Military history

APPENDIX A

THE LEGIONS OF ROME,

30 B.C.– A.D. 233

A. The Augustan Legions

According to Cassius Dio, legions marked with an asterisk were still in existence in A.D. 233.

1st Legion: Founded by Pompey the Great in 84 B.C. Believed to have been disbanded by the emperor Vespasian in A.D. 74.

2nd Augusta Legion: Founded by Pompey the Great in 84 B.C. Granted “Augusta” title, meaning “Augustus’s,” by the emperor Augustus circa 25 B.C.*

3rd Augusta Legion: Founded by Pompey the Great in 65 B.C. Granted “Augusta” title by the emperor Augustus circa 25 B.C.*

4th Macedonica Legion, later 4th Scythica Legion: Founded by Pompey the Great in 65 B.C. Took title “Macedonica” circa 33 B.C., when its recruitment was transferred from Spain to Macedonia. Believed to have been granted “Scythica” title by the emperor Marcus Aurelius in A.D. 179 for victory over a Scythian tribe, the Cotini.*

5th Legion, later 5th Macedonica Legion: Founded by Pompey the Great in Spain in 65 B.C. Recruited in Moesia in A.D. 60. Believed to have been renamed “Macedonica” in A.D. 80, when the legion’s recruitment was transferred from Moesia to Macedonia.*

6th Victrix Legion: Founded by Pompey the Great in 65 B.C. Granted “Victrix” title, meaning “Conqueror,” circa 25 B.C. by the emperor Augustus.*

7th Claudia Pia Fidelis Legion: Founded by Pompey the Great in 65 B.C. Granted “Claudia Pia Fidelis” title, meaning “Claudius’s Loyal and Patriotic,” following the Scribonianus Revolt, by the emperor Claudius in A.D. 42. The “Pia Fidelis” soon fell into disuse.*

8th Augusta Legion: Founded by Pompey the Great in 65 B.C. Granted “Augusta” title by the emperor Augustus circa 25 B.C.*

9th Hispana Legion: Founded by Pompey the Great in 65 B.C. Granted “Hispana” title, meaning “Spain’s,” by the emperor Augustus circa 25 B.C. Apparently wiped out by the Dacians in A.D. 86 and never re-formed.

10th Legion: Founded by Julius Caesar in 61 B.C.*

11th Claudia Pia Fidelis Legion: Founded by Julius Caesar in 58 B.C. Granted “Claudia Pia Fidelis” title along with the 7th by the emperor Claudius in A.D. 42. The “Pia Fidelis” soon fell into disuse.*

12th Fulminata Legion: Founded by Julius Caesar in 58 B.C. Granted “Fulminata” title, meaning “Thunder,” by the emperor Marcus Aurelius in A.D. 174 for a victory in a thunderstorm against Germanic tribes.*

13th Gemina Legion: Founded by Julius Caesar in 58 B.C. Granted “Gemina” title, meaning “Twin,” by the emperor Augustus in 31–30 B.C., after combination with another legion—any one of twenty-eight civil war legions abolished at this time.*

14th Gemina Martia Victrix Legion: Founded by Julius Caesar in 58 B.C. Believed to have been granted “Gemina Martia” title after combination with the Martia Legion in 31–30 B.C. and granted additional “Victrix” title by Augustus circa 25 B.C. By A.D. 233 the “Martia” and “Victrix” titles had fallen into disuse.

15th Legion: Founded by Julius Caesar in 54 B.C.*

16th Flavia Legion: Founded by Julius Caesar in 54 B.C. Believed to have been granted “Flavia” title by the emperor Domitian in A.D. 89 along with the 4th Flavia as a reward following the Saturninus Revolt.*

17th Legion: Founded by Julius Caesar in 49 B.C. Believed disbanded by the emperor Domitian in A.D. 87 as part of the long-term demobilization program set in train by his father, Vespasian.

18th Legion: As for the 17th Legion.

19th Legion: Founded by Julius Caesar in 49 B.C. Wiped out by Germans under Arminius (Hermann) in Teutoburg Forest in A.D. 9; never re-formed.

20th Valeria Victrix Legion: (A.) 20th founded by Julius Caesar in 49 B.C. (B.) Valeria (meaning “Powerful”), founded by Pompey in 84 B.C., was given vacant 20th number by the the emperor Augustus in 31–30 B.C. Augustus granted the legion the “Victrix” title circa 25 B.C.*

21st Rapax Legion: (A.) 21st founded by Julius Caesar in 49 B.C. (B.) Indications are that the Rapax (meaning “Rapacious”) was founded for Pompey in the same year and originally called the Indigena, the “Native” or “Home-Grown” Legion. Given vacant 21st number by the emperor Augustus in 31–30 B.C. The 21st Rapax was apparently wiped out by Dacians in A.D. 86; never re-formed.

