weapons:
The Legionary's shovel.
Before even breaking to rest or scouting for supplies, the Roman troops had unpacked their shovels and commenced digging, and the dirt flew, and the dust rose. In the space of an afternoon, a Roman camp for thirty thousand men had been constructed just beyond range of our catapults. Before dark it had been ringed on all sides with a trench twelve feet deep and three feet across, the dirt thrown up into an embankment ten feet high inside the ring. Topped with a thick palisade of sharpened stakes. Inside, four sturdy walls were constructed of felled trees, guarded by squat log towers twenty feet high, stationed every fifty feet and surmounted by bolt-hurling field catapults. Inside, a space of a full two hundred feet was left between the walls and the tent line, a distance calculated to prevent our missiles and burning arrows from reaching the tents. This space was occupied by prisoners, cattle, plunder and supplies. Within a few hours, the Romans had constructed a stronghold that would be the envy of a lifetime's work of many civilizations poorer then theirs. A fortress impregnable.
Yet this was not a permanent stronghold they had built. This was the Roman's usual daily campsite, Every day of a legionary's working life he would dig such a trench, construct such an embankment, hew trees, and build such palisade. All to be torched at sunrise, when the legions marched off to their next encampment. Javelins, when thrown, may miss their mark entirely. Shields may cave upon impact with a Scythian battle-ax; and a sword, though reliable at close quarters, still dulled, broke upon ribs. Or shivered if struck upon armor. But the shovel...the shovel was the legionary's best friend, his most faithful protector, the one weapon that allowed him to sleep soundly at night, behind his magnificent trenches and embankments. The shovel could stop a cavalry charge cold, stymie hordes of barbarians. Rome conquered not with its brutal leaders, not with the strength of its soldiers, not with the ingeniousness of its weapons...but with the most rustic, pigheaded, inglorious, gods-bedamned tool of them all...the shovel.
Michael Curtis Ford “The Last King”
I love how you tackled the pugio. The thing of the pugio being used in replacement of the gladius was very interesting. I'm also surprised it was mainly for military use. I thought for sure that a notable number of citizens would carry it around for protection.
I suppose many citizens would have used household knives or hefty sticks for cost reasons. Or maybe it was simply unfashionable to carry a military knife -- considered pretentious, disrespectful, etc.
Fantastic work, guys. Very well researched.
The leaf shaped extreme point of the 2nd Roman Pugio looks like a weapon designed to pierce armour, particular mail armour.
This knife really doesn't seem like it was ever used as a kitchen implement.
Impressive video! Reenactments like this are under-appreciated, but are SO valuable to give a visual image for people to learn from. Great job!
Great video like always!
the pugio seems like a good punching dagger.something short that can be drawn mid clash with a ribbed grip that wont slip on blood.