The year is 15 CE

and the Roman Empire is prospering

Most of the credit will go to the emperor,

but this success wouldn’t

have been possible

without loyal soldiers like Servius Felix.

Servius enlisted as a legionary

eight years ago at age 18,

· 0:25 - 0:29

· the son of a poor farmer

with few prospects.

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· Unlike the majority of legionaries,

he doesn’t gamble,

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· so he’s been able to save

most of his wages.

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· He’s even kept his viaticum,

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· the three gold coins he received

when he enlisted.

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· If he survives until retirement,

he’ll receive several acres of land.

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· And he’s grown rather fond

of a girl back home

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· whom he intends to marry.

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· But he’ll have to wait until he completes

his 25 years of service

· ¶

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· before that can happen.

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· And the life of a legionary

is dangerous and grueling.

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· Today, Servius’s legion,

along with three others,

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· has undertaken a “great march”

of 30,000 Roman paces,

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· the equivalent of nearly 36 kilometers.

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· Servius’s armor and weapons,

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· including his gladius,

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· scutum,

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· and two pila,

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· weigh over 20 kilograms.

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· And that’s not counting his backpack,

or sarcina,

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· which contains food and all the tools

he needs to help build the camp –

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· spade,

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· saw,

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· pickaxe,

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· and basket.

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· Although Servius is exhausted,

he won’t sleep much tonight.

· ¶

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· He’s been assigned the first watch,

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· which means looking after

the baggage animals

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· and keeping alert

against a possible ambush.

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· After he’s done, he lies awake,

dreading the day ahead,

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· which will force him

to recall his worst nightmare.

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· At dawn, Servius eats breakfast

with his seven tent companions.

· ¶

· · 1:54 - 1:59

· They’re like a family, all bearing scars

from the battles they’ve fought together.

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· Servius is from Italia,

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· but his fellow soldiers hail

from all over the empire,

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· which stretches from Syria to Spain.

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· So they’re all far from home

in the northern land of Germania.

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· Servius’s legion

and three others with him today

· ¶

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· are under the command of

Emperor Tiberius’s nephew Germanicus,

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· named for his father’s military successes

against the Germanic tribes.

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· Each legion has close to 5,000 men,

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· divided into cohorts of about 500,

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· further subdivided into centuries

of around 80-100 men.

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· Each century is commanded by a centurion.

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· An aquilifer, or eagle-bearer, marches at

the head of each legion

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· carrying its eagle standard.

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· The centurions march beside

the legionaries belting out orders,

· ¶

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· “Dex, sin, dex, sin,"

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· “Right, left, right, left,"

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· starting with the right foot as the left

is considered unlucky or sinister.

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· Despite the strict discipline,

there’s tension in the air.

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· Last year, some legions

in the area revolted,

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· demanding better pay

and a cut in the length of service.

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· Only their general’s charisma

and negotiating skills

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· prevented wholesale mutiny.

· · 3:13 - 3:16

· Today is a “just march,”

only 30 kilometers.

· ¶

· · 3:16 - 3:21

· As the marshes and forests of Germania

lie beyond the empire’s road system

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· the men must build causeways

and bridges to make headway—

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· something they’ve recently spent

more time doing than fighting.

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· Finally, they arrive at their destination,

a place Servius knows too well.

· ¶

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· It’s a clearing on the outskirts

of the Teutoburg Forest,

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· where six years ago, during the

reign of the Emperor Augustus,

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· Germanic tribes under

their chieftain Arminius

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· ambushed and destroyed three legions.

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· Proceeding along a narrow path,

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· the legions were attacked from

forest cover under torrential rain

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· with their escape blocked.

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· It was one of the worst defeats

the Romans ever suffered

· · 3:59