I'm sorry but I had to downvote this video. That horrible ringing bell sound you intentionally put into the video for no logical reason drove me crazy. Please don't do that. Why? Why was it there. I'm sure not everyone will notice it, but that's the point. To me it sounds like nails on a chalkboard. We're all different. Less is more. Never add unnecessary ingredients. Imagine chocolate syrup on steak and potatoes. Why?
It is really insane to think that a city just 300ish km from the Rhine could feel so secure for so long as to not have any defensive walls for so many generations.
For several centuries, the Romans had been overwhelmingly superior to the Germanic tribes in every aspect - culturally, militarily, technologically and scientifically. They could not imagine that supposedly "inferior" barbarians, whom they had always despised, would be able to invade wide parts of their empire. So why surround their cities with walls? The Germanic invasion in 260 AD must have been a shock and completely unexpected to the Romans.
I would love to see a series on - Carthage in 400-500 AD and how it lost its Roman architecture/identity - Roman Cities of Cordoba and Barcelona - Antioch and Tyre/Jersualem etc - Roman Athens and Corinth
I really want a Carthage video too. They say the Romans razed it but also used it, then the Vandals took it over then the caliphate who finally burned it all down. And yet the large city of Tunis sits now where Carthage once did? It’s confusing.
Same here! i like and enjoy the "walkking through citiy in xyz ad. wat would you have seen?" I am impressed with the researched specific history and footage
I love them too, and for some reason this was the one I liked the most. Perhaps because as a smaller town it's easier to visualize? I don't know but I liked it.
A great deal more than many 'historians' were later to suggest. Paris ceased to be a Roman centre of control only in AD 481, the local command being defeated by Clovis I .. and he and his successors added new Roman buildings, basilica, etc, they did not let them decay. Not what we usually hear, I admit, yet true notwithstanding. ;o)
@@TheLeonhamm imagien how cool it would be to walk through a roman city which looks orgiinall like in 300 AD or something. Not much ruined like Pompeii, but actually like a roman city. Just a dream would come true
Outstanding post, Roman urban planning and construction is the foundation of modern urban areas. The Franks were perhaps the most Romanized of barbarian tribes. In the Dark Ages, as well, Paris stood as a bulwark against the Viking invaders.
Just before the siege of Paris, Eudes of Paris ordered the reconstruction of the roman fortifications of the city and when the vikings arrived, they were impressed by all the fortifications around the city (huge walls, fortified bridges, the so called "pont de l'Arche", etc) The Vikings TV show shows on screen just a tiny bit of all the efforts the Franks put on the fondations left by the Romans.
@@TheParis7593 good information thanks, I forgot to mention it was also the Franks (Charles Martel) that stopped the Muslim Umayyad Caliphate invasion of Europe at Poitiers and drove them back across the Pyrenees.
The episode of Julian's defense of Gaul was satisfying. Before he went east and got himself killed in Persia he demonstrated, against all expectations, to be an able and confident commander. Julian's story always amazes and depresses me all at once. Thanks for the video! Do keep up the good work, I swear I will contribute as soon as I'm able!
Despite whose expectations .. of what? Julian (the then 'Christian') family member of the Constantinian clan was expected to advance the glory of his clan, an entirely Roman aim; this he did, so his command in Gaul was no fluke or accident. His reversion to paganism, not so startling a leap for the Constantinians as later generations made out (killing chickens, slaughtering hecatombs of cattle, or slitting a pig's throat in public worship was already considered ridiculous, but pagan symbolism was still universally present even among Jews, e.g. astrology, sun-bursts, flying chariots et al), though it was a studied insult to Christians. One can indeed feel rather sad for Julian, for whatever philosophy that was going on in his head his contemporaries laughed at his religious expression of it. Would Rome have been 'better' off repressing Christianity, philosophic or cultic, and restoring - Claudius-like - obscure and fanciful cults as if philosophy .. e.g. belief in the efficacy of gladiatorial bloodshed or the atoning crucifixion of God? I doubt it .. but then what do I know. ;o)
@@TheLeonhamm at the end of the day , what dictates religion is economics. The elites in Christian turkey got converted to Islam followed by the general populace. If there's no incentive for a person to remain pagan/Christian, he would most likely convert. This has nothing to do with the magical powers of a Sky Daddy.
@@TheLeonhamm The name paganism is linked to the word for farmer. For what I read farmers were linked with the old religions because they were more attached to them. I imagine or suppose that maybe is an exaggeration claiming that his "contemporaries laughed at his religious expression of it." I don't say it as defense or attack of Christianity, just how hard are old traditions that even when there is a cultural shift they survive, except when most of all population is replaced.
I had been to and sat in one of the seat within the Parisian amphitheater! I was in a philosophy class and we spoke of stoicism in the ruins of the theater. The theater itself was almost hidden behind buildings.
Ticinum (modern Pavia) would be a really interesting city to discuss, for its importance as a Roman, the Gothic and then Lombard capital, until Berengar burned the city.
Very well made. I love these "Walking through (XX ancient) town" videos and this one I especially liked. It was so easy to visualize, perhaps because it was a smaller town. I always had a special interest in both Germanic and Roman stuff. Thanks for your hard work!
@@Maiorianus_Sebastian You should make videos about the Latin language, and how it changed overtime. Perhaps even collab with Luke Ranieri from Polymathy? 🥹😄
@@sramanakarya It most likely was being pronounced as a bilabial fricative by the time of 500 AD. It was similar to the v sound but as if you are making a w sound or if you are trying to make a v sound without using your teeth. It explains why the Germans borrowed Latin terms early as English wine, but Romance languages inherited from Latin likely said vino with a v sound, or even b in Spanish. It was only later on did that bilabial fricative become the v sound we know it today. It didn't change from w to v overnight.
