One big side-effect of cleaning up battlefields that we didn’t mention was the appearance of a victorious army seeming immortal. One can imagine the shock and awe of local battlefield visitors upon observing thousands of dead enemies of Rome and not a single dead Roman (left behind on the field).
Very true, although any advisary worth their salt would see through the tactic. Any disregard of it and a swift, brazen retaliation may take the Romans by suprise and off guard, if for a very brief time. High risk, high reward.
Another excellent video. You mentioned, but did not emphasize, that one of the main reasons for heavily discouraging soldiers from going looting when they saw fit was that it snatched defeat from the jaws of victory for many armies, and it was one of the things that distinguished the Roman army from other forces in ancient times.
That is what happened during the U.S. Civil War. Dead Confederate soldiers were often left on the battlefields, while Union soldiers were interred in "National" cemeteries. You can find photos online of Southern women's groups after the war organizing the collection of bodies (often just skeletons) for respectful burial. And we wonder why Southerners hated the North for so long.
I doubt that when Marcus Caelius paid the fee for his tombstone, he would ever imagine his name being said again 2015 years later. It's a simple thing but incredible all the same
It's been said that we die twice. The first time when your body dies, the second is the last time someone speaks your name. So.....Marcus Caelius is doing quite well.
Afterlife is surely only memory and that's why some of the oldest pharaohs built their megalomaniac pyramids, what makes us remember them even if 5000 years have passed.
Maximus: "Five thousand of my men are out there in the freezing mud...Three thousand of them are bloodied and cleaved...Two thousand will never leave this place...I will not believe they fought and died for nothing."
@@spiffygonzales5160 well yea they stripped the bodies at Cannae but I'm just quoting Historymarches video series on Hannibal. I do remember them saying they looted, buried any visible Nobility like the generals and commanders and they burned the rest. From the description the air was tainted with a foul odor that I will not be describing.
I will say this again. After years of studying Roman military history your documentaries have become absolutely essential to me. You cover so many aspects of the subject not to be found anywhere else. Thank you again so much!!! Looking forward to the next installment of Trajan's Dacian campaign.
Thank you for your kind comments! Our channel’s goal, at least for now, is to tackle the lesser known aspects of Roman history that most people glance over. To me, the pleasure of learning history is in the small details and similarities to our time. See you in part 4 of the Dacian wars!
There is a great documentary on the Dacian wars and Trajans Column, called Roman Way of War I believe. Used to be here on youtube, but I found it on bitchute uploaded by user called Adaneth. Something haunting, eerie about that documentary!
Sir I doubt you appreciate the impact of your praise, more so given your bona fides, as it gives them authority (meaning) Never heard of this ch tho b/c ur comment ‘I gotta watch this..’
Funny I just thought of a docu on Canae‘The Battle of Annihilation’ wondering who/how ‘cleaned-up’ 70k dead-the Earth had to absorb the 30k *gallons of blood
Can yall imagine the smell and the things you'd see after a battle took place? The horror and the stench... i have no doubt the soldiers that survived had crazy ptsd issues back then.
The thing is ancient battles were few and far between, unlike modern war. And then you would have months/years to decompress with your friends who went through the same horrors, again unlike modern war where you can go straight from the front to home in just a few days.
Men were much stronger mentally back then they didn't go all to pieces over dead bodies and slaughter like these soft weak brainwashed boys of today who don't see anything bad most times just the thought is enough to destroy their minds sad
Now THIS is something most people never think about, the aftermath of a bloody battle. Thank you for this insight on a chore that’s taken for granted! 👏🏽😎
Copses ie islands of trees are a thing from the aftermath of battles, bodies get piled up , loosely buried, trees grow there, so you end up with a copse. Nobody wants to plow the core of the battlefield because messy.
