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Transcript
· Intro
0:05 · I'm excited to announce our channel's first official merch! So you can now
0:09 · have your favorite Empire and Legions on your clothes, not just not your mind! We
0:14 · spent a lot of quality for the lowest prices, so check them out from the description below!
0:21 · All future Patreons above this rank will be getting a custom shirt with their name on it!
0:29 · For most of the Western Roman Empire, the largest and most troublesome frontier was the one along
0:34 · the Rhine and Danube rivers. The legions stationed along this over 2000 km long border were subject
0:41 · to continuous incursions by Germanic tribes, who were responsible for some of the largest
0:46 · military defeats that would lead to the ultimate demise of Rome. But despite these few failures,
0:52 · in large part due to continuous internal civil wars, the Roman system of guarding
0:57 · and maintaining this border was so ingenious, that it stood unshaken for centuries, always shifting,
1:04 · adapting, and crushing incoming armies, while allowing its western provinces to
1:09 · thrive in safety and peace... The Rhine and Danube rivers were highly effective natural defenses,
1:16 · but they had a small weakness. In the area know as the Agri Decumates, both rivers are born and
1:22 · flow differently, creating a small chink in the Roman defensive line, and a narrow gateway for
1:28 · any invading army to comfortably march through, and be at the heart of Rome in a matter of days.
1:34 · In this video, we decided to focus on THIS area, not only covering its evolution in
1:40 · becoming one of the most complex and fascinating Roman frontier systems,
1:44 · but also explaining how the Romans thought and approached the idea of frontier defense,
1:49 · and of course, recreating parts of it in 3D... Without further ado, let's begin!
· Creation of the Frontier
1:55 · The Agri Decumates would grow to become a VERY formidable frontier, but surprisingly,
2:01 · it was not a project of a single Emperor or military commander as one might assume. In fact,
2:07 · it took decades for the whole area to be conquered through numerous short-term projects done by
2:12 · different emperors, all aimed at solving specific smaller plans, rather than a single grand goal.
2:14 · The region first entered the Imperial agenda in the aftermath of the Year of the Four Emperors
2:19 · and the Batavian Revolt. These events outlined that although the Rhine frontier was strong,
2:25 · it had many weaknesses which called for a new system to be put in place. The provinces
2:30 · of Germania Superior and Raetia were, until this point, fairly isolated in guarding their sections
2:36 · of the frontier, and the first upgrade Emperor Vespasian and his successors did was to construct
2:42 · a road which connected the legionary bases of both provinces, together with the necessary forts
2:48 · and other installations to keep this route secure. Each fort shown here had a garrison of two hundred
2:54 · men at best, and operated as the headquarters for the several watchtowers and fortlets around
3:00 · each one. The entire project would only be fully completed during the reign of Domitian
3:05 · in the mid 80s AD, and would ensure the rapid mobilization and response time of troops between,
3:12 · not only the two provinces, but the entire Rhine and Danube frontier systems... After the infamous
3:18 · war against the Chatti in the mid 80s AD, Roman forces began securing large tracts of fertile
3:24 · land to the north. To shield them from Germanic raids, a system of forts was built around them.
3:31 · During the reign of Trajan, the first attempt to create a definitive frontier was made. With Rome's
3:36 · forces tied up in the distant wars with Dacia and Parthia and new lands being incorporated into
3:43 · the Empire, saving up precious manpower was the challenge. Weak points were reinforced with new
3:49 · fortifications, and the gap between the Neckar and Main rivers was finally closed off. After
3:55 · Trajan, Emperor Hadrian would add his own touch to the defenses by building a three meter tall timber
4:02 · palisade that spanned hundreds of kilometers, thus clearly marking the border and limit of
4:07 · the Roman Empire, at least only in Germania Superior (in the late 110s and early 120s).