Few people know it, but Romans had such an easy time traveling through France (Gallia) because the Gaulish roads were already very developed, so the Romans just built their roads on top of pre-existing ones.
These videos are so helpful in deconstructing the widespread and erroneous concept of “European Dark Ages”. Rome’s legacy is so overarching that in many places in the Western half, life continued just as it had done for the past half millennium, albeit in a somewhat reduced, more local scale. In general, the Germanic elites and settlers tended to adopt Roman customs, rather than the other way around. The concept of the Dark Ages is rather Anglo-centric, due to the fact that Britannia was generally less romanised and the collapse of the Roman administration there was more marked. But in many other places, Romanitas was very much alive, like in the Mediterranean coast (Italy, Provence, Aquitaine, Hispania, the Northern African coast, the islands, etc). While there’s an undeniable reduction in material and literary wealth, the more mundane aspects of Roman life changed little. The next great transformation would come during the Carolingian Renaissance, which built upon the Roman legacy. After this, cities started to look more and more like what we commonly associate with medieval, with Romanesque architecture descending from the Carolingian legacy. By then, a wider European Cristian culture was developing on both sides of the Roman limes, and Late Antiquity had come to a close.
Uhm.... I don't think you are right. These videos show us what was lost, and lost it was... because of the Dark Ages. The "mere transformation" narrative appears to be utter bollocks when one sees how the Roman way of life slowly declined - as something stable and with internal strength declines slowly - and then pufff! - gone in 100 years, as it couldn't be sustained no more... because the Dark Ages happened. No more public buildings, no more roads, no more literacy, no more space between buildings as was the norm during Roman times. Would you sincerely say that had we lost the internet, the railway, 90% of automobiles, all institutions except the Church, most of high skill crafts (early medieval art was simplistic not without reason), our theaters, schools, universities etc. - had we lost all these and having lived so for 50 years, wouldn't our world plunge into Dark Ages?
Life has continued in Detroit as well, albeit in a somewhat reduced, more local scale... The archaeological evidence and lack of intellectual activity during the early Medieval period strongly indicate that things kind of went to shit, and that the prevailing opinion is not too far from the truth.
@@Tzimiskes3506 The only revisionists are the clique of morons who try to justify wasting $200k on a Medieval Studies degree by weaving this counterfactual narrative, cherrypicking the conspicuously limited amount of quality intellectual material during this era. It was period of massive decline, not just in Europe but almost globally. There is overwhelming archaeological, written, and even climatological evidence to support this on almost any conceivable metric. You could make the same argument for "continuation" regarding the Bronze Age Collapse too, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a collapse. Life goes on in Detroit, there are still schools, and the remaining population even has smartphones now. That doesn't mean it hasn't objectively suffered major decline.
After the 2 destructive civil wars that were the shorts (and ensuing comment crossfires) on pagan monuments and Constantine's religious policies, this looks to be a blissful healing balm that shall soothe all wounds and lead to peace and reconciliation (I hope). In all honesty, this looks great.
This is my favorite tube channel. It has encouraged me to delve into the world we live in today, especially geographically. The planet is beginning to make much more sense.
Always wondered this, what Roman cities looked a few hundred years after the Western Empire receded, or collapsed. Your channel has all of this, you've found a new subscriber in me. 🍻
I did a *_lot_* of research on this topic (wrote some articles and a novel from it). My take is that Lutetia did not fall to the Franks in 486 but was besieged on and off for ten years after that date since the Gallo-Romans - the "Arborychii" - were able to successfully resist the Franks after the defeat and flight of Syagrius (who was probably deposed). It was only when Clovis was baptised in 496/7 that they accepted him freely as their ruler. What's also interesting is that units of the Roman army in this region survived in residual form until the middle of the 6th century (with plausible primary source evidence for the II Augusta legion being among them). These units originally guarded the frontier with the Visigoths on the Loire in the south and gave their allegiance to Clovis after his baptism. They were probably maintained by rich Gallo-Roman landowners as private troops, rather like late Roman _Bucellarii._
Funnily enough - as with London, Londinium - the residents of Paris, Civitas Parisiorum (the much reduced Lutetia Parisiorum) would not have noticed a great change between AD 300 and 600. The major change from the older - more extensive - city would be the greater security the new form offered from friendly armies, marauders, hoards, and raiders; the abandoned parts of the older establishment being used (recycled) to provide moderately defensible walls and a rampart. In AD 360, when Martin of Tours visited it - for a Church Council (quite a big affair, even if only a local event), it had the beginnings of a cathedral (a bishop's residence and church; at the time this was often an unused law court and meeting house, closer to a legionary camp than Constantinople in style, usually a modest affair yet important civilly), and more or less completely functional by AD 390. Unlike Treves, Rheims, Metz, and Orleans (also vibrant mid-5th century 'Roman' cities in Gaul/ France = Francia) Paris was spared the devastation of the Huns, AD 451, and survived a siege by the Sallian Franks ten years later; so the Paris of Clovis, AD 481, would not have been unrecognisable as that of Valentinian I, Gratian, or the usurper Constantine III (the 360s - 410s), except that it was once more gradually extending out into the marshy forests again (St Germain-des-Pres, c 500s - destroyed 800s restored, then rebuilt in AD 1000). Neat.
Intelligent, well researched, beautifully explained with word and images. As an American English speaker, I can easily understand the spoken word. Love this channel!
I like to think there is some alternate universe out there where Rome never fell (or recovered from 476) and Maiorianus is giving us all of these videos in perfect Latin.
