Scouts of the Roman Army were the
unsung heroes of its armed forces who helped probe the darkness to detect
threats and locate prey for the Legions. Operating in the shadows of the past, they
leave little trace in our historical records and receive even less attention in modern
media. But today it will be our goal to shine a spotlight on these ancient reconnaissance
forces by bringing to life the Scouts of Rome. This video was made possible thanks to the
reenactment and film making of our friends veterans militates Recon missions into the unknown
were challenging Expeditions that could only be accomplished by healthy well-provisioned Scouts
I'm not sure that I would have survived even in everyday life I know I've always struggled to find
healthy sources of energy to get me through my day let alone making it a habit that ensures my body
gets the right vitamins and nutrients it needs thankfully today's sponsor ag-1 has a solution
ag-1 is a comprehensive daily nutrition drink made powerfully simple it's made up of 75 high quality
Whole Food sourced ingredients including vitamins minerals superfoods probiotics and adaptogens
carefully curated to nourish all the body's systems holistically what's even better is they've
made the solution super easy to use just mix one scoop or a travel pack into eight ounces of water
shake it and drink it for an effortless morning routine the ag-1 travel packs are great for when
I'm on the go or even sharing with Friends while it's clear ag1 has worked hard to blend a
great natural taste I've definitely enjoyed rotating through splashes of my favorite fruit
juices to mix things up between days of the week you can also enjoy high quality daily nutrition
and long-term foundational gut health with ag-1 by going to athleticgreens.com
Invicta to get started on your order ag-1 is going to give my community a free one-year
supply of immune supporting vitamin D3 plus K2 and 5 free travel packs with your first purchase
thanks to ag1 for sponsoring today's video enjoy The Roman Legion did the fighting while
the logistics train did the feeding. Each was a marvel of its time and, in theory, the
two could work together to defeat almost any foe. But without eyes and ears to guide them, both
would stumble ahead blindly, risking delay, dysfunction, and death. This was especially true
in a world which lacked detailed maps and which was perpetually shrouded in a thick fog of war.
Thus it was imperative for a properly functioning Roman army to establish a robust system of
military intelligence. But how was this achieved? In the years of the young Republic, Roman
scouting was quite immature and ad-hoc. Its flaws had led to a series of terrible defeats
over the years. But by the late Republic, many lessons had been learned and new means and methods
were implemented. This would all be increasingly standardized as the Roman army transitioned to a
fully professional force. Standard doctrine of the early imperial era called for armies to deploy a
reconnaissance network composed of three layers. The first involved the Procursatores who
patrolled within a day’s march of the main army. The Procursatores were not some specialized, elite
scouting unit. Rather they were merely a group of troops who had been selected from the main army
to fill the role as the situation demanded. As a result their composition varied greatly.
Whilst deployed, the Procursatores primarily acted as a close screen for the army who would
make contact with any nearby forces. These patrols were maintained day and night with their frequency
being increased in dangerous territory. As such they could intercept deserters, informants, enemy
scouts and troops. In addition, the Procursatores could help act as pathfinders for the next day’s
march and might assist in foraging operations. The next reconnaissance group involved
the Exploratores who acted as an outer ring of scouts which operated several
day’s march beyond the main army. These Exploratores would be expected to report
back everything that they could - especially details of terrain in a certain direction,
any signs of enemy activity, and they would be expected to plot out a site for the nightly
marching camp of the legions. They would also be equipped to potentially skirmish against
any enemy scouts that they could not avoid. As with the Procursatores, the Exploratores
tended to be lightly-equipped cavalry troopers selected for an ad hoc assignment rather than on
any permanent basis. Oftentimes the soldiers would be chosen from among the auxiliaries who made up
the bulk of Rome’s cavalry forces. However this was not always the case: in Trajan’s Dacian wars,
Legionaries themselves were picked for the job. By the later Empire, however, it does seem that
the Exploratores were eventually organized into their own formalized units. Whatever the case,
the men in question would have been screened for possessing the necessary skills and experience
given the importance of the task at hand. The final reconnaissance group involved the
Speculatores who were more akin to spies that operated far beyond the army, often conducting
missions within enemy territory. These agents appear to have been selected for service on
the basis of their loyalty and discretion. They were likely recruited on an adhoc basis
with little in the way of standardization. After all, spies had been a feature
of Roman warfare for quite a while and groups of Speculatores came in all sorts of
shapes and sizes. It's only later on during the imperial era that we start to hear
of the formalization of this institution. Supposedly there were 10 undercover
agents attached to each legion with the individual spies reporting up
through the regular chain of command. Together, these three groups were capable of
providing excellent reconnaissance service for the Roman army. For now let us take
a closer look at the mid-range scouts.
