0:00:06.461,0:00:12.144 The year is 15 CE[br]and the Roman Empire is prospering. 0:00:12.144,0:00:14.266 Most of the credit will go to the emperor, 0:00:14.266,0:00:16.661 but this success wouldn’t [br]have been possible 0:00:16.661,0:00:20.521 without loyal soldiers like Servius Felix. 0:00:20.521,0:00:24.934 Servius enlisted as a legionary [br]eight years ago at age 18, 0:00:24.934,0:00:29.050 the son of a poor farmer[br]with few prospects. 0:00:29.050,0:00:32.311 Unlike the majority of legionaries,[br]he doesn’t gamble, 0:00:32.311,0:00:34.915 so he’s been able to save [br]most of his wages. 0:00:34.915,0:00:36.758 He’s even kept his viaticum, 0:00:36.758,0:00:40.651 the three gold coins he received [br]when he enlisted. 0:00:40.651,0:00:45.369 If he survives until retirement, [br]he’ll receive several acres of land. 0:00:45.369,0:00:48.010 And he’s grown rather fond [br]of a girl back home 0:00:48.010,0:00:50.199 whom he intends to marry. 0:00:50.199,0:00:53.811 But he’ll have to wait until he completes [br]his 25 years of service 0:00:53.811,0:00:55.425 before that can happen. 0:00:55.425,0:00:59.491 And the life of a legionary [br]is dangerous and grueling. 0:00:59.491,0:01:02.790 Today, Servius’s legion, [br]along with three others, 0:01:02.790,0:01:07.530 has undertaken a “great march” [br]of 30,000 Roman paces, 0:01:07.530,0:01:11.111 the equivalent of nearly 36 kilometers. 0:01:11.111,0:01:13.011 Servius’s armor and weapons, 0:01:13.011,0:01:14.281 including his gladius, 0:01:14.281,0:01:15.189 scutum, 0:01:15.189,0:01:16.511 and two pila, 0:01:16.511,0:01:19.082 weigh over 20 kilograms. 0:01:19.082,0:01:22.219 And that’s not counting his backpack, [br]or sarcina, 0:01:22.219,0:01:27.230 which contains food and all the tools[br]he needs to help build the camp – 0:01:27.230,0:01:27.991 spade, 0:01:27.991,0:01:28.730 saw, 0:01:28.730,0:01:29.600 pickaxe, 0:01:29.600,0:01:31.489 and basket. 0:01:31.489,0:01:35.020 Although Servius is exhausted, [br]he won’t sleep much tonight. 0:01:35.020,0:01:36.801 He’s been assigned the first watch, 0:01:36.801,0:01:39.016 which means looking after [br]the baggage animals 0:01:39.016,0:01:42.601 and keeping alert[br]against a possible ambush. 0:01:42.601,0:01:46.090 After he’s done, he lies awake, [br]dreading the day ahead, 0:01:46.090,0:01:50.070 which will force him [br]to recall his worst nightmare. 0:01:50.070,0:01:54.041 At dawn, Servius eats breakfast [br]with his seven tent companions. 0:01:54.041,0:01:58.841 They’re like a family, all bearing scars [br]from the battles they’ve fought together. 0:01:58.841,0:02:00.402 Servius is from Italia, 0:02:00.402,0:02:03.878 but his fellow soldiers hail [br]from all over the empire, 0:02:03.878,0:02:07.019 which stretches from Syria to Spain. 0:02:07.019,0:02:11.479 So they’re all far from home [br]in the northern land of Germania. 0:02:11.479,0:02:14.081 Servius’s legion [br]and three others with him today 0:02:14.081,0:02:18.371 are under the command of[br]Emperor Tiberius’s nephew Germanicus, 0:02:18.371,0:02:23.271 named for his father’s military successes[br]against the Germanic tribes. 0:02:23.271,0:02:25.952 Each legion has close to 5,000 men, 0:02:25.952,0:02:28.800 divided into cohorts of about 500, 0:02:28.800,0:02:33.960 further subdivided into centuries [br]of around 80-100 men. 0:02:33.960,0:02:36.611 Each century is commanded by a centurion. 0:02:36.611,0:02:41.139 An aquilifer, or eagle-bearer, marches at[br]the head of each legion 0:02:41.139,0:02:43.992 carrying its eagle standard. 0:02:43.992,0:02:47.472 The centurions march beside [br]the legionaries belting out orders, 0:02:47.472,0:02:49.870 “Dex, sin, dex, sin," 0:02:49.870,0:02:52.650 “Right, left, right, left," 0:02:52.650,0:02:57.459 starting with the right foot as the left [br]is considered unlucky or sinister. 0:02:57.459,0:03:00.331 Despite the strict discipline, [br]there’s tension in the air. 0:03:00.331,0:03:03.340 Last year, some legions [br]in the area revolted, 0:03:03.340,0:03:07.070 demanding better pay [br]and a cut in the length of service. 0:03:07.070,0:03:09.829 Only their general’s charisma[br]and negotiating skills 0:03:09.829,0:03:12.850 prevented wholesale mutiny. 0:03:12.850,0:03:16.460 Today is a “just march,” [br]only 30 kilometers. 0:03:16.460,0:03:20.980 As the marshes and forests of Germania [br]lie beyond the empire’s road system 0:03:20.980,0:03:25.001 the men must build causeways[br]and bridges to make headway— 0:03:25.001,0:03:28.871 something they’ve recently spent [br]more time doing than fighting. 0:03:28.871,0:03:33.970 Finally, they arrive at their destination,[br]a place Servius knows too well. 0:03:33.970,0:03:37.041 It’s a clearing on the outskirts [br]of the Teutoburg Forest, 0:03:37.041,0:03:40.811 where six years ago, during the[br]reign of the Emperor Augustus, 0:03:40.811,0:03:44.212 Germanic tribes under [br]their chieftain Arminius 0:03:44.212,0:03:47.854 ambushed and destroyed three legions. 0:03:47.854,0:03:49.583 Proceeding along a narrow path, 0:03:49.583,0:03:53.719 the legions were attacked from [br]forest cover under torrential rain 0:03:53.719,0:03:55.933 with their escape blocked. 0:03:55.933,0:03:59.136 It was one of the worst defeats [br]the Romans ever suffered 0:03:59.136,0:04:03.175 and Augustus never lived it down. 0:04:03.175,0:04:06.368 Servius was one of the few survivors. 0:04:06.368,0:04:11.311 Servius still has nightmares of [br]his comrades lying where they fell. 0:04:11.311,0:04:16.173 But now the army is back to bury [br]the dead with full military honors. 0:04:16.173,0:04:18.131 As he helps in the task, 0:04:18.131,0:04:23.791 he can’t help wondering whether the bones[br]he handles belonged to someone he knew. 0:04:23.791,0:04:28.630 Several times he wants to weep aloud, [br]but he pushes on with the task. 0:04:28.630,0:04:31.265 The glory of the Empire [br]can go to the crows. 0:04:31.265,0:04:35.660 All he craves is to retire [br]on a small farm with his wife-to-be, 0:04:35.660,0:04:39.485 if the gods should spare his life [br]for 17 more years.