"I know your only real enemy is one man and he is standing before you now. I'm giving myself to you, Caesar. Our women died for us. I give you my own life so that you may let my men live. If my men die, there will be nothing left of the Gauls, no one left to worship our gods. I beg you. Enslave my people if you need to, but let them live!" *Gallic King Vercingetorix while surrounding to Julius Caesar*
This was fascinating as a history lover, but also I think of It's present reputation, one which has inspired a few teens I know to decorate their rooms with a Paris theme. I'm sure they don't go quite as far back as this, probably stopping at Versailles (which is actually outside Paris) and things like that. Although you could probably get some implications of a city of romance or city of lights with how it survived for so long with some of the Roman tradition, and eased perhaps more gradually than most into a into a medieval city, The light continuing to shine even as the dark ages got worse. (I'm just glad they learned history while doing so and weren't just stuck in the present staring at tiktok.)
A 15 mile Aqueduct--If you were a regional craftsman at that time, the Aqueduct was a big big job that would have kept you employed for awhiile...Stone by stone, some places 100ft high arches...Really a mind boggling feat of engineering 2000 years ago , the Amphitheater was as well...All that stone carving and transport--building the carts to transport, the scaffolding, cutting down trees for the manufacture of carts and scaffolding ---Non stop action!! Tremendous accomplishments
This is a really interesting one good choice i really think it’s interesting to compare the repurposing of space and material around the post roman world. Thanks a lot this paints a picture!
Gallo or Proto-French was likely the peasant form of Latin in all Gaul by circa 210 ce. Frankish Germans likely added very little to “Gallo” besides calling it officially “French” in East Francia/Paris.
Gaul: *Is conquered by Julius Caesar* Vercingetorix: "You will have mercy on us, right Caesar?" Julius Caesar: "Well, as your people once said when they sacked Rome..." *Proceeds to strangle Vercingetorix to death* "Vae Victis"
> Gaul: Is conquered by Julius Caesar Julius Caesar didn't just "conquer" Gaul, he eliminated any and all threats. In his own words, Julius said he *"killed a million Gauls and enslaved a million more".* Now we know that was an exaggeration, but the point is, he annihilated them. And those he left behind, he subjugated them, and taxed them, and drafted them for the next war. Leaving Gual to be quickly Romanized with the roads, buildings, forums, and (most importantly) the laws. Now, this is exactly what didn't happen in Germania. To be fair, there wasn't much in Germania (from a city\money perspective) so Rome wasn't going to waste the money or time to conquer it. But, then, is it really any wonder that the Barbarians from Germania eventually got larger, smarter, and strong enough to conquer Rome? After centuries of trading and training with the Romans... what did anyone really expect?
This makes me wonder how much of Roman Lutetia was lost in the 1800s when the Isle de la Cité was torn down and rebuilt into what we see today. Those Medieval buildings must have been Roman at their core.
14:42 _"language, now more dominated by the Franks"_ Or perhaps learning Classical was less useful? I mean the Classic ten vowels and the six cases had arguably in spoken Latin already largely collapsed into seven vowels and two cases. With genitives as optional extras, heard in the liturgy.
All of these treacheries made me question one thing: Why the heck the members of the Roman leadership kept betraying each other and alienating the Germanic tribes so much? Were they so full of themselves to the point that they believed their styles of governance and leadership were the best and that they deserved more despite the facts that not many of them deserved such things?
> Were they so full of themselves to the point that they believed their styles of governance and leadership were the best Yes, 100%. Rome believed only in Rome. Everyone else outside of Rome was considered a Barbarian and only to be conquered, raided, and enslaved. Now, to give credit, many peoples outside of Rome wanted in. Roman Law was the staple and foundation of a solid and prosperous society. So much so, that many of these Barbarian groups actually copied the Roman Laws and made them their own, after the collapse. (Visigothic Code, Bergundian Code, Swebi Code, etc).
Yes, full of themselves and otherwise very flawed as humans are. We can continue the march forward with improved technologies of science, medicine and engendering but humans will never ever be able to change their baser nature. This is sad and very, very true today in the United States where we have empowered the worst of the worst.
I think urban life in Gaul survived better than in Italy but on a smaller scale, The origin of the word "ville" (town in French) comes from the Roman villa.
People at the time would have had more to laugh at - he was not taken seriously, UAPD, sincere, yes, but ridiculous. He didn't respond too well to that kind of reception for his ideas, as at Antioch. More importantly, his policy of highly centralised decentralisation, though initially popular - all emperors sought to 'reform' abuse, etc - would have stripped the imperial apparatus of funds while forcing local elites to dig deeper into their funds (one of the real reasons why the imperial system failed in Western Europe, there were too many local demands, and the local aristocracy didn't want to pay for the pleasure of taking up the slack .. so they didn't bother, and the emperors could no longer force them). ;o)
After the frankish conquest they adopted a mainly latin languages with a few frankish words . Only surnames stood of germanic origins and transformed .
Excellent post. I did not expect Paris still looking much roman in 500 AD, but thanks you explained why Lutetia was most not destroyed prior 500 AD by the germanic tribes. Would you may make a video Walking through Cologne in 600 AD. What would you have seen? Cologne was famous for its glas manufactures. The cathedral was builded on roman fundaments and there is a roman gatetower still visible. The roman city sign CCAA is in the romanic germanic museum. And would you make a video Walking through Trier in 600 AD. What wwould you have seen? Augusta Treverorum was for some time the capital of the roman empire and at its peak it had more than 100.000 inhabitants. The Basilika was the former palace of Constantine the Great. Trier is amous for its roman gate, the Porta Nigra, which got the name during the Middel ages. There are several documentaries about roman cologne and toman trier. English speaking aswell german speaking documentaries. For the case if you want to use somce scenes for your video, violiting copyright issuses :D
We don't know much about Cologne in 600 AD. The bishop was Everigisil, but we don't know the number of inhabitants, the administration and the buildings. Hence this would be pure fiction.
The roman roads were more or less kept in some kind of working order in parts of Belgium and France. See chaussees de Brunehaut. How did this play out elsewhere?