4:11 · It is only in 158, over 30 years later, under Antoninus Pius, would Raetia also
4:17 · start constructing a palisade of its own. In an attempt to secure the more fertile
4:22 · land east of the border, a new 80 kilometers long defensive line was built from scratch
4:28 · following the same principles applied by Trajan and Hadrian. Antoninus' decision
4:33 · must have caught many local commanders completely by surprise. At the fort of Elztal-Neckarburken,
4:39 · for example, the local garrison had just finished constructing and renovating their bathhouse,
4:44 · a very expensive and complicated building to construct, when they were ordered to demolish
4:49 · everything and move 30 kilometers to the east, which historians have called the “outer
4:53 · limes”. Regardless, all constructions were quickly finished by the year 165.
5:01 · Under the reign of Marcus Aurelius, a few more forts were built, and the now decaying palisade
5:07 · was in some places replaced by a 6 meter wide ditch and rampart or stone wall. Interestingly,
5:13 · in Germania Superior the towers remain detached from the ditch or rampart,
5:19 · but in Raetia, the stone wall was integrated into the towers. This
5:23 · change could be seen right at the border between the two provinces, implying that
5:28 · their governors were likely each responsible for the defensive constructions in their regions,
5:34 · while still keeping everything cohesive and singular; once again, “organized chaos”...
· The Roman thought process
5:37 · The way everything organically progressed through the years once again onlines an
5:41 · underlying theme that repeats itself in every video we make about the Romans,
5:46 · and that is that they relied on a system of “organized chaos” in everything they did,
5:52 · and this section of the frontier was no different. At first, parts of it may seem unnecessary,
5:58 · redundant, or not fortified enough, and as if a straight consistent line of defenses would be
6:03 · a better option. But upon closer inspection, one can slowly realize that is not the case,
6:10 · and everything was impressively optimized for its purpose. The overextended forts in the north were
6:18 · skillfully tailored to maximize every advantage of the terrain, and positioned along the highest
6:23 · peaks of hills, being thus able to detect danger much further away than if they were
6:29 · positioned along a straight. And forts like Saalburg protected vital passageways into the
6:35 · region. Their extreme position also protected a sizable chunk of fertile land upon which several
6:42 · military colonies and civilian settlements were created, to both act as a buffer zone and provide
6:48 · the frontier with supplies and manpower... The lack of a palisade in some areas was only due
6:55 · to the presence of a river, which served as a natural defense that disregarded the needs for
7:00 · a palisade, as it would only take up unnecessary time and supplies to construct... The area in the
7:02 · east might seem underdeveloped and weak, but that is only because the Romans paid careful attention
7:08 · to local population densities, and tribes ahead of this area were less numerous and fairly unhostile,
7:16 · allowing less men to safely garrison this area... Only when areas were flat or heavily forested
7:23 · did the Romans create a straight line of defenses to use the least possible amount of materials and
7:30 · manpower. THIS section was actually so perfect that it varied in straightness by only 1 meter
7:36 · from start until end; quite impressive if you think about its length. Similarly,
7:41 · by not just closing the gap between the Rhine and Danube, the Romans were able to cut the distance
7:47 · of the entire frontier. This policy allowed the Romans to maximize their limited manpower
7:56 · reserves to maximum effectiveness, thus being able to free up vital troops for unexpected campaigns...
8:04 · [text for "Ope-era" sponsorship redacted]
· The watchtowers
9:18 · This 550 kilometer long frontier encompassed not only 60 forts, but also 90 fortlets,
9:25 · and about 900 watchtowers, which were too small to be shown on this map. And all of
9:31 · them were at some point expanded, downgraded, relocated, or simply abandoned to suit the
9:36 · needs of emperors and local commanders alike. Maintenance was another reason
9:41 · that buildings had to constantly be worked on. Wood was the primary material used,
9:46 · but because it had a lifespan of only a few decades, soldiers would have been forced
9:51 · to constantly replace decaying materials for new ones or move to new positions altogether...