I’ve constantly thought about it, ever since I first learned about war. Which was when I learned my father fought in WWII when I was around 8. I was one of those “why” kids, but I also read constantly, so I’d look things up in our aged set of encyclopedia if I didn’t get enough information….as the 6th of 7 kids, my mom was pretty much done explaining things in detail-especially that-and even if my dad hadn’t left us he never would speak of his experiences as a Marine fighting on several Pacific islands. I figured out early how to take care of my brain. Unfortunately, the entry didn’t explain what happened with the tons of dead soldiers my mind imagined, which was difficult bc young children don’t understand death, and I couldn’t believe that men would actually do such vicious things to each other. But that was a question I’ve always wanted answered, in every battle I studied.
Reminds me of what the Duke of Wellington said. I believe it was in reference to having just stormed a fort (taking high casualties), in Spain or Portugal. The main assault failed and resulted in a bloodbath, but what was meant to be a diversion ended up creating a breach in the walls and led to the capture of the fort. He cried when he saw the small hill of dead British soldiers in the gap of the fort they were attempting to storm through.
I remember an issue of "Lone Wolf & Cub" where a Samurai army commander ordered his men to give his enemies proper burials after a battle. When asked why he repiled "In death I have no grievance with them."
Very interesting and overlooked subject. Not just about what the Romans did, but what armies generally did after defeating other armies. Sometimes you simply didn't have time to stay behind and take care of the dead and wounded, because you had to press home a potential advantage formed by the battle you'd just won. You do hear stories about wounded soldiers dying of thirst after being left behind for days. I always wondered about this, since arms, armor and other equipment is obviously quite valuable, so I never understood why anyone would leave it behind. But again, often you had to take advantage and keep the army going, so the dead and dying were left at the mercy of looters who either lived near the battlefield or would follow the army as retainers. War is a nasty business.
That's something that would be very rare. Beyond the need to rest following a battle before going on long marches, there's a huge psychological effect on your soldiers if you dont care for the fallen. There's a reason "I will never leave a fallen comrade" is part of nearly every country's basic warrior ethos.
"...why anyone would leave it behind..." Probably seen as an effect from Hollywood - it looks good in the movies. The Romans were mastsers of recycling, not just uniform parts, but also metals which cost a lot of money: brass, bronze, lead, tin, iron, steel, especially from non-serviceable enemy items, etc., would all be collected before scavengers, camp followers and looters arrived, then later melted or reforged. Young, healthy teeth were a sought after commodity for making false teeth - easier than graverobbing old teeth.
Imagine being on the losing side , lying badly wounded amongst the dead and other dying, and left behind, only to await your enemy’s spear to coldly finish you off. I mean, dang...
@@RetreatHell Before taking your purse off your belt they would probably finish you off with your own weapon just to try it out and then joke about its usefulness; nothing like a little rabid humor after the battle to calm the nerves; there are soldiers who constantly make jokes even in the most serious of situations.
War is a nasty business. It is also a profitable business..look at ButcherBiden trying to cook up a 3rd war with China........and.....look at the orange ape pumping that military budget to A TRILLION A YEAR.
One correction, the enemy dead...can you have compassion for all humans and honor them as you would a brother, or will you prove that your love is no deeper than dye on a cloth?
@@Solidaritas1well as long as long as enemy does the same back It’s like the Soviet ww2 memorial in Berlin If the the Germans take it down, Russia will take there memorials down in Russia Currently both sides have memorials in both country’s Hopefully if stays like that
This is now my favourite historical video. In all the years of all the battles I have watched, not once had I considered what happens after the battle! Thank you :) Love from the UK.
You should read the book about treatment of the dead during the Civil War by Drew Faust (former president of Harvard before it became such a goofy place). During several of the Civil War battles the number of dead was so overwhelming that a lot of them were never buried but left to the elements. Stalingrad was far worse--even today skeletal remains are still being found. Too many bodies overwhelm the ability of an army to attend to them.
It's easy to forget that in the ancient world, metals - any metals - were expensive commodities, so gathering up the weapons and armour of fallen enemy, if only as scrap, served a valuable purpose.
"Especially shameful for the Roman was the aftermatch of Cannae", I don't know what you refer to here. But this episode became the epitome myth of Roman honor. The senate debating in desperation how they would get the cash to get the POWs free, When Manlius Torqatus, scornfully spoke up saying that it was an insult to the great many that died fighting like true Romans to reward the few that had failed to do so. That those that surrender in battle deserves nothing better then to be slaves. He supposedly shamed the senate to his view and Roman historians waxed lyrically over this indomitable example of Roman spirit in the face of disaster.