Absolutely. It had a head start over other cities in western Europe by being easily defended and still preserving Roman advancements for longer than Rome itself. This in part was the reason Clovis I would choose Paris as his capitol.
Masterfully done. I'm really curious to know why the Roman baths fell into disuse. What was used in their place for bathing that was judged to be better?
Salve Amici, a Spanish channel is literally copying your job, this exact same video is in his channel "Conceptos Historicos" and I say this bc you are one of my favorites history channels
You mention a military leader sounds like 'Sciablius.' Intriguing similarity to my own (Swabian) last name but Google keeps sending me elsewhere. More info or correct spelling, please?
The city of Paris begane to decay after the sack of the city in 845 and 857 by vikings ,the actual begening of the midle ages in most Paris ,of much norhen france vikings were the ones who started the midle ages with theire raids . Make a video about this and put the title:How Ragnar Lothbroack started the midle ages in Paris. And why the modern westerners romanticize theose barbarians? That will be a good topic for a video. No coments
14:20 _"when trade would collapse, when the civic Roman system would collapse for good"_ 1) did trade collapse? 2) how do you defined collapse of "the civic Roman system"
I have some french ancestry I know they lived in Paris in 1600s-1800s but wonder what some where doing in 500ad? Where they in Paris ? Where they celts ? Romans ? Germatics ? It's interesting and when you think of it and how many ancestors we have they where probably all the above
Apparently Parisi also lived in Britain, around Newcastle area. I always wonder whether the name Parisi was in any way connected to Farsi- Persian. Or Eiru-Ireland to Iran? It’s all indoeuropean, so maybe?
@Malorianus I'm impressed at how you're such a virtuous person you can look back some two thousand years and know for certain how sadly customarily gadiatorial games were....and even more impressive how you know you would've been outraged at these events and I'm sure you would've never participated as a spectator....because you're so morally superior to the millions of ancient romans who weren't as good as you.
Also his concern for the ancient temples dismantled to build churches, even if the churches are pleasant, fanaticism took away many of the beautiful structures of antiquity. Early Christians should have simply repurposed the temples like Hagia Sophia had been repurposed from Orthodoxy to a Mosque in the East.
The first 1,000 people to use the link will get a 1-month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/maiorianus10221 😉
lol...great, sill not Athens in 500, or before though ;o)
the earliest depictions from Lutetia are still extant in Asterix comics.
who was in paris? in 500ad?
I'm sorry but I had to downvote this video. That horrible ringing bell sound you intentionally put into the video for no logical reason drove me crazy. Please don't do that. Why? Why was it there. I'm sure not everyone will notice it, but that's the point. To me it sounds like nails on a chalkboard. We're all different. Less is more. Never add unnecessary ingredients. Imagine chocolate syrup on steak and potatoes. Why?
@@aguy6771 Romans it seems.
It is really insane to think that a city just 300ish km from the Rhine could feel so secure for so long as to not have any defensive walls for so many generations.
I mean you probably don't wanna pay for it if it's not absolutely necessary
For several centuries, the Romans had been overwhelmingly superior to the Germanic tribes in every aspect - culturally, militarily, technologically and scientifically. They could not imagine that supposedly "inferior" barbarians, whom they had always despised, would be able to invade wide parts of their empire. So why surround their cities with walls? The Germanic invasion in 260 AD must have been a shock and completely unexpected to the Romans.
@@c.norbertneumann4986 They also felt that about some different kinds of tribes from beyond the Rhine in 1871
Once again they were wrong
@@c.norbertneumann4986 Idk, Caesar was often pretty close to losing against so called barbarians.. but it was still during the republic times
Its insane that Austin is just 300ish km from Rio de Grande and has no fortifications. And Palermo is right off the coast with no fortifications.
I would love to see a series on
- Carthage in 400-500 AD and how it lost its Roman architecture/identity
- Roman Cities of Cordoba and Barcelona
- Antioch and Tyre/Jersualem etc
- Roman Athens and Corinth
I still find it intriguing how Rome destroyed and salted Carthage....only to revive it as a city of their own design.
@@diamondinthesky4771 the ultimate insult
I really want a Carthage video too. They say the Romans razed it but also used it, then the Vandals took it over then the caliphate who finally burned it all down. And yet the large city of Tunis sits now where Carthage once did? It’s confusing.
@@Bern_il_Cinq Indeed
@@diamondinthesky4771The Romans salting Carthage is a myth.
Hence the Famous words :
"Only Paris is worthy of Rome; only Rome is worthy of Paris."
Since 1956 Paris has been exclusively twinned with Rome.
Et the French conserved the "et".
&
I really like this series of "Walking through Early Medieval city, what remained of the Romans?"
Same here! i like and enjoy the "walkking through citiy in xyz ad. wat would you have seen?" I am impressed with the researched specific history and footage
I love them too, and for some reason this was the one I liked the most.
Perhaps because as a smaller town it's easier to visualize? I don't know but I liked it.
A great deal more than many 'historians' were later to suggest. Paris ceased to be a Roman centre of control only in AD 481, the local command being defeated by Clovis I .. and he and his successors added new Roman buildings, basilica, etc, they did not let them decay. Not what we usually hear, I admit, yet true notwithstanding.
;o)
@@TheLeonhamm imagien how cool it would be to walk through a roman city which looks orgiinall like in 300 AD or something. Not much ruined like Pompeii, but actually like a roman city. Just a dream would come true
I want more of this
Outstanding post, Roman urban planning and construction is the foundation of modern urban areas. The Franks were perhaps the most Romanized of barbarian tribes. In the Dark Ages, as well, Paris stood as a bulwark against the Viking invaders.