9:57 · Shown here is a reconstruction of one of the many watchtowers (Hesselbach-10/33) built by
10:01 · Trajan and Hadrian (along the Odenwald Ridge), and our model belongs to the later stages of
10:05 · occupation in the mid 140s, when due to the decaying of the wood, the tower was rebuilt
10:11 · in stone and plastered in white, with a roof of oak shingles. It is a rather small construction,
10:17 · and such watchtowers were built at every 500-600 meters along the palisade. The tower's entrance
10:24 · was on the second floor and was only accessible by a ladder which could be pulled up and stored away
10:30 · in case of an attack. A watchtower like this would only accommodate 4 to 8 men, who all served on the
10:36 · second floor, while the ground floor acted as a storage facility. The protruding gallery granted
10:42 · the soldiers a 360º view of the surrounding landscape, enough to spot any sizable force well
10:48 · in advance and transmit a signal to neighboring outposts. As such, these structures had to be
10:54 · clearly visible by other nearby positions in order to communicate effectively. We can assume that
10:59 · watchtower garrisons were not meant to engage the enemy or intercept any incoming raids, but instead
11:05 · to passively survey the countryside and report any suspicious activity. But this didn't mean
11:10 · they were completely harmless. Remains of multiple missile weapons have been found in many of these
11:16 · structures and suggest that at the very least they could offer a token resistance when needed.
· The fortlets
11:22 · Located about a kilometer behind the watchtowers would be fortlets, positioned between the key
11:28 · forts. This here is the fortlet of Rötelsee (Römisches Kleinkastell Rötelsee), built
11:32 · during the construction program of Antoninus Pius, near the modern town of Welzheim in
11:37 · Germany. Situated on a small hill (east of the Limes Road), this fortlet was abnormally close
11:42 · to the Limes palisade, being only 40 meters away from it. Fortlets like these were built
11:48 · to defend strategic places and bridge the gaps between the larger forts and make it
11:53 · harder for raiding parties to slip between them. These structures were also fairly small in size,
11:59 · with this one measuring 18.5 meters on each side, and housing only a couple dozen men.
12:06 · The fortlet itself had very limited defensive capabilities, with only a ditch, 2.5 meter high
12:12 · walls, and no towers for protection. This fortlet was accessed from the western side, the one facing
12:15 · the border; where the ditch was interrupted by three improvised earth bridges which could
12:15 · be barricaded in case of an attack to create an additional defensive line. Over the ditch,
12:16 · a small single gate granted access to the fort. Inside the fort was built a single
12:18 · U shaped wooden structure that acted as the garrison's barracks, storage facilities and
12:23 · command center. The inner courtyard also hosted a large fireplace where the garrison would cook
12:29 · and eat their daily meals. On the south side, a small sewage canal was also present, that would
12:35 · allow the disposal of any waste into the ditch outside. Even the smallest of Roman positions
12:41 · had to stay neat and clean... Given the reduced size of the garrison, buildings like the praetorium or
12:43 · principia are absent here, as all the members of the garrison would have been below the rank
12:43 · of centurion and therefore not allowed the extra space enjoyed by their superior officers. In fact,
12:44 · many of these positions were assigned temporary commanders from the immunes or principales,
12:49 · the higher ranks of Roman legionaries. These, tasked as curatores would run the daily routines
12:55 · and tasks in these fortlets, thus distributing orders from the main Legionary forts further back,
13:01 · and creating a network from the largest forts to the smallest of watchtowers. After all,
13:07 · the primary duty of these fortlets was the manning of local watchtowers, to which they rotated men on
13:13 · the daily. They were also charged with traffic control of authorized crossings through the
13:18 · frontier gates, the monitoring of activity beyond the frontier palisade and finally,
13:23 · the interception and destruction of small raiding parties that managed to slip through. As you can
· The Roman Grand Strategy
13:29 · probably tell by now, Romans never thought of border defense as an impenetrable barrier. Even
13:35 · the palisades were never really intended to prevent attacks, but rather to funnel
13:39 · in public traffic through specific outposts in order to better control movement. After all,
13:45 · a lot of trade and cultural influence occurred between the Germanic and Roman people, and through
13:50 · the centuries, many along the border grew fairly reliant on each other. The same thought process
13:56 · was applied to some degree in Rome's other borders too. In North Africa, some parts of
14:01 · the border were particularly weak and overcrowded by trade, while Hadrian's wall in Britannia was
14:07 · perhaps the closest to a solid border, though even it worked more like a funnel than an impenetrable
14:13 · fortification, as any mid-sized attack could fairly easily breach it. Roman borders were
14:19 · actually far more effective at slowing down attackers on their way BACK after raiding, because
14:25 · even a thin wooden palisade or shallow trench is a tough obstacle when over encumbered with loot.
