Video - Ancient Rome's Fiery Vigilantes: The Pay-to-Play Firefighters!

Did you know that ancient Rome had a very unique approach to firefighting? Back in 6 A.D., Emperor Augustus created a fire brigade called the Vigiles. Sounds pretty standard, right? But here's the twist: these firefighters were also part-time vigilantes! If you needed them to put out a fire, you'd better have some cash ready. If you couldn't pay, they'd let your house burn down while they tried to negotiate a price. And get this: they used buckets and pumps, but also had grappling hooks to tear down buildings to stop fires from spreading. Talk about a hot mess! So, how would you feel about negotiating with firefighters today?