Tell the 10,000 Romans who survived without surrendering that it was the epitome of Roman honor. They were considered cowards, shamed, and untrusted. They were sent off to a fort in Sicily and it was years before they were trusted again. And back at Rome they consulted the Sybilline Books and, by their order, sacrificed a some people. Romans HATED human sacrifice, but were so terrified by Cannae they thought it was the only way to appease the gods they had "obviously" angered.
@@rcrawford42 i had no idea human sacrifice was practiced in the roman empire. it would be interesting to see a doc on the European civilizations that did practice it.
@@xmaniac99 It wasn't Torqatus who mistreated the Roman POW. Slavery was the standard fate for vanquished soldiers. Torqatus just didn't think paying the Carthagian ransom for them would send the right message, that Rome expected it's soldier to win or die, perhaps the next unit who thought surrendering in battle was a good idea might try a little harder next time.
@@joselopez-kx3sm Human sacrifice was very well practiced in many European cultures including the most unexpected ones as the Romans and Greeks who of course detested the practice. However in times of dire straits desperation hit and this would be exploited by priests to exert dominance showing it by pushing for human sacrifice.
My wife teaches a Roman history unit in her 7th grade middle school history class. The curriculum doesn't cover a lot of the interesting topics that you shine a light on. Her and I have become huge fans. Keep up the great work.
In America?? If so I had no clue they would teach Roman history…seeing as 92% can’t name three founding fathers, 95% can’t find the continent of Europe on a map…and 98% think Rome is in America, along with London, Tokyo, Berlin etc. 🙀
@@brittking3990Yes, in America. We as teachers can't GUARANTEE our students will remember all the small details of every wannabe emperor/king/ bullyboy/chieftain that arrogantly sneers at the rest of the actors on the world stage, but at least US students are introduced to historical eras and figures.
@kathleenohanlon5430 Oh. Thank you so much for correcting that. I thought the sign on the door said, "youtube comments." I didn't realize it was going to turn into a University level modern English grammar and linguistics lesson. "You"......."ma'am" need other things to worry about in life. Unless... oh, this is all you have. You spend your time trolling comment sections. How long did the euphoria of correcting a simple mistake last? I'm assuming just long enough to sip your kombucha and strap on your covid mask.
@0:33 - "...a series of shadows in military gear start to roam the battlefield..." Remember that also there were camp followers and scavengers who would comb the battlefields for loot they might sell or trade, even taking good teeth; remember that false teeth back in the day were made of real teeth, so a battlefied is a better choice for healthy teeth than a gravesite of an old person. All pieces of uniforms (lorica, helmet, tunic, shin guards, shoes/boots, belts, shields, forearm guards) all cost money and would be collected by the special units, repaired and reissued or sold as would all arms and accourtrements, such as water bottles, rations, writing tablets with wax seals, necklace, rings, etc. Not to forget: any coins, ration script or deeds, etc. The Romans were masters of recycling especially enemy weapons and accoutrements could be melted down and forged again. @5:01 tombstone of Marcus Caelius - note that he carries on his tombstone a symbol of rank: his grapevine stick, used to dish out immediate justice to the impudent. There was a Roman Centurion with the nick-name 'give me another' because he would swing his little stick so hard that it often broke, then he would say to his orderly, 'give me another'.
@@philiprice7875 I think it also became a synomyn for any genuine teeth (instead of wooden teeth as in the case of George Washington; I think he had a couple) used as false teeth in the early half of the 19th century after the battle.
One tiny correction. The names of those 4.000 Romans who died in the battle of Adamklisi were no inscribed on the said monument (Tropaeum Trajani), but on the walls of an altar located a bit further north, from which only shattered remnants were found.
Greetings from Australia. I found this really interesting. Something you wonder about but not a lot of people have spoken about. At least Ive seen before. Thanks heaps.