Just before the siege of Paris, Eudes of Paris ordered the reconstruction of the roman fortifications of the city and when the vikings arrived, they were impressed by all the fortifications around the city (huge walls, fortified bridges, the so called "pont de l'Arche", etc)
The Vikings TV show shows on screen just a tiny bit of all the efforts the Franks put on the fondations left by the Romans.
@@TheParis7593 good information thanks, I forgot to mention it was also the Franks (Charles Martel) that stopped the Muslim Umayyad Caliphate invasion of Europe at Poitiers and drove them back across the Pyrenees.
It's amazing what 150.000 Norwegians achieved during the Viking Ages!
@@bioliv1 Norway should pay England Colonial Reparations money!
@@MissionHomeowner Nah, the English have dished it out, they can take it.
The episode of Julian's defense of Gaul was satisfying. Before he went east and got himself killed in Persia he demonstrated, against all expectations, to be an able and confident commander. Julian's story always amazes and depresses me all at once. Thanks for the video! Do keep up the good work, I swear I will contribute as soon as I'm able!
Despite whose expectations .. of what? Julian (the then 'Christian') family member of the Constantinian clan was expected to advance the glory of his clan, an entirely Roman aim; this he did, so his command in Gaul was no fluke or accident. His reversion to paganism, not so startling a leap for the Constantinians as later generations made out (killing chickens, slaughtering hecatombs of cattle, or slitting a pig's throat in public worship was already considered ridiculous, but pagan symbolism was still universally present even among Jews, e.g. astrology, sun-bursts, flying chariots et al), though it was a studied insult to Christians.
One can indeed feel rather sad for Julian, for whatever philosophy that was going on in his head his contemporaries laughed at his religious expression of it. Would Rome have been 'better' off repressing Christianity, philosophic or cultic, and restoring - Claudius-like - obscure and fanciful cults as if philosophy .. e.g. belief in the efficacy of gladiatorial bloodshed or the atoning crucifixion of God?
I doubt it .. but then what do I know.
;o)
@@TheLeonhamm at the end of the day , what dictates religion is economics.
The elites in Christian turkey got converted to Islam followed by the general populace.
If there's no incentive for a person to remain pagan/Christian, he would most likely convert.
This has nothing to do with the magical powers of a Sky Daddy.
@@TheLeonhamm The name paganism is linked to the word for farmer. For what I read farmers were linked with the old religions because they were more attached to them. I imagine or suppose that maybe is an exaggeration claiming that his "contemporaries laughed at his religious expression of it." I don't say it as defense or attack of Christianity, just how hard are old traditions that even when there is a cultural shift they survive, except when most of all population is replaced.
Great video Maiorianus. 2 suggestions for future topics: Augusta Trevevorum (Trier), Germany's oldest city, and Carthage under Vandal rule.
I had been to and sat in one of the seat within the Parisian amphitheater! I was in a philosophy class and we spoke of stoicism in the ruins of the theater. The theater itself was almost hidden behind buildings.
Thank you for still using BC and AD. You are a breath of fresh air.
For religious morons I guess it is.
Ticinum (modern Pavia) would be a really interesting city to discuss, for its importance as a Roman, the Gothic and then Lombard capital, until Berengar burned the city.
It's always a good day whenever you release a new video. Your channel is way too underrated, thank you for all your hard work!
Very well made. I love these "Walking through (XX ancient) town" videos and this one I especially liked. It was so easy to visualize, perhaps because it was a smaller town. I always had a special interest in both Germanic and Roman stuff. Thanks for your hard work!
I found you through shorts and although i am not a big fan of those, this type of video is more my style! Wonderful and great video!
It’s always a pleasure to watch your excellent videos and hear your good, spoken Classical Latin.
Thanks a lot Kimberly, I feel very honored to receive such high praise :)
@@Maiorianus_Sebastian You should make videos about the Latin language, and how it changed overtime. Perhaps even collab with Luke Ranieri from Polymathy? 🥹😄
@@sramanakarya It most likely was being pronounced as a bilabial fricative by the time of 500 AD. It was similar to the v sound but as if you are making a w sound or if you are trying to make a v sound without using your teeth. It explains why the Germans borrowed Latin terms early as English wine, but Romance languages inherited from Latin likely said vino with a v sound, or even b in Spanish. It was only later on did that bilabial fricative become the v sound we know it today. It didn't change from w to v overnight.
Few people know it, but Romans had such an easy time traveling through France (Gallia) because the Gaulish roads were already very developed, so the Romans just built their roads on top of pre-existing ones.
These are my favorite vids of yours.
Damn the amount of information still around even after the supposed "dark ages" amazes me wholeheartedly.
These videos are so helpful in deconstructing the widespread and erroneous concept of “European Dark Ages”. Rome’s legacy is so overarching that in many places in the Western half, life continued just as it had done for the past half millennium, albeit in a somewhat reduced, more local scale. In general, the Germanic elites and settlers tended to adopt Roman customs, rather than the other way around. The concept of the Dark Ages is rather Anglo-centric, due to the fact that Britannia was generally less romanised and the collapse of the Roman administration there was more marked. But in many other places, Romanitas was very much alive, like in the Mediterranean coast (Italy, Provence, Aquitaine, Hispania, the Northern African coast, the islands, etc). While there’s an undeniable reduction in material and literary wealth, the more mundane aspects of Roman life changed little. The next great transformation would come during the Carolingian Renaissance, which built upon the Roman legacy. After this, cities started to look more and more like what we commonly associate with medieval, with Romanesque architecture descending from the Carolingian legacy. By then, a wider European Cristian culture was developing on both sides of the Roman limes, and Late Antiquity had come to a close.
Uhm.... I don't think you are right.