· Fighting Invaders
14:32 · But the vast majority of enemy incursions were fairly small, aimed at minor sabotage,
14:37 · reconnaissance, or even stealing and smuggling for personal gain. Against these troublemakers,
14:43 · the small watchtowers and fortlets, armed by only a few dozen men and supplemented by occasional
14:49 · mounted patrols, were highly effective. And they were expected to track and catch them
14:54 · if possible. A surviving letter from Roman patrols in Africa gives us a great example of this: “Fifty
15:01 · (?)camels [having been stolen] by 18 barbarians (...) I have pursued [with?] three horsemen and
15:06 · infantry (...) through impassable areas and we fought them (...) But, surprised during the
15:11 · night (...), we retreated to the fortlet (...).” Regarding larger incursions, their role was
15:16 · largely unknown. After raising the alarm and signaling nearby positions, they would probably
15:22 · be expected to either fall back to regroup or barricade themselves in the forts to delay
15:27 · the enemy, though we can't be sure. Another surviving letter speaks about this constant
15:32 · uncertainty and fear that the watchmen would feel: “Bassus to Galates, his brother, many greetings. I
15:39 · beg you, brother, give me news of yourself often, because you know that if there is trouble, I will
15:44 · not just be worried about you. Indeed, I fear for myself, because we are not very many here.”
15:50 · Surprise attacks, skirmishes and raids could turn a peaceful day at work into a fight for
15:55 · survival and the risk of an inglorious death at the edge of the world. So most of the border
16:01 · was garrisoned by non-Roman auxiliaries, with the large legionary fortresses being way in
16:06 · the back. But containing their fear was not the only thing that watchmen would occupy themselves
· Impressive self-sufficiency!
16:11 · with. Many in the fortlets and watchtowers would engage in activities to self sustain themselves,
16:17 · and sometimes even earn a side income. The frontier had a well coordinated logistical system,
16:23 · but it was prone to interferences, delays, or outright disruptions that would put
16:27 · strain on the soldiers along the border. A surviving letter gives a great example
16:32 · of this: “. . .the 'acisculus' of the mill is broken – the iron part – and there is nothing
16:37 · we can do . . . in the fortlet. I've dispatched Krinolaios, cavalryman of the turma of Satrius,
16:43 · with the iron part in order for it to be repaired. That is why we ask you, Lord,
16:47 · to return it at once. Indeed, we do not have the means to live if the mill is not restored.”
· The frontier's death
17:51 · Despite the ever increasing germanic activity and eventual breaches during the IIIrd century,
17:56 · the frontier in the Agri Decumates continued to mark the edge of the Roman Empire through
18:01 · the IIIrd century until its final abandonment in the late 250s and 260s AD. By this time, the
18:07 · numerous crises engulfing the Empire, including the breakaway of a new Gallic Empire, meant that
18:13 · the frontier simply had to be given up. The land would be instantly captured by the Alammani, who
18:19 · would launch incursions through it for the next couple centuries. Today, thanks to the titanic
18:26 · efforts of German archaeologists, historians and technicians, several places of the frontier have
18:31 · been reconstructed and are accessible to the public as UNESCO World Heritage sites...
18:37 · We hope you enjoyed visiting the upper Rhine Roman frontier! To see how it compares to
18:42 · other Roman frontiers, in the north and east, check out our other videos here. And
18:47 · consider supporting our team on Patreon! I hope to see you all in the next one!

Transcript
	·	Intro
0:05	·	I'm excited to announce our channel's first official merch! So you can now
0:09	·	have your favorite Empire and Legions on your clothes, not just not your mind! We
0:14	·	spent a lot of quality for the lowest prices, so check them out from the description below!
