The Roman Centurion's Song - Romano-British Folk Song

The Roman Centurion's Song is a poem written by Rudyard Kipling first published in 1911. It follows a Roman Solider who loves and spent 40 years in Britain but is being ordered home to Rome. It's recurring topic in Kipling's writing is that of an "Imperial" which forms an attachment to a colony that equals or surpasses their affection for their homeland.

[@robertcurry389]

Now I wanna hear it in Classical Latin.

[@khoshekhthecat]

It was written by Rudyard Kipling, so it would have to be a translation

[@CHRISTOSANESTI2023]

Or Old English even, though Welsh Brythonic would most likely have been the language it would have been sung in at the time

[@callmecait]

I absolutely love this song. I've never heard anything quite it before, and I fear nothing truly similar will be produced again.

[@IAmTheStig32]

Noble old soldier of Rome, I do hope that your last plea to your legate was granted. I hope that you got to stay in this land you hunted in, bled in and loved in, and ended a long and contented life lying beside your wife and son under a stone marker bearing a curious foreign name, but no less an unmistakable part of this land than the hills and forests and rivers.

[@PineMartinAmerican]

I thought Kipling wrote this as a poem. But it powerful!

[@janach1305]

Yes, the words are by Kipling, and the tune is an English folk song. I love it.

[@iowsiam2]

As someone from "Vectis" its kind of cool to hear it mentioned

[@jer_e4806]

Beautiful poem as it is, downright tear-jerking as this song rendition.
I think we're all longing for a home again.

[@patrioticarchive]

Wow, brilliant find mate!

[@RegnumHungariae]

love this. makes me miss living in Britain.

[@FridayNight-zc4ir]

beautiful, I hope many listen to this and apricate the beauty of of this land and the people that live here. It is people that make this land great and love too you all.

[@StarsBarsAndCheese]

Beautiful song.

[@micheleedwin4004]

This was written by Rudyard Kipling. I learned it as a child and I still have the poetry book.

[@AppalaShane]

What a beautiful song! Thank you sir and God Bless you!

[@NihilsineDeo1866.]

I didn't know there was a song from the Roman period about Britannia. What a pleasant surprise :)

[@victorcalleros6347]

It's not from the roman period. It's a verse by Kipling.

[@shaunsteele8244]

it isn't, unfortunately. It's only 100 years old

[@jonathanwilliams1065]

It’s in English
So no it’s definitely not Roman

[@theodorereznowski2387]

I was surprised too, the English spoken by the Roman-Anglos is hardly changed from today's English language and is easier to understand than Shakespearean :)

[@Loterrach]

@@theodorereznowski2387 English that was spoken 500 years ago was way different than modern English.

[@jorgegandara984]

I just can imagine the Roman Beatles singing in Stonehenge

[@williamrees6662]

Is this Peter Bellamy? He sang a lot of Kipling’s poems as folk songs.

[@GreatCenteralGlory]

Sounds a lot like him

[@vicenteromerovega1480]

Excellent song as always 🇨🇱❤️🇬🇧❤️🇮🇹

[@Tea_and_Cake]

Thank you i could only ever find it as a poem

[@spaghettiisyummy.3623]

This is so Niche that i can't even believe that it made it to the Internet!

[@lughiee]

I cried 😭

[@biggerthanacadillac]

Elmer P. Bleaty for sure. His loss was dire to the 'Folk World' and his Young Tradition were beyond superb. Peter Franklyn Bellamy 8/9/'44 ~ 24/9/91 RiP. [He spotted the genius of Kipling early in life.]

[@pumpkin91ful]

I like to think that the english aplombe and like for efficrncy comes from Roman culture

[@Kingheart5]

Nice song! All roads lead to Rome!

[@Glitter_H_Hoof]

I didn't know there were roads under the english channel

[@jongraswich7292]

@@Glitter_H_Hoof it’s called the chunnel

[@Glitter_H_Hoof]

@@jongraswich7292 I could not care less.

[@The_Christian_Cavalier]

@@jongraswich7292 what?

[@The_Christian_Cavalier]

@@Glitter_H_Hoof what on earth does he speak of

[@christianityistrue777]

Reminds me of the book of lamentations…

[@VincentivsFash]

Anglo-Italian momento 🥶

[@laboskie349]

Nice profile picture

[@VincentivsFash]

@HereticalHound ok boomer.

[@spaghettiisyummy.3623]

Actually, there are quite a lot of Italians in London!

[@AK-ULTRA]

@@spaghettiisyummy.3623 They aint Roman!, Unless they're from Rome then fair do hahahaha

[@EEYore-py1bf]

@@spaghettiisyummy.3623 I’m sorry to hear that

[@TheLobsterChannel]

Cool song

[@Briselance]

03:02
😢

[@scezich6126]

Britain has a very diverse history of multiple cultures from the Britons,Romans, Anglos, Normans. To say the English and British identity are not a mixture of different cultures over the time, would be a complete lie. The English language has many different grammatical rules and vocabulary borrowed from different languages that it makes a unique culture distinct from Britains eproupean contemporarys it is truly a modern Latin in the sense that it has connections to other languages but not influencing rather being influenced by the other languages

[@PeterPan54167]

Legate: Nice song dude but sorry, you’re on the first Trireme back!

[@Briselance]

Who is the singer, please? Is it John Tams?

[@yourdoom401]

Hmm, 2024 yet somehow listening to songs from... Before guns? Crazy. (Cannons don't count!)

[@farii__]

how

[@scezich6126]

Is that a Mercian accent ?

[@BingleFlimp]

Bellamy was from the south coast. He did however acquire renown by his distinct singing voice.

[@Yugomorph]

Leslie Fish sang this way better than Bellamy. Cold Iron as well. Peter's Oak and Ash and Thorn is way better than Leslie's though.

[@BingleFlimp]

Strongly disagree. I find Fish's rendition quite boring compared to Bellamy.