This is both sad and fascinating. Imagine after a battle you are tasked with with collecting the weapons and equipment and report any wounded to the medics, but as you do so you find your sister maniple and see the dead bodies of all the guys you went to basic with and used to play dice with, even the guys you disliked made you feel pity for them and now you have to separate them from the local barbarian and take their gear away. It must had been a very quiet task as every one kept to themselves.
After having to work on a graveyard for half year, I can tell you there are some men who still laugh and joke when out of earshot of visitors, and on a battleifeld, after having killed, after having seen comrades get killed, in different times where 'barbarians' were seen as little more than cattle, I have a feeling many would simple behave like butchers doing their work
That's what no one thought about in Iraq. After you fought to hold an intersection, or whatever was the objective, and you had to stay there, you were surrounded by dead bodies. After a while, they got ripe, and you had to get the 88 to plow a trench. A few guys would have to put on gas masks for the smell and have to stack whatever remained of the dead to put in the trench, and then cover it over with dirt later. They never mention this part.
Great show,-isn't it strange,-how through the years,-of the "Human-Race"-that no matter,-what Race you are,-"Human-Nature"-is still the same-I live in Australia,-& Human-Nature,-is exactly the same here,as in Rome-or anywhere else,-I myself,-have very bad "human-Nature"-and would consider myself to be a "pain-in the arse"-type-devious/sneaky/-& "work-shy"--(to be honest)-
Wouldn't scavengers have dealt with them fairly quickly? The forest would have been teeming with life including pigs, wolves, and various other omnivores and carnivores that would not have walked past a lovely rotting carcass.
I wonder how many times in history soldiers on the winning side cleaning up the battlefield said “If I’d known I’d have to clean up this mess, I would have killed a lot less.”
Rest in Peace, all the warrior men that fell in battle for history to reach this very moment. Dying in hand to hand sword combat must of been a scary way to go.
At least you can still avoid the death when it comes to close combat. Being shot from distance by long range weapon is unfair you are not ready and see it coming
The United States took a lot of lessons from Rome. No man left behind is a critical part of our military traditions. The soldiers see that even if something happens someone is coming for them.
They US military branches took also their motto from the ancient Rome: Semper Fidelis (US Marines), Non sibi sed patriae / Semper Fortis (US Navy), Semper Paratus (US Coast guard), Semper supra (US Space force).
What is the being in the sky with the clouds at ts 4:02? Do you see that something has gigantic wings? Did you know that the word Caesar has the definition "I AM GOD"? Did you know that "the lord's day" was the day that people had to proclaim that the ceasar WAS God? And if the person did not, the person was BURNED ALIVE? Many Christians were burned alive because they would not commit the sin of saying that someone besides The Father, The Word known as Jesus The Son of God The Father, and The Holy Spirit IS THE ONE AND ONLY GOD. Research.
Interesting that Julius Caesar who was proven to have existed &Jesus Christ(has no proof of ever existing when it was ordained that the king of men was Julius Caesar JC initials were everywhere. We have the Bones,(nearly)
Major question unaddressed - did the opposing size effectively call a "cease fire" as they both went out to retrieve their dead and wounded? Or was only the victor allowed to do that?
Unique is a very specific word, from the Latin, literally meaning 'one only'. It needs no modification and any attempt to do so will be grammatically incorrect.
A method of conflict resolution. Sometimes all about $, resources, but at times honor and national sentiment. Think of the salt the Romans sewed at Carthage.
Romans to enemy nations: hey! Romans should he returned to rome! Not turned to slavery! Give em back! We will follow you and take them back by force! Other nations to rome: hey we gave you your people back. Wheres ours? Rome: lets talk about our next topic, slavery.
The practise in that era was to put everybody to the sword in battle or conquering. The only real citizens Rome really would have been able to get back would have been women of Rome who were taken.
Haha, that’s a good way to put it… That was mostly the case when Rome won a major war, which was more often than not. After the Dacian War, Trajan demanded not only the return of Roman men and women who were kept hostage, but also Roman deserters and traitors. The Dacian prisoners however, were likely not returned and taken as war trophies and slaves; to the victor the spoils…
My great great grandfather was wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness in a Pennsylvania Volunteer Unit. His left arm wound took him out of combat. But when he healed he was put in an Auxiliary Unit. He cleaned battlefields..