These videos show us what was lost, and lost it was... because of the Dark Ages. The "mere transformation" narrative appears to be utter bollocks when one sees how the Roman way of life slowly declined - as something stable and with internal strength declines slowly - and then pufff! - gone in 100 years, as it couldn't be sustained no more... because the Dark Ages happened. No more public buildings, no more roads, no more literacy, no more space between buildings as was the norm during Roman times.
Would you sincerely say that had we lost the internet, the railway, 90% of automobiles, all institutions except the Church, most of high skill crafts (early medieval art was simplistic not without reason), our theaters, schools, universities etc. - had we lost all these and having lived so for 50 years, wouldn't our world plunge into Dark Ages?
Life has continued in Detroit as well, albeit in a somewhat reduced, more local scale...
The archaeological evidence and lack of intellectual activity during the early Medieval period strongly indicate that things kind of went to shit, and that the prevailing opinion is not too far from the truth.
@@cmt6997 Lack of intellectual activity?
The monasteries were fu of intellectual activity, revisionist...
@@Tzimiskes3506 The only revisionists are the clique of morons who try to justify wasting $200k on a Medieval Studies degree by weaving this counterfactual narrative, cherrypicking the conspicuously limited amount of quality intellectual material during this era. It was period of massive decline, not just in Europe but almost globally. There is overwhelming archaeological, written, and even climatological evidence to support this on almost any conceivable metric.
You could make the same argument for "continuation" regarding the Bronze Age Collapse too, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a collapse. Life goes on in Detroit, there are still schools, and the remaining population even has smartphones now. That doesn't mean it hasn't objectively suffered major decline.
@@Tzimiskes3506 I think he meant that there wasn't much activity to boast about.
One of my favorite series. Good luck with your drawing classes.
What a splendid presentation, Maiorianus! Well done. Thank you for your good work.
Very cool topic, thanks for researching this!
After the 2 destructive civil wars that were the shorts (and ensuing comment crossfires) on pagan monuments and Constantine's religious policies, this looks to be a blissful healing balm that shall soothe all wounds and lead to peace and reconciliation (I hope).
In all honesty, this looks great.
Really good job!!
What do you think about making a video of Corduba, the actual Córdoba, capital of Baetica in Hispania
I'm pleased to see another (at the time) provincial city evolution in Late Antiquity
Yes, it is interesting .. not least in exposing the egregious mistakes still trotted out in popular 'history'.
;o)
What a perfect channel, respect your energt
This is my favorite tube channel. It has encouraged me to delve into the world we live in today, especially geographically. The planet is beginning to make much more sense.
Always wondered this, what Roman cities looked a few hundred years after the Western Empire receded, or collapsed. Your channel has all of this, you've found a new subscriber in me. 🍻
Thank you for your presentation...
I did a *_lot_* of research on this topic (wrote some articles and a novel from it). My take is that Lutetia did not fall to the Franks in 486 but was besieged on and off for ten years after that date since the Gallo-Romans - the "Arborychii" - were able to successfully resist the Franks after the defeat and flight of Syagrius (who was probably deposed). It was only when Clovis was baptised in 496/7 that they accepted him freely as their ruler. What's also interesting is that units of the Roman army in this region survived in residual form until the middle of the 6th century (with plausible primary source evidence for the II Augusta legion being among them). These units originally guarded the frontier with the Visigoths on the Loire in the south and gave their allegiance to Clovis after his baptism. They were probably maintained by rich Gallo-Roman landowners as private troops, rather like late Roman _Bucellarii._
Can you tell me some more? I’m pretty curious and want to learn more about this specific topic and I’m doing research on it
Funnily enough - as with London, Londinium - the residents of Paris, Civitas Parisiorum (the much reduced Lutetia Parisiorum) would not have noticed a great change between AD 300 and 600. The major change from the older - more extensive - city would be the greater security the new form offered from friendly armies, marauders, hoards, and raiders; the abandoned parts of the older establishment being used (recycled) to provide moderately defensible walls and a rampart. In AD 360, when Martin of Tours visited it - for a Church Council (quite a big affair, even if only a local event), it had the beginnings of a cathedral (a bishop's residence and church; at the time this was often an unused law court and meeting house, closer to a legionary camp than Constantinople in style, usually a modest affair yet important civilly), and more or less completely functional by AD 390. Unlike Treves, Rheims, Metz, and Orleans (also vibrant mid-5th century 'Roman' cities in Gaul/ France = Francia) Paris was spared the devastation of the Huns, AD 451, and survived a siege by the Sallian Franks ten years later; so the Paris of Clovis, AD 481, would not have been unrecognisable as that of Valentinian I, Gratian, or the usurper Constantine III (the 360s - 410s), except that it was once more gradually extending out into the marshy forests again (St Germain-des-Pres, c 500s - destroyed 800s restored, then rebuilt in AD 1000).
Neat.
Great episode. Thank you.
Can you do a video on Roman London and Roman York.
Roman New York
Could you do a video on Roman Delmenhorst, which is a small municipal town in Lower Saxony, Germany
York was not called york by roman
Actually there was a video about Londinium in 500 AD recently
Didn’t he already make a video about Roman London?
It isn’t just temples which were dismantled, but what else were people to do to find shelter at short notice with little other material to hand?
Great job on this video. I really enjoyed the images and text.
Intelligent, well researched, beautifully explained with word and images. As an American English speaker, I can easily understand the spoken word. Love this channel!
I like to think there is some alternate universe out there where Rome never fell (or recovered from 476) and Maiorianus is giving us all of these videos in perfect Latin.
The language would’ve evolved regardless. Just look most words the young generation use such as “Yeet” which didn’t even exist 10 years ago.
brother LOVE your content!!
mérci bien!!
"I know your only real enemy is one man and he is standing before you now. I'm giving myself to you, Caesar. Our women died for us. I give you my own life so that you may let my men live. If my men die, there will be nothing left of the Gauls, no one left to worship our gods. I beg you. Enslave my people if you need to, but let them live!"
