I have built 3 full-sized theorboes as well as smaller lutes with extended bass strings, the so-called liuto attiorboto. The long strings were necessary since overspun strings had not been invented yet. Overspun (wound) strings allow added mass to be added to a string without severely impeding flexibility. More mass=lower pitch for a given length of string. To achieve the low bass notes with single gut strings the only practical solution was added length so a relatively thin diameter string could be used. The video shows close-ups of the woven gut strings, known as "catlines". A catline was a ship's rope and this is the derivation of the term "cat gut" (not the entrails of our feline friends). The woven strands of gut was as close as the early makers got to overspun strings, which came about in the late 17th century. As the player in the video mentioned, during the Renaissance many were looking back to the ancient world. I know, the Renaissance seems ancient to us but there was a lot of human history before the mid-1400s. The lyre, which in legend is the first stringed instrument, held particular fascination since it was used to accompany epic poems in ancient Greece. Monteverdi looked to this tradition and is credited as the father of modern opera. If you can find a video of Monteverdi's L'Orfeo it is worth your time to watch. Personally, modern opera is not my cup of tea. But the early works, that feature great early instruments as well as voices that do not have a hint of "shriek" and little to no vibrato, are quite listenable.
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Such long and thin strings seem like a bad idea in terms of cost and likelihood of breakage, even aside from making the instrument difficult to transport and tune, and uncomfortable to hold. Maybe they sound a little less muddy than the heavy gauge strings used on modern harp guitars, but doesn't seem worth it to me.