The size of such a force varied greatly depending
on the needs of its commander. Minor campaigns and garrison posts might make do with a handful or
few dozen of such men. However on a major military excursion their numbers could be significant.
One excerpt from a surviving source claims that, in his Persian campaign, the Emperor Julianus
employed about 1,500 scouts to guide his army. For our scenario we shall return to our border
commander who has a rather limited supply of manpower. He has received some reports of unrest
in the region and plans to march out with armed units in a show of force. The area is reasonably
well-known to the commander, as the Romans have been in the region for some time. Perhaps a
crude map with routes linking villages and landmarks has already been prepared. This will
certainly be useful for planning his operations. Even so, the region has been known to
harbor raiders and other locals who have historically been hostile to soldiers
of the Empire. Caution will be required. The Legate therefore makes the prudent decision
to send out men to scout the anticipated marching route. Specifically he would like them to
locate a suitable fording point for the river which has seen recent flooding, to sniff out
potential ambushes in the narrow mountain path, and to generally take notes on details relevant
for the main body’s advance such as camp sites, foraging opportunities, and fresh water supplies. For this mission, about a dozen men will do.
The task force is assembled by consulting with the officers to pick out the best men for
the job. These will be soldiers who have relevant experience in such matters. All of
them would be skilled at recognizing trails, local flora, landmarks, and worrying signs of
an enemy presence. Ideally, at least one of them will have grown up in these lands, and is
familiar with the environment and the people. Once the men have been assembled and briefed, they
will begin to prepare for the journey ahead. Such missions will last several days if not weeks
beyond the support of the main Roman force. Thus they must be self-reliant and come prepared
to meet the unexpected challenges ahead. A basic soldier’s kit would include weapons, armor,
sleeping gear, cooking supplies, and rations. Scouts might choose to travel light, removing,
swapping, or augmenting parts of their kit. For instance it would be important to carry additional
dried foods meant to last a while and to include utility equipment such as a rope. For the rest of
their needs, they would have to live off the land. Such scout units might be expected to carry
out their mission on foot. Other times they might bring a mule to lug around their gear
or might have their own horses to ride upon. The exact disposition of a scout group would
vary based on their available resources and the nature of the mission. Mounted scouts were
excellent for speed but could not necessarily traverse the same types of terrain or remain
as discrete as their dismounted counterparts. A hybrid scout force was often the best
approach and we hear from our sources of how the two could work in tandem in the
field. For this particular mission though we have assumed that a small foot-based
force of scouts has been deployed. Their first objective will be to locate a point
to ford the local river which is about a day’s march from camp. Fords were often locally known,
being essential to any sort of travel or trade. Bridges might exist at these crossing points.