0:21	·	All future Patreons above this rank will be getting a custom shirt with their name on it!
0:29	·	For most of the Western Roman Empire, the largest and most troublesome frontier was the one along
0:34	·	the Rhine and Danube rivers. The legions stationed along this over 2000 km long border were subject
0:41	·	to continuous incursions by Germanic tribes, who were responsible for some of the largest
0:46	·	military defeats that would lead to the ultimate demise of Rome. But despite these few failures,
0:52	·	in large part due to continuous internal civil wars, the Roman system of guarding
0:57	·	and maintaining this border was so ingenious, that it stood unshaken for centuries, always shifting,
1:04	·	adapting, and crushing incoming armies, while allowing its western provinces to
1:09	·	thrive in safety and peace... The Rhine and Danube rivers were highly effective natural defenses,
1:16	·	but they had a small weakness. In the area know as the Agri Decumates, both rivers are born and
1:22	·	flow differently, creating a small chink in the Roman defensive line, and a narrow gateway for
1:28	·	any invading army to comfortably march through, and be at the heart of Rome in a matter of days.
1:34	·	In this video, we decided to focus on THIS area, not only covering its evolution in
1:40	·	becoming one of the most complex and fascinating Roman frontier systems,
1:44	·	but also explaining how the Romans thought and approached the idea of frontier defense,
1:49	·	and of course, recreating parts of it in 3D... Without further ado, let's begin!
	·	Creation of the Frontier
1:55	·	The Agri Decumates would grow to become a VERY formidable frontier, but surprisingly,
2:01	·	it was not a project of a single Emperor or military commander as one might assume. In fact,
2:07	·	it took decades for the whole area to be conquered through numerous short-term projects done by
2:12	·	different emperors, all aimed at solving specific smaller plans, rather than a single grand goal.
2:14	·	The region first entered the Imperial agenda in the aftermath of the Year of the Four Emperors
2:19	·	and the Batavian Revolt. These events outlined that although the Rhine frontier was strong,
2:25	·	it had many weaknesses which called for a new system to be put in place. The provinces
2:30	·	of Germania Superior and Raetia were, until this point, fairly isolated in guarding their sections
2:36	·	of the frontier, and the first upgrade Emperor Vespasian and his successors did was to construct
2:42	·	a road which connected the legionary bases of both provinces, together with the necessary forts
2:48	·	and other installations to keep this route secure. Each fort shown here had a garrison of two hundred
2:54	·	men at best, and operated as the headquarters for the several watchtowers and fortlets around
3:00	·	each one. The entire project would only be fully completed during the reign of Domitian
3:05	·	in the mid 80s AD, and would ensure the rapid mobilization and response time of troops between,
3:12	·	not only the two provinces, but the entire Rhine and Danube frontier systems... After the infamous
3:18	·	war against the Chatti in the mid 80s AD, Roman forces began securing large tracts of fertile
3:24	·	land to the north. To shield them from Germanic raids, a system of forts was built around them.
3:31	·	During the reign of Trajan, the first attempt to create a definitive frontier was made. With Rome's
3:36	·	forces tied up in the distant wars with Dacia and Parthia and new lands being incorporated into
3:43	·	the Empire, saving up precious manpower was the challenge. Weak points were reinforced with new
3:49	·	fortifications, and the gap between the Neckar and Main rivers was finally closed off. After
3:55	·	Trajan, Emperor Hadrian would add his own touch to the defenses by building a three meter tall timber
4:02	·	palisade that spanned hundreds of kilometers, thus clearly marking the border and limit of
4:07	·	the Roman Empire, at least only in Germania Superior (in the late 110s and early 120s).
4:11	·	It is only in 158, over 30 years later, under Antoninus Pius, would Raetia also
4:17	·	start constructing a palisade of its own. In an attempt to secure the more fertile
4:22	·	land east of the border, a new 80 kilometers long defensive line was built from scratch
4:28	·	following the same principles applied by Trajan and Hadrian. Antoninus' decision
4:33	·	must have caught many local commanders completely by surprise. At the fort of Elztal-Neckarburken,
4:39	·	for example, the local garrison had just finished constructing and renovating their bathhouse,
4:44	·	a very expensive and complicated building to construct, when they were ordered to demolish
4:49	·	everything and move 30 kilometers to the east, which historians have called the “outer
4:53	·	limes”. Regardless, all constructions were quickly finished by the year 165.
