The Genius Supply System of Rome’s Army | Logistics on the March

Both Napoleon and then Hitler underestimated the huge logistical requirement needed for victory.

I love this channel. Your analysis of history is as brilliant as Roman logistics.

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Nomads are superior in this sort of logistic demand. Their large livestocks are the source of food and transportation and used to be on the move constantly. It's just unfortunate that Mongolian did not have infrastructure foundation of the Romans, otherwise they would dominate all lives on earth

Ra urusanku.

I would love to be able to manage all of that in a strategy game.

For anyone interested in military logistics, I recommend the following excellent books on this massively neglected but fascinating topic:
The Logistics of the Roman Army at War (264 B.C. - A.D.235), Jonathan Roth
Alexander the Great and the Logistics of the Macedonian Army, Donald Engels
Russia Against Napoleon: The Battle for Europe, 1807 to 1814, Dominic Lieven
Supplying War: Logistics From Wallenstein To Patton, Martin Creveld
(Edited to put the book recommendations first, as the rest is just my opinions. The books are so much better!).
At certain times, late Republican Rome would be able to field armies that were many times the size of any other non-industrialised society. Battle of Cannae, Rome fielded 86,000 troops (Roman and Allied Auxilia), Battle of Arausio, total of up to 120,000 (80,000 Roman troops and up to 40,000 auxilia). The Second Punic War was notable in the number of Roman armies defeated and total numbers of citizens and allied auxiliaries killed. However, Rome and its allies managed to continue to raise, equip and train more legions (only just and it also led to some allied cities rebelling, which didn't go well for them in the long run). These numbers are just unimaginable to most other societies in the past (aside from the Chinese Empires and Japan during the late Warring States period and even for them, these would have been exceptional for Japan, not so much China which had a much more advanced logistical system and long term, multi-year state granaries that were established for war and to mitigate against natural disasters like famine, earthquakes and floods).
The average maximum size of pre-industrial armies was about 30,000, and that was also a huge undertaking for most of them. Rome easily managed this in their late republican and early imperial years. Most pre-industrial armies would struggle to field those numbers and usually be between 10,000 to 20,000. Take a look at the wars of the Austrian Succession (Duke of Marlborough (John Churchill) armies were unusually well provisioned and provided for with logistics, one of John Churchills skills), the Wars of American Independence and the Napoleonic Wars. Overall numbers in a particular region may have been larger but they could only concentrate those numbers in one place for a very short time before having to disperse them. The invasion of Russia by Napoleon required months of preparation before being launched and even that effort was woefully inadequate.
A really fascinating example of sustained logistical effort was the Russian counter offensive against Napoleon which only ended with the Russian Army entering Paris. There was a massive logistics trail all the way back to Imperial Russian territory, as well as local requisitions and appropriations.

A random though that made me giggle: this style of documentary covering the logistics of a Taylor Swift or Beyonce tour as it “campaigns” across a country

brilliant

Could you pleas cut out the kilometers? The Romans didn't use them and nor do we. Nor do most of you target audience..

Excellent work here. Rarely you see any other site mentions this really important information. Great work.

This is very insightful and informative. Thanks for the education.

Just found ya❤nice

Rome conquered everything except human nature to abuse the weak. It led to the extermination of Rome. Republics like America and Rome always collapse theirselves.

Monty said being a general was 90% logistics.

After Rome fell, pizza prices increased.

Principal not principle 🙄

How do I invade Sardinia to get rid of Etruscans in TWR2?

Jesus Loves You All

I'm just wonder how Mongol Army had managed their Supply Chain..

How can a person take this video as serious historical fact when right at the start mythical words as kilometers are used.
The word mile is the only distant modern humans have a clue to actual distant. kilometers sound like something made up in an European pub as a way to sound educated to take a one tooth hag home for the night.
I've been all over the known world from LA to NY and never heard of kilometer!

This is why men think about Roman Empire daily

Sicily was produce goods

They forgot to mention carts pulled by mules

Second video I see on the matter which is not a shabby documentary saying everything and in the end just nothing cohesive. One the very few out the on the matter. Thank you for your efforts. Great info not inclided anywhere else but the extant ancient texts.

logistics is the downfall of russia in ukraine...

It's mind-boggling to think about all of the provisions needed just to secure the animals trip.

How does Rome compare to comparable countries of today in terms of logistics?

Romans are so ahead of their time.Imagine these innovative people having a hold to our current technology we could be invading the space lol.

Like the new wirld didgatal currancyy no people ti repirt to

Ni burackiced

It held tigether vecause of flare lund management

Logistics and civilian manufacturing of war goods is just as vital as the soldiers.

Love it! Love everything about it!
subscribed!

"The main and principal point in war is to secure plenty of provisions for oneself and to destroy the enemy by famine"
Or as we say 1600 year later,
"HIMARS o'clock"

if u like logistics play the game foxhole,, u gather, refine stuff to make supplies that goes to the front line,, u can fight if u want or just logistics

Quale altro impero nella storia, per durata ed estensione, è stato più grande di quello romano? Nessuno. Ed è stato così importante nella storia della civiltà, che i suoi echi li possiamo sentire ancora oggi nel modo come sono organizzate le società moderne.

Logistics has always been alpha and omega in wars.
Interesting observation a few days ago: Prigozhin's Wagners advancing at lightning speed towards Moscow. Prigozhin also runs a large catering business, required to be good at logistics. ...On the trucks carrying tanks etc., spare room was used for fuel drums. Logistical efficiency. We don't see such logistical efficiency in the normal russian army. Logistics makes difference.

This is amazing I was wanting to know this exact knowledge nice

Putin should have read Roman history rather than Soviet history theory.

The Russians should've watched this 😂

6:20 am I hearing the soundtrack from the Praetorians game??

The Roman roads were NOT built solely for the movement of armies. Just like the Interstate highway system of the US built in the 60’s and 70’s which tripled the GDP of the US, the Roman road system was a huge economic benefit. Sure, it made army movements faster… but for every legion that ever passed along a given stretch of road, there were a MILLION wagons laden with commerce that traveled to and fro among Romans towns and cities. They were in use all day and all night every single day of the year, and enabled commerce to flow in winter and in rain, 356 days a year.