But such infrastructure could be expensive, and unless an emperor or governor had a good reason
to spend the money and time to build a bridge, an army would often just find a relatively shallow
spot in the river where they could cross. This would have the unfortunate side effect of making
the entire army quite vulnerable. Additionally, if there had been a heavy storm recently, a ford
could be washed away or change position entirely. Our scouts will begin by approaching
the previously known fording point. Here they assess the conditions and
perhaps seek out a few alternatives. Suitable candidates will be both easy to
cross and free of natural or human opposition. When the best path is decided upon they
will perhaps take some notes and leave some hidden markings for future reference
before making the crossing themselves. After navigating the river and drying their feet
the scouts push on towards their next objective, the mountain pass. The journey
ahead will be a multi-day trek across a forested region with pockets
of open prairies, ravines, and hills. Along the way, the men will periodically make
camp and collect supplies. As they do so they will make note of useful sources of water,
timber, and forage. It will also be important for them to keep an eye out for locations where
a larger force might be able to strike camp. Typically these would be on elevated stretches
of flat land with access to supplies. As the scouts approach the mountain pass the
forests begin to clear. Now they gain a better understanding of their surroundings and can begin
to assess their location based on local landmarks. Perhaps a crude map will be used to
re-orient themselves towards the objective. Once properly oriented, they set off again. However the sloping terrain and beating sun now slow their advance and more
regular breaks will be needed. And yet they press on, with eyes and
ears open to potential signs of danger. As the scouts arrive at the feet of the
mountain range the ascent over brush and rock proves difficult. For an army, this
might be considered impassable terrain but for a small group of light scouts there
are few areas that are truly out of reach. By climbing a nearby ridgeline, the scouts
are able to assess their surroundings. From here they gain a clear view
of their mountain pass objective and can trace the most optimal route
the legions might take to reach it. This vantage point also allows them to scour
the lowlands for signs of enemy activity. This might be anything from campfire smoke,
to dust clouds, bird flights, and more. But an enemy might not be so readily detected. And so the scouts may plan to spend a day
or more looking for clues around the area. At first not much seems amiss. Footprints along the path appear to have
been left by a passing herdsman and his cattle while an old campsite rutted by
a small cart points to the passing of a merchant. Beyond this, the scouts find
little evidence of suspicious activity. They therefore make a final sweep of the
surroundings before heading back to camp. They retread much of the same path as
before, refining their notes about the route. It is now that one of the troopers spots a fresh
sign. A small column of smoke in the distance. The scouts decide to investigate, approaching
the target with caution. As they draw near the source of smoke becomes clear. A small pyre
burns with the remains of a sacrificed animal. Someone has been seeking the favor of the gods. But for what purpose is unclear. An inspection of
the nearby ground reveals the tracks of at least a dozen men. Enough to cause trouble and certainly
more than this small unit can take on alone. Armed with this latest information, the scouts
pull back. They now make haste back to camp. In this way would information from
the field be collected. Such scouts with important information would be quickly
referred to a high ranking officer of the legion - or even the legate in charge.
They would be accompanied by a scribe, who would take down the report and perhaps
even create an accompanying diagram. The contents of our mission for instance
might be boiled down as follows: "The river crossing by the rocks around
the third bend is navigable. Recommend taking the northeastern trails which are in good
condition and have several suitable campsites.The mountain pass is clear of rockslides
and any signs of ambushers. Potential signs of a raiding party
of 12 men were discovered on the ides about 10 stades northwest of the old forest." But this is just speculation. One
of the few clues we have of what an actual scout report may have looked like
appears on a fragment from Vindolanda. The scrap, scrawled on a wooden
tablet states the following: “... the Britons are unprotected by armor.
There are very many cavalry. The cavalry do not use swords nor do the wretched
Britons mount in order to throw javelins." But what the whole text said or what
its nature was sadly remains a mystery. And so the work of Rome’s ancient scouts
remains hidden in the historical shadows. Nonetheless we hope you’ve appreciated our attempt
to bring it to life. A big thanks to the team at Veteres Milites for their awesome reenactment
and camera work. For more previews of upcoming Live History projects check out our Patreon! A big
thanks to the current Patrons for helping to fund the channel and to the researchers, writers,
and artists who made this episode possible. We couldn’t have done it without
this team and this community. If you liked this episode, be sure to
like and subscribe for more content and check out these other related
videos. See you in the next one!
