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00:00:00 – 00:12:01
The video explores the Roman veteran colony of Timgad in Algeria, showcasing its grid layout and Roman urban planning, established by Emperor Trajan in 100 AD. Trajan also founded other colonies like Colonia Ulpia Traiana in Germany and Italica in Spain to settle veterans, reflecting Rome's strategy to reward soldiers and maintain control in conquered territories. Timgad offered benefits like Roman citizenship, land, and economic opportunities to veterans, leading to social mobility and prosperity. The city endured the Vandal invasion in the 5th century but was later excavated and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, providing insights into Roman life in a colony setting.
00:00:00
In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses Timgad, a Roman veteran colony in Algeria. Timgad exemplifies Roman urban planning with a grid layout, founded by Emperor Trajan in 100 AD. The city had a forum, theater, Arch of Trajan, temple complex, bathhouses, and a library. These features reflect Roman culture and values, with an emphasis on rewarding veterans and promoting learning. The narrator highlights the city’s development beyond its original boundaries and its resemblance to Rome.
00:03:00
In this segment of the video, the narrator discusses the founding of Roman colonies by Emperor Trajan, such as Colonia Ulpia Traiana in Germany and Italica in Spain. These colonies followed a grid pattern and were used to settle Roman citizens in conquered territories. The practice of using colonies to settle veterans became more common in the imperial period to provide for retired soldiers and maintain Roman presence in frontier regions. Trajan founded Timgad specifically for veterans of the 3rd Augustan Legion, offering them full Roman citizenship upon retirement. Roman legions had heavy infantry units for citizens and specialized auxiliary units for non-citizens. Successful completion of a 25-year military service could lead to retirement benefits and full Roman citizenship for oneself and family.
00:06:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the benefits Roman veterans received, such as Roman citizenship, land for farming and building houses in Timgad. There were also insights into the community structure, with veterans likely living in apartment blocks called insulae. Veterans could choose between farming, starting a small business with a lump sum, and were relieved of certain taxes. The speaker highlights the social mobility and positive aspects of settling in Timgad, emphasizing the town’s prosperity and urban amenities like baths, theaters, and libraries. Mosaics found in Timgad suggest a lavish urban environment and economic growth, leading to the town evolving into a prosperous community beyond just a veteran colony.
00:09:00
In this segment of the video, it is discussed how the Germanic tribe, the Vandals, invaded the Roman Empire in the 5th century, ultimately sacking Rome in 455 AD. The Vandal sack led to the term “vandalism” and was one of the last blows to the Western Roman Empire. The Vandals also vandalized Timgad before being defeated by the Byzantine Empire in 535 AD. Timgad’s fate endured destruction and abandonment before eventually being rediscovered in 1765 and excavated by the French from the 1880s to the 1960s, leading to its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. The city’s excavation provides a valuable look into a typical Roman colony.