Transcription
Why surviving as a Roman soldier was actually impossible.
Roman soldiers break into your home. If you're poor, you're forced to join. You're promised a salary and retirement. But if you refuse, you're executed in public. You have no other option.
The training camp. This is where you break. You march for hours under the scorching sun carrying 100 lb of gear and a wooden sword twice as heavy as the real thing. If you fall behind, the officers beat you in front of everyone. The march never ends. You walk 20 m a day, your armor cutting deep into your shoulders. When night falls, you still can't sleep. You have to build the fortress first. One mistake means you don't eat.
Battle day. You stand in line while death slowly creeps closer. The enemy line moves in and arrows slam into your shield. They arrive with axes ready and no hesitation, clearly intending to harm you.
The aftermath. Surviving the battle doesn't mean you won. A single scratch gets infected and disease rots the camp. To the Empire, you are just a number waiting to be replaced.