France Televisions - Real Life of a Roman Soldier (2023)

Rome at its peak and armies of legionaries defending the Empire. The Roman soldier embodies its power and influence. Cherished by legendary stories, popular belief or cinema, the image is an efficient, valiant and disciplined fighter. However, the latest archaeological discoveries today provide a surprising vision of man and his daily life.
There was a time in history when the Roman military was invincible, but this success was only made possible by its exceptionally powerful army. The force's heavy infantrymen - known as legionaries - were efficient, disciplined and utterly fearless, almost mythological. And yet, they were flesh and blood men.
What type of man would become a legionary? How did they live, and what did they dream of? What bound them together, willing to risk their own lives for their fellow soldiers? Discoveries of ancient Roman camps across Europe are shedding new light on the lives of their soldier occupants.
Over the last few decades, numerous archaeological excavations have helped to deconstruct the cliches that surround the legendary figure.
Following recent and current excavations from Vindolanda in northern England, to Fourviere Hill in Lyon's Roman Quarter, alongside leading experts and thanks to priceless relics found (weapons, clothes, dishes and even correspondence), as well as reenactments and 3D reconstruction, this archaeological and scientific investigation will bring this ancient world to life to uncover the truth of the living man behind the legendary soldier.

Part 1: The Initiation
New excavations in England and France shed light on the everyday life of Roman soldiers and tell how the real men behind the legends lived. Roman legion recruits sought adventure, but in peacetime, defended borders or cities. Vindolanda and Lugdunum unveil their daily lives through ancient artifacts. 194 AD marks the beginning of the Pax Romana: two centuries during which the Roman Empire imposed the pacification of conquered regions. The legionnaire, who then decides to join the army, commits himself for twenty-five years with a risk of dying in combat. But it is the guarantee of a prestigious status and a guaranteed income. Assigned to a unit, he is sent to the confines of the Roman Empire along the borders or to a garrison of an important city. Two very rich archaeological sites bear witness to these two lifestyles: Lugdunum (Lyon), capital of Gaul, and, in the north of England, the former Vindolanda garrison, located along Hadrian's Wall, a defensive enclosure designed to repel the "barbarians". For several decades, excavation campaigns there have provided numerous testimonies of the daily life of the garrisons. The objects unearthed on the sites of Vindolanda or the hill of Fourviere, in Lyon, shed new light on the daily life of their occupants. We are gradually discovering the weapons they used, the clothes they wore, the dishes in which they prepared their meals, their toiletries, their games… And also more intimate objects revealing a love life, outside the garrison, despite the celibacy imposed on the legionnaire.

Part 2: From One Generation to the Next
His art of combat, his strength, his sword have made his legend. Many images and popular beliefs accompany the model of the Roman soldier – incarnation of the power of Rome –, often limited to that of an intrepid, efficient and disciplined fighter. But behind the myth, who was he really? In Roman legions, camaraderie in contubernium sustained soldiers. Lyon excavations reveal their humanity and piety, hinting at hopes for retirement after 25 years, as their correspondence is also being exhumed! In 1973, in Vindolanda, archaeologists made a major discovery: wooden tablets containing writings in ink. Several hundred others have been discovered since. The lack of oxygen in these soils favors exceptional conservation conditions. Deciphering the tablets reveals letters exchanged between the legionnaires and their families. "Hello comrade! Say hello to everyone. In this package, we are sending you two pairs of socks and two pairs of underpants…" A more personal reality that archaeologists, ceramologists and anthropologists bring to light from the countless treasures delivered by Vindolanda and Lugdunum. Little by little, a more intimate, more human portrait of the Roman legionary is emerging, away from the battlefields.