5:01	·	Under the reign of Marcus Aurelius, a few more forts were built, and the now decaying palisade
5:07	·	was in some places replaced by a 6 meter wide ditch and rampart or stone wall. Interestingly,
5:13	·	in Germania Superior the towers remain detached from the ditch or rampart,
5:19	·	but in Raetia, the stone wall was integrated into the towers. This
5:23	·	change could be seen right at the border between the two provinces, implying that
5:28	·	their governors were likely each responsible for the defensive constructions in their regions,
5:34	·	while still keeping everything cohesive and singular; once again, “organized chaos”...
	·	The Roman thought process
5:37	·	The way everything organically progressed through the years once again onlines an
5:41	·	underlying theme that repeats itself in every video we make about the Romans,
5:46	·	and that is that they relied on a system of “organized chaos” in everything they did,
5:52	·	and this section of the frontier was no different. At first, parts of it may seem unnecessary,
5:58	·	redundant, or not fortified enough, and as if a straight consistent line of defenses would be
6:03	·	a better option. But upon closer inspection, one can slowly realize that is not the case,
6:10	·	and everything was impressively optimized for its purpose. The overextended forts in the north were
6:18	·	skillfully tailored to maximize every advantage of the terrain, and positioned along the highest
6:23	·	peaks of hills, being thus able to detect danger much further away than if they were
6:29	·	positioned along a straight. And forts like Saalburg protected vital passageways into the
6:35	·	region. Their extreme position also protected a sizable chunk of fertile land upon which several
6:42	·	military colonies and civilian settlements were created, to both act as a buffer zone and provide
6:48	·	the frontier with supplies and manpower... The lack of a palisade in some areas was only due
6:55	·	to the presence of a river, which served as a natural defense that disregarded the needs for
7:00	·	a palisade, as it would only take up unnecessary time and supplies to construct... The area in the
7:02	·	east might seem underdeveloped and weak, but that is only because the Romans paid careful attention
7:08	·	to local population densities, and tribes ahead of this area were less numerous and fairly unhostile,
7:16	·	allowing less men to safely garrison this area... Only when areas were flat or heavily forested
7:23	·	did the Romans create a straight line of defenses to use the least possible amount of materials and
7:30	·	manpower. THIS section was actually so perfect that it varied in straightness by only 1 meter
7:36	·	from start until end; quite impressive if you think about its length. Similarly,
7:41	·	by not just closing the gap between the Rhine and Danube, the Romans were able to cut the distance
7:47	·	of the entire frontier. This policy allowed the Romans to maximize their limited manpower
7:56	·	reserves to maximum effectiveness, thus being able to free up vital troops for unexpected campaigns...
8:04	·	[text for "Ope-era" sponsorship redacted]
	·	The watchtowers
9:18	·	This 550 kilometer long frontier encompassed not only 60 forts, but also 90 fortlets,
9:25	·	and about 900 watchtowers, which were too small to be shown on this map. And all of
9:31	·	them were at some point expanded, downgraded, relocated, or simply abandoned to suit the
9:36	·	needs of emperors and local commanders alike. Maintenance was another reason
9:41	·	that buildings had to constantly be worked on. Wood was the primary material used,
9:46	·	but because it had a lifespan of only a few decades, soldiers would have been forced
9:51	·	to constantly replace decaying materials for new ones or move to new positions altogether...