A member of my extended family did some ancestry research. My distant ancestors (no, I'm not really named Scuttle) are supposed to have specialised in clearing armour and weapons from battlefields and selling them for profit. They're supposed to have been at Agincourt.
All I want to know, and what is absolutely never talked about, is what did they do with tens of thousands in f dead bodies on the battlefield? After Cannei, there was like 70,000 dead people laying there. I heard that Hannibal had giant crematoriums built. Whether would fuel such a bunch of fires? Whole forests worth of trees? Freshly cut trees won’t burn like seasoned wood. These fires would have be going 24/7 for months. After a few days the dead would be really disgusting to handle. Whatever they did would have to be done quickly, how did these ancient armies get enough guys to dig massive pits that would have to be a hundred of feet deep. These battlefields were actually the farms of farmers and to expect them to deal with this would be really unkind and guys like Hannibal would have to try and make things decent for the people in the areas that they are moving through. Otherwise nobody is going to cooperate and allow them to set up camp. They’ll alert the Romans quickly. Cut off their water and food etc. These were huge operations, no doubt. But I really want to know how they dealt with all these bodies. If they were thrown in a river it would become an ecological disaster downstream. They’d end up poisoning themselves doing that. So it’s either mass graves or mass cremations.
I always knew that not only they strip their dead comrades their gear,Repair & Reuse by another, but also their enemies which explains why most of Roman Arsenals were similar to foreigners. This was true because back in 1 of his vids is about Smithing & forging, it takes 30 hrs to make 1 Gladius It's also possible that even after the Polybian Reforms, some still retain the use of Aspis shields back in days still as Hoplites
When they buried the skeletons a year later from the battle of Teutoberg forest, Im really not sure it mattered who paid for themselves to be buried because the soldiers burying them would have no idea which soldiers they were burying. So I guess he wasted his money because his skeleton got the same treatment as the next guy who didn't pay anything.
In the beginning of the Roman empire the soldiers were 99 percent Roman. As the empire grew they incorporated soldiers from lands they conquered. Their military was huge but not as skilled or loyal as it was in the beginning. From the beginning they were a volunteer military at home with conscripts from other countries. Most people joined the military for a better life. They had certain privileges and were taken care of for the most part. Personally I would have stayed a peasant as far away from people as I could living high in the mountains 😂
The bones from the ambushed Legion in Germania were rounded up and buried. They couldn't tell the difference between the animal bones and the human bones. It was all buried together.Many of the officers were sacrificed and their heads/skulls were attached to trees etc. I believe it was 10-15 years after the massacre. When the Legion came back , under Scippeo. In the final battle between the Romans and the Germanic Tribes. The Romans were said to have had," KIA 100k Germanic warriors along with their baggage train. That included the Germanic warriors families , etc In around 24hrs." Which I find hard to believe !
What would you think of the Andagoste battlefield (Western Basque Country), where not just projectiles were found in great aboundance all around (and inside) the remnants of a Roman camp but also lots of nails from the caligae. I ask because you mention in the video that sandals were very sought after and this case at least it seems they were abandoned all over the place. Bodies were not found however, which seems contradictory with so many military sandals being abandoned in the battlefield, as if the corpses had their shoes removed before burial, what I make little sense of. Note: this battle was probably against the Varduli or Caristii and is dated to c. 38 BCE, which is the exact "year zero" of the Aera Hispanica (a calendar proclaimed by Augustus and used in Iberia through the Middle Ages, until Anno Domini eventually replaced it). This proclamation seems to happen end of a series of obscure provincial wars between the conquest of Aquitania and the Cantabrian Wars, which generated also several triumphs for proconsuls of Hispania Citerior, and that probably are the trail of the Roman conquest of the southern Basque Country.
Be wary of using BCE and CE . . . . continue with what we know and trust, BC and AD. The dating system revolves around the birth of The Nazarene. Who’d want to ignore that?