*Gallic King Vercingetorix while surrounding to Julius Caesar*
I did not know that Vercingetorix spoke
such an elegant latin !
This was fascinating as a history lover, but also I think of It's present reputation, one which has inspired a few teens I know to decorate their rooms with a Paris theme. I'm sure they don't go quite as far back as this, probably stopping at Versailles (which is actually outside Paris) and things like that. Although you could probably get some implications of a city of romance or city of lights with how it survived for so long with some of the Roman tradition, and eased perhaps more gradually than most into a into a medieval city, The light continuing to shine even as the dark ages got worse. (I'm just glad they learned history while doing so and weren't just stuck in the present staring at tiktok.)
This was a little town at that time. There were much larger cities, especially Lyon.
Can you do one on Augusta Treverorum, Athens, Jerusalem and Alexandria please?
Interestingly enough, the Roman province of Alpes Maritimae correspond exactly to the modern French departement of Alpes Maritimes.
A 15 mile Aqueduct--If you were a regional craftsman at that time, the Aqueduct was a big big job that would have kept you employed for awhiile...Stone by stone, some places 100ft high arches...Really a mind boggling feat of engineering 2000 years ago , the Amphitheater was as well...All that stone carving and transport--building the carts to transport, the scaffolding, cutting down trees for the manufacture of carts and scaffolding ---Non stop action!! Tremendous accomplishments
Great video!!! Thank you so much!
the ilustrations are so amazing !
This is so amazing, I am fascinated by this, please make more like this about Dark Age times
This is a really interesting one good choice i really think it’s interesting to compare the repurposing of space and material around the post roman world. Thanks a lot this paints a picture!
Excellent illustrations & historical commentary.🙏👻💖
Gallo or Proto-French was likely the peasant form of Latin in all Gaul by circa 210 ce. Frankish Germans likely added very little to “Gallo” besides calling it officially “French” in East Francia/Paris.
"Frankish Germans" : Franks were a germanic tribe ( Germany and Germans did not exist ) settled in north of Belgium / Netherlands.
what an excellent video. thank you so much for this.
The main thing I remember from ancient cities still going...the smell of urine
Wow, I love your channel. Keep it up.
Nime is a good example of what Paris' architecture looked like, for the time in question
The modern Paris, that we all know and... like.
This says what many people think about Paris after they've stayed one too many days.
Gaul: *Is conquered by Julius Caesar*
Vercingetorix: "You will have mercy on us, right Caesar?"
Julius Caesar: "Well, as your people once said when they sacked Rome..."
*Proceeds to strangle Vercingetorix to death* "Vae Victis"
What a psycho
> Gaul: Is conquered by Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar didn't just "conquer" Gaul, he eliminated any and all threats. In his own words, Julius said he *"killed a million Gauls and enslaved a million more".* Now we know that was an exaggeration, but the point is, he annihilated them. And those he left behind, he subjugated them, and taxed them, and drafted them for the next war. Leaving Gual to be quickly Romanized with the roads, buildings, forums, and (most importantly) the laws.
Now, this is exactly what didn't happen in Germania. To be fair, there wasn't much in Germania (from a city\money perspective) so Rome wasn't going to waste the money or time to conquer it. But, then, is it really any wonder that the Barbarians from Germania eventually got larger, smarter, and strong enough to conquer Rome? After centuries of trading and training with the Romans... what did anyone really expect?
Vercingetorix was most probably a Roman general that was of a Celtic/Gallic origin and rebelled to defend his homeland.
And when the psycho of Caesar was killed, thousands of innocent souls found peace.
Absolutely marvelous on every level. To what extent do you connect the rise of the Church with the Dark Ages?
Informative and beautifully made video, thanks ! (Careful : the word bulwark has the sound of bull/pull not the sound of but/gull.)
This makes me wonder how much of Roman Lutetia was lost in the 1800s when the Isle de la Cité was torn down and rebuilt into what we see today. Those Medieval buildings must have been Roman at their core.
Fantastic video! Would love to see more of these.
14:42 _"language, now more dominated by the Franks"_
Or perhaps learning Classical was less useful?
I mean the Classic ten vowels and the six cases had arguably in spoken Latin already largely collapsed into seven vowels and two cases. With genitives as optional extras, heard in the liturgy.
Fascinating video. Thanks!
All of these treacheries made me question one thing: Why the heck the members of the Roman leadership kept betraying each other and alienating the Germanic tribes so much? Were they so full of themselves to the point that they believed their styles of governance and leadership were the best and that they deserved more despite the facts that not many of them deserved such things?
> Were they so full of themselves to the point that they believed their styles of governance and leadership were the best
Yes, 100%. Rome believed only in Rome. Everyone else outside of Rome was considered a Barbarian and only to be conquered, raided, and enslaved.
Now, to give credit, many peoples outside of Rome wanted in. Roman Law was the staple and foundation of a solid and prosperous society. So much so, that many of these Barbarian groups actually copied the Roman Laws and made them their own, after the collapse. (Visigothic Code, Bergundian Code, Swebi Code, etc).
No doubt people in the future will look back at the west in 2022 and ask the same question
Yes, full of themselves and otherwise very flawed as humans are. We can continue the march forward with improved technologies of science, medicine and engendering but humans will never ever be able to change their baser nature. This is sad and very, very true today in the United States where we have empowered the worst of the worst.
Thank you, very educational
How about Antioch or Damascus next? Or even Jerusalem.
Alexandria or Athens too
@@blushdog He already did Alexandria once. He could do another video about a different time period tho.
I see you've been playing some AC1.
This was dope. Thanks.
I think urban life in Gaul survived better than in Italy but on a smaller scale, The origin of the word "ville" (town in French) comes from the Roman villa.