22nd Deiotariana Legion, later 22nd Primigeneia Legion: The 22nd Deiotariana Legion was formed by Julius Caesar in 47 B.C. from remnants of two legions of King Deiotarus of Galatia. Renamed “Primigeneia” by the emperor Claudius in A.D. 41–54, probably in relation to the goddess Fortune, a leading military deity.*

23rd Legion: Founded by Julius Caesar in 49 B.C. Apparently abolished by the emperor Titus in A.D. 80 as part of a long-term demobilization program established by his father, Vespasian.

24th Legion: As for the 23rd Legion.

25th Legion: Founded by Julius Caesar in 49 B.C. Believed to be one of three legions wiped out by Germans in Teutoburg Forest in A.D. 9; never re-formed.

26th Legion: As for the 25th Legion.

27th Legion: Founded by Julius Caesar in 49 B.C. Apparently abolished by the emperor Titus in A.D. 80 as part of Vespasian’s long-term demobilization program.

28th Legion: As for the 27th Legion.

B. Post-Augustan Legions

In order of creation. According to Cassius Dio, legions marked with an asterisk were still in existence in A.D. 233.

1st Italica Legion: Founded by the emperor Nero in A.D. 66–67, for his planned but never executed invasion of Parthia. Took its name as the first legion recruited in Italy south of the Po River in almost 120 years.*

1st Legion of the Fleet: Recruited by the emperor Nero from sailors of the Roman navy in A.D. 68. Saw action in A.D. 69. Abolished by the emperor Vespasian in A.D. 70.

1st Adiutrix Legion: Believed to have been raised by the province of Gallia Narbonensis for the emperor Galba in A.D. 68, as a “supporter” of, or “assistant” to, the 1st Italica Legion, then stationed nearby.*

4th Flavia Legion: Founded by Emperor Galba in A.D. 68. Believed to have been granted Flavia title, his family name, by the emperor Domitian in A.D. 89 along with the 16th Legion, as a reward following the Saturninus Revolt.*

Second 5th Legion: Founded by the emperor Galba in A.D. 68. Folded into Galba’s 7th or the second 10th to form the 7th Gemina Legion or the 10th Gemina Legion by the emperor Vespasian in A.D. 70.

6th Ferrata Legion: Founded by the emperor Galba in A.D. 68. The origin of its title, which means “Ironclad,” and when granted, is uncertain, but almost certainly related to the armor of its legionaries—with new-style segmented armor then coming into use, it may have been the first legion fully outfitted in this manner. Otherwise it probably gained its title during the Dacian Wars, although there is no historical record of this.*

7th Gemina Legion: Originally a second 7th, founded by the emperor Galba in the Spanish recruiting grounds of the original 7th in A.D. 68 and called for a time Galba’s 7th. Combined with the second 5th or the second 15th Legion in A.D. 70, when it took “Gemina” title.*

10th Gemina Legion: Originally a second 10th, formed as for the 7th Gemina Legion.*

Second 15th Legion: The same history as the second 5th Legion.

2nd Adiutrix Legion: Believed to have been raised by the province of Gallia Narbonensis for the emperor Vitellius in A.D. 69 as a “supporter” of, or “assistant” to, the 2nd Augusta Legion, which was normally recruited in the province at that time.*

2nd Legion of the Fleet: Recruited by the emperor Vitellius from sailors of the Roman navy in A.D. 69. Surrendered without a fight to forces of Vespasian, who abolished it in A.D. 70.

3rd Cyrenaica Legion: Believed to have been recruited in Cyrenaica, North Africa, in A.D. 67 by the province’s governor, but not commissioned until A.D. 69 by the emperor Vitellius.*

3rd Gallica Legion: Believed to have been recruited in Gaul in A.D. 69 by the emperor Vitellius and commissioned by the emperor Vespasian the following year.*

1st Minervia Legion: Founded by the emperor Domitian, circa A.D. 86. Named after his patron deity, the war goddess Minerva.*

1st Traiana Legion: Raised by the emperor Trajan, apparently in A.D. 100 for his Dacian Wars, and named after him. Believed abolished by the emperor Hadrian in A.D. 120.

2nd Traiana Legion: Raised by the emperor Trajan, apparently in A.D. 100 for his Dacian Wars, and named after him.*

29th Ulpia Legion: Raised by the emperor Trajan, apparently in A.D. 100 for his Dacian Wars, and given his family name. Believed abolished by the emperor Hadrian in A.D. 120.

30th Ulpia Legion: Raised by the emperor Trajan, apparently in A.D. 100 for his Dacian Wars, and given his family name.* 2nd Italica Legion: Raised in Italy by the emperor Marcus Aurelius between A.D. 161 and 180, for his Germanic Wars.*

3rd Italica Legion: Same history as the 2nd Italica Legion.*

1st Parthicae Legion: Founded by the emperor Severus Alexander in A.D. 231–232, for his invasion of Parthia.*

2nd Parthicae Legion: As for the 1st Parthicae Legion.*

3rd Parthicae Legion: As for the 1st Parthicae Legion.*

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