@@EllieMaes-Grandad - I use CE/BCE because your nomenclature is sectarian and almost certainly wrong (nobody knows if Jesus existed or when was he born if a real character). We need a universal calendar and not one of your sect.
@@LuisAldamiz That is the most ignorant statement I've seen telling someone that their personal belief is wrong. Who care's what people believe? I don't subscribe to religion but I'm sure not going to tell some that does that their beliefs are wrong I have enough respect for people to not do that. Just wow is all I can say.
@@kennethreed8646 - There's only one God: Reality and you are Its avatar (and everything else too). That's my conviction and that's why I tell nearly everyone with a faith that their "gods" are false (prove me wrong, seriously, be scientific, dare to prove your faith in terms empirical). Else stop being a jerk and telling everyone how we should use the accidental calendar nobody is daring to throw back into the catacombs... yet.
@@LuisAldamiz yeah I wasn't the jerk. I don't have a faith I don't believe in them. I stated you have no place to tell someone their faith is wrong/false just as I don't. You believe what you want to believe there is no wrong in that. It is however wrong to be disrespectful towards another person's faith/beliefs. Now if you can't respect another human being enough to not say that then yes you are am extremely extremely ignorant person. I truly hope you can find it in your heart to respect people one day. Have a good day.
Of course all weapons were taken. Note: wood was also expensive; that is why arrows were made from two parts; if the front part broke, the back part could be used again.
Hi. Being badly wounded on the field then eaten alive by animals was the worst fear of any soldier. In battles where there were not enough able-bodied men left standing to transport their wounded back to the camp, or the army had to move on fast, a centurion and physician would examine each living fallen soldier. If it was unlikely he'd survive, rather than waste precious time and resources transporting a man back to camp just to have him die, they'd euthanize him there and then so he didn't have to endure many hours of the appalling suffering of being eaten alive. The wounded man would beg to be killed by his fellows, saying "cross my heart and hope to die", as he forgave his killers in advance. Today, this "lesser of two evils" is why infantry officers still carry pistols. In WW1 RFC pilots were issued pistols to take their own lives rather than be burned to death in their highly combustible planes. Spies behind enemy lines carry suicide capsules to avoid being tortured. Doctors attending mass fatalities with a lack of resources must choose who to save and who to fill with morphine and let die of overdose. If we can't save everyone today with all our medicines, devices, and rapid transport, what hope did the Romans have of achieving "humanitarian excellence" in a culture where slavery was everywhere. There's no nobility in any of this, so please don't idolize the Romans. They'd have sold your grandmother for sixpence, and your children for a half-crown Cheers, P.R.
It's boring because teachers don't know how to make connections. How does connect with....and how does it connect with now and how does it connect to you. they teach with zero emotions which leads to a boring class.
10:14 You just said something which made me realize that I have never heard an archaeologist say foreign objects could be from the seizing of enemy property, but rather usually is explained as trade instead. Interesting.
A very beautiful take on current respect for those who fall in battle is the film "Taking Chance," with actor Kevin Bacon. The young marine whose burial is depicted, Chance Phelps, is buried here in our town. It's very moving.
We all know what happens. What happens is that Maximus gets his survivors together, and then they all scream, "Roma Victor!" He will not believe that they fought or died for nothing. Right now, he has 5000 men bloodied and cleaved out there, 2000 who will never return home.
When Roman soldiers were out on campaigns and were injured, how did their recovery go, especially if it took months before they could return to battle? Did they travel along with medical staff in the interim? I can't imagine they'd be sent home. Perhaps they maintained bases behind to oversee the new territories and the soldiers recovered there until they could meet back up with the legion.
Chipped Flint arrowheads seem an interesting choice when illustrating things found upon historic Roman battlegrounds. Seriously? Not bronze or iron? GAH!
This was an excellent and informative video, thank you for taking the trouble to make it! One thing I have always been curious about is that I heard the Roman army actually had a corps dedicated to "torture", such as crucifictions. I don't have any idea how they worn and am very curious to know more!