9:57	·	Shown here is a reconstruction of one of the many watchtowers (Hesselbach-10/33) built by
10:01	·	Trajan and Hadrian (along the Odenwald Ridge), and our model belongs to the later stages of
10:05	·	occupation in the mid 140s, when due to the decaying of the wood, the tower was rebuilt
10:11	·	in stone and plastered in white, with a roof of oak shingles. It is a rather small construction,
10:17	·	and such watchtowers were built at every 500-600 meters along the palisade. The tower's entrance
10:24	·	was on the second floor and was only accessible by a ladder which could be pulled up and stored away
10:30	·	in case of an attack. A watchtower like this would only accommodate 4 to 8 men, who all served on the
10:36	·	second floor, while the ground floor acted as a storage facility. The protruding gallery granted
10:42	·	the soldiers a 360º view of the surrounding landscape, enough to spot any sizable force well
10:48	·	in advance and transmit a signal to neighboring outposts. As such, these structures had to be
10:54	·	clearly visible by other nearby positions in order to communicate effectively. We can assume that
10:59	·	watchtower garrisons were not meant to engage the enemy or intercept any incoming raids, but instead
11:05	·	to passively survey the countryside and report any suspicious activity. But this didn't mean
11:10	·	they were completely harmless. Remains of multiple missile weapons have been found in many of these
11:16	·	structures and suggest that at the very least they could offer a token resistance when needed.
	·	The fortlets
11:22	·	Located about a kilometer behind the watchtowers would be fortlets, positioned between the key
11:28	·	forts. This here is the fortlet of Rötelsee (Römisches Kleinkastell Rötelsee), built
11:32	·	during the construction program of Antoninus Pius, near the modern town of Welzheim in
11:37	·	Germany. Situated on a small hill (east of the Limes Road), this fortlet was abnormally close
11:42	·	to the Limes palisade, being only 40 meters away from it. Fortlets like these were built
11:48	·	to defend strategic places and bridge the gaps between the larger forts and make it
11:53	·	harder for raiding parties to slip between them. These structures were also fairly small in size,
11:59	·	with this one measuring 18.5 meters on each side, and housing only a couple dozen men.
12:06	·	The fortlet itself had very limited defensive capabilities, with only a ditch, 2.5 meter high
12:12	·	walls, and no towers for protection. This fortlet was accessed from the western side, the one facing
12:15	·	the border; where the ditch was interrupted by three improvised earth bridges which could
12:15	·	be barricaded in case of an attack to create an additional defensive line. Over the ditch,
12:16	·	a small single gate granted access to the fort. Inside the fort was built a single
12:18	·	U shaped wooden structure that acted as the garrison's barracks, storage facilities and
12:23	·	command center. The inner courtyard also hosted a large fireplace where the garrison would cook
12:29	·	and eat their daily meals. On the south side, a small sewage canal was also present, that would
12:35	·	allow the disposal of any waste into the ditch outside. Even the smallest of Roman positions
12:41	·	had to stay neat and clean... Given the reduced size of the garrison, buildings like the praetorium or
12:43	·	principia are absent here, as all the members of the garrison would have been below the rank
12:43	·	of centurion and therefore not allowed the extra space enjoyed by their superior officers. In fact,
12:44	·	many of these positions were assigned temporary commanders from the immunes or principales,
12:49	·	the higher ranks of Roman legionaries. These, tasked as curatores would run the daily routines
12:55	·	and tasks in these fortlets, thus distributing orders from the main Legionary forts further back,
13:01	·	and creating a network from the largest forts to the smallest of watchtowers. After all,
13:07	·	the primary duty of these fortlets was the manning of local watchtowers, to which they rotated men on
13:13	·	the daily. They were also charged with traffic control of authorized crossings through the
13:18	·	frontier gates, the monitoring of activity beyond the frontier palisade and finally,
13:23	·	the interception and destruction of small raiding parties that managed to slip through. As you can
	·	The Roman Grand Strategy
13:29	·	probably tell by now, Romans never thought of border defense as an impenetrable barrier. Even
13:35	·	the palisades were never really intended to prevent attacks, but rather to funnel
13:39	·	in public traffic through specific outposts in order to better control movement. After all,
13:45	·	a lot of trade and cultural influence occurred between the Germanic and Roman people, and through
13:50	·	the centuries, many along the border grew fairly reliant on each other. The same thought process
13:56	·	was applied to some degree in Rome's other borders too. In North Africa, some parts of
14:01	·	the border were particularly weak and overcrowded by trade, while Hadrian's wall in Britannia was
14:07	·	perhaps the closest to a solid border, though even it worked more like a funnel than an impenetrable
14:13	·	fortification, as any mid-sized attack could fairly easily breach it. Roman borders were
14:19	·	actually far more effective at slowing down attackers on their way BACK after raiding, because
14:25	·	even a thin wooden palisade or shallow trench is a tough obstacle when over encumbered with loot.