If only Julian had lived longer.
Nothing would change...
People at the time would have had more to laugh at - he was not taken seriously, UAPD, sincere, yes, but ridiculous. He didn't respond too well to that kind of reception for his ideas, as at Antioch. More importantly, his policy of highly centralised decentralisation, though initially popular - all emperors sought to 'reform' abuse, etc - would have stripped the imperial apparatus of funds while forcing local elites to dig deeper into their funds (one of the real reasons why the imperial system failed in Western Europe, there were too many local demands, and the local aristocracy didn't want to pay for the pleasure of taking up the slack .. so they didn't bother, and the emperors could no longer force them).
;o)
Wonderful animation! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
informative & wonderful introduced ....allot Thanks for Sharing
Very good video, very informative
I believe these days it is commonly known among the educated that there wasnt a sudden change from roman to medival.
Maiorianus: VERY INTERESTING JOURNEY in time & space!
How to unarm and get peace from Allemagnes? Girls and Wine, you can see it on Mallorca today! It is so simple and easy!
In the early 5th century, it would also have had a small Roman fleet--but one originally from Britannia, which was by now independent!
amazing video, subscribed !!!
12:06 _"the Dark Ages did not start with the fall of the Western Roman Empire, but it was a long and gradual process"_
Of rebuilding.
Comment in support of the channel! Dedicate one video on - "How did Roman city planning differentiate from Greek/Hellenistic city plans".
After the frankish conquest they adopted a mainly latin languages with a few frankish words . Only surnames stood of germanic origins and transformed .
Excellent post. I did not expect Paris still looking much roman in 500 AD, but thanks you explained why Lutetia was most not destroyed prior 500 AD by the germanic tribes. Would you may make a video Walking through Cologne in 600 AD. What would you have seen? Cologne was famous for its glas manufactures. The cathedral was builded on roman fundaments and there is a roman gatetower still visible. The roman city sign CCAA is in the romanic germanic museum. And would you make a video Walking through Trier in 600 AD. What wwould you have seen? Augusta Treverorum was for some time the capital of the roman empire and at its peak it had more than 100.000 inhabitants. The Basilika was the former palace of Constantine the Great. Trier is amous for its roman gate, the Porta Nigra, which got the name during the Middel ages. There are several documentaries about roman cologne and toman trier. English speaking aswell german speaking documentaries. For the case if you want to use somce scenes for your video, violiting copyright issuses :D
We don't know much about Cologne in 600 AD. The bishop was Everigisil, but we don't know the number of inhabitants, the administration and the buildings. Hence this would be pure fiction.
@@babelhuber3449 i guessed so. well then maybe cologne in.. sometime between 450 too 500 AD??
@@aka99 Not much better as far as I know. It's called the Dark Age for a reason...
@@babelhuber3449 yeah, i just hoped for like Marianus did with Paris.
Good job
Fascinating.
great video!
Many of the most famous buildings in Paris are made of lutetian limestone. I guess this video explains why it's called that
The roman roads were more or less kept in some kind of working order in parts of Belgium and France. See chaussees de Brunehaut. How did this play out elsewhere?
I hope you will do Eastern Roman Empire and the Ottoman empire.
Seems like it was safer to live in Paris than from 450 to 500.
Absolutely. It had a head start over other cities in western Europe by being easily defended and still preserving Roman advancements for longer than Rome itself. This in part was the reason Clovis I would choose Paris as his capitol.
Masterfully done. I'm really curious to know why the Roman baths fell into disuse. What was used in their place for bathing that was judged to be better?
The Galli did not wash themselves. They just used their urin to make their blond hair more brilliant ( Diodorus Siculus V; 33 : 5)
@@ezzovonachalm9815 Thanks for the response ! 😱
Salve Amici, a Spanish channel is literally copying your job, this exact same video is in his channel "Conceptos Historicos" and I say this bc you are one of my favorites history channels
You mention a military leader sounds like 'Sciablius.' Intriguing similarity to my own (Swabian) last name but Google keeps sending me elsewhere. More info or correct spelling, please?
Where did the island city get its food and water? 🤠
Cool man.
The city of Paris begane to decay after the sack of the city in 845 and 857 by vikings ,the actual begening of the midle ages in most Paris ,of much norhen france vikings were the ones who started the midle ages with theire raids .
Make a video about this and put the title:How Ragnar Lothbroack started the midle ages in Paris.
And why the modern westerners romanticize theose barbarians?
That will be a good topic for a video.
No coments
Could you make a video like that for Persepolis or another ancient Persian city?
14:20 _"when trade would collapse, when the civic Roman system would collapse for good"_
1) did trade collapse?
2) how do you defined collapse of "the civic Roman system"
I have some french ancestry I know they lived in Paris in 1600s-1800s but wonder what some where doing in 500ad? Where they in Paris ? Where they celts ? Romans ? Germatics ? It's interesting and when you think of it and how many ancestors we have they where probably all the above
Apparently Parisi also lived in Britain, around Newcastle area. I always wonder whether the name Parisi was in any way connected to Farsi- Persian. Or Eiru-Ireland to Iran? It’s all indoeuropean, so maybe?
@Malorianus I'm impressed at how you're such a virtuous person you can look back some two thousand years and know for certain how sadly customarily gadiatorial games were....and even more impressive how you know you would've been outraged at these events and I'm sure you would've never participated as a spectator....because you're so morally superior to the millions of ancient romans who weren't as good as you.
Also his concern for the ancient temples dismantled to build churches, even if the churches are pleasant, fanaticism took away many of the beautiful structures of antiquity. Early Christians should have simply repurposed the temples like Hagia Sophia had been repurposed from Orthodoxy to a Mosque in the East.
excellent travail!
Brilliant - thank you