Roman took great pains to recover the fallen and their gear after a victory. Treatment of the wounded, equitable distribution of plunder and proper burial and recognition of the dead were important for maintaining morale and motivation.
You should see a movie called 1864 about the Prussian Danish war. In one scene Danish troops come across dead and dying troops and one Prussian with a stomach wound is screaming for his mother. The screams cover the field.
Uh...except they do? Unless they pass out from pain and/or blood loss they are likely to moan in agony until aid is given or death takes them...not sure if you know how involuntary biological responses like those to pain work, especially once the initial adrenaline wears off.
@@Solidaritas1 At the reenactment of the Battle of Stoney Creek (War of 1812)- typically a dusk battle-early june ,high humidity-The British attack the american camp,outnumbered 2 to 1.Battalion volleys fill the area with a thick sheet of low hanging blackpowder gunsmoke. Visibilty is near none-only the stabs of flame of musketry .Somewhere in all of this somebody starts moaning and crying-is it real-we arent used to hearing that.Accident can happen despite the highest safety standards.We fight on and thankfully itr was a non event
3 месяца назад
A French soldier survived on the the Borodino battlefield and was only picked up when the Army retreated.He made it back to France.
I don't know if it was the same during the Roman period, but at the time of the Napoleonic Wars, battlefields also produced one other valuable resource; bone. The ideal was to collect it after a few years sitting on the surface to allow it to clean and season. In the pre-oil era, bone was used like plastic nowadays. It can be carved, sanded, filed, heated and shaped. Quite a few "metal" buttons are actually a stamped foil crimped around bone backing and using hoof glue to stick them on and hold the shape imprinted in the foil. Notionally all the bone collected from battlefields were from fallen horses.....
I read that within a few years of Waterloo almost all the bones were exhumed from the mass graves and sold as fertilizer. Teeth were taken from the battlefield at the time - they were used in dentistry... ugh.
Something to keep in mind regarding casualties, the ratio of wounded to dead is far higher than we see in films. We're left with the impression of piles of corpses, with maybe a few wounded lingering. In reality, the reverse was true. For every soldier killed, around four were wounded (the severity of which could vary considerably).
Given the sheer number of Roman deaths at Cannae, and the panic that would have taken hold as the survivors presumably fled to try and defend Rome, one wonders just how careful they would have been about post battle clean up.
Thanks. I scream in frustration when I see these dumb Hollywood movies where they show arrows, swords, shields and the fallen still clothed and just laying there, usually for some reason, there are little fires burning all over the place! A battlefield is quickly looted, and all the dead are completely stripped naked, and really? Arrows sticking in the ground? Making a good arrow is a lot of work. 1 day later, nothing but crows, small carnivores and followers of the army picking over. 2 days later, big carrion birds and medium carnivores. Locals move in after all have marched on. 3 days and the wolves and bears move in. 1 week later. Bones and skulls and squabbling crows over the little bits left.
During the years of the second triumvirate and later, roman bodies were left behind. Not sure when this started or if it ever ended, but not collecting bodies saved time. I forgot which Stephen Dando-Collins' books mentions this. Totally recommend all of them.
I am appalled by the discrimination here! All front line soldiers should be staffed by 50% women. It is completely unfair to exclude women from these valuable positions. We should also encourage transsexuals in military as well.
Rightly so, naturally. But of course those are not "battlefields secrets of Romans", but of any battle and any army (as I discussed years ago in my posted analysis of Judas Maccabeus and the Hanukah story). It was a practice of any army, and in case of Judas Maccabeus- there were no special forces to do this tedious task, but their own (tired) original soldiers (which he had only in small numbers). Only that they surely needed a well-coordinated logistic supply of Wagons carried by donkeys- one for their dead, one for the medium wounded, one for the captives, and one for the amour captured. Multiply these wagons by n (quite a large number)... No break for the tired soldiers... As for your pictures of the Menorah captured (the golden Menorah from the temple in Jerusalem) (as in 9:05 and 10:24) --- well, this is not a clean up of a battle, but a clean up of a sacked city and its treasures... (Some say that this menorah is still there Rome… in (or under) the Vatican....