	·	Fighting Invaders
14:32	·	But the vast majority of enemy incursions were fairly small, aimed at minor sabotage,
14:37	·	reconnaissance, or even stealing and smuggling for personal gain. Against these troublemakers,
14:43	·	the small watchtowers and fortlets, armed by only a few dozen men and supplemented by occasional
14:49	·	mounted patrols, were highly effective. And they were expected to track and catch them
14:54	·	if possible. A surviving letter from Roman patrols in Africa gives us a great example of this: “Fifty
15:01	·	(?)camels [having been stolen] by 18 barbarians (...) I have pursued [with?] three horsemen and
15:06	·	infantry (...) through impassable areas and we fought them (...) But, surprised during the
15:11	·	night (...), we retreated to the fortlet (...).” Regarding larger incursions, their role was
15:16	·	largely unknown. After raising the alarm and signaling nearby positions, they would probably
15:22	·	be expected to either fall back to regroup or barricade themselves in the forts to delay
15:27	·	the enemy, though we can't be sure. Another surviving letter speaks about this constant
15:32	·	uncertainty and fear that the watchmen would feel: “Bassus to Galates, his brother, many greetings. I
15:39	·	beg you, brother, give me news of yourself often, because you know that if there is trouble, I will
15:44	·	not just be worried about you. Indeed, I fear for myself, because we are not very many here.”
15:50	·	Surprise attacks, skirmishes and raids could turn a peaceful day at work into a fight for
15:55	·	survival and the risk of an inglorious death at the edge of the world. So most of the border
16:01	·	was garrisoned by non-Roman auxiliaries, with the large legionary fortresses being way in
16:06	·	the back. But containing their fear was not the only thing that watchmen would occupy themselves
	·	Impressive self-sufficiency!
16:11	·	with. Many in the fortlets and watchtowers would engage in activities to self sustain themselves,
16:17	·	and sometimes even earn a side income. The frontier had a well coordinated logistical system,
16:23	·	but it was prone to interferences, delays, or outright disruptions that would put
16:27	·	strain on the soldiers along the border. A surviving letter gives a great example
16:32	·	of this: “. . .the 'acisculus' of the mill is broken – the iron part – and there is nothing
16:37	·	we can do . . . in the fortlet. I've dispatched Krinolaios, cavalryman of the turma of Satrius,
16:43	·	with the iron part in order for it to be repaired. That is why we ask you, Lord,
16:47	·	to return it at once. Indeed, we do not have the means to live if the mill is not restored.”
	·	The frontier's death
17:51	·	Despite the ever increasing germanic activity and eventual breaches during the IIIrd century,
17:56	·	the frontier in the Agri Decumates continued to mark the edge of the Roman Empire through
18:01	·	the IIIrd century until its final abandonment in the late 250s and 260s AD. By this time, the
18:07	·	numerous crises engulfing the Empire, including the breakaway of a new Gallic Empire, meant that
18:13	·	the frontier simply had to be given up. The land would be instantly captured by the Alammani, who
18:19	·	would launch incursions through it for the next couple centuries. Today, thanks to the titanic
18:26	·	efforts of German archaeologists, historians and technicians, several places of the frontier have
18:31	·	been reconstructed and are accessible to the public as UNESCO World Heritage sites...
18:37	·	We hope you enjoyed visiting the upper Rhine Roman frontier! To see how it compares to
18:42	·	other Roman frontiers, in the north and east, check out our other videos here. And
18:47	·	consider supporting our team on Patreon! I hope to see you all in the next one!