List of Roman legions

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This is a list of Roman legions. These are mainly legions of the Roman Empire; earlier legions were not permanent named organizations.

Comments added include life span of the legion, cause of disappearance (if relevant), the original commander (the man who levied the legion), and emblem.

Contents 1 Republican and Imperatorial legions 2 Imperial period legions 2.1 Early Empire legions 2.2 Late Empire legions 3 References 4 External links 5 See also

Republican and Imperatorial legions

The Republican legions were formed by Roman citizens and raised whenever it was necessary. Usually they were levied by the Roman Senate, and were later disbanded. Legions that won a significant victory often acclaimed their commander as imperator.

In the last years of the Republic, several Roman generals started to levy legions with their own money; these legions were loyal to their commanders, rather than to the Senate, so their presence increased the power of these generals. Maintaining these legions was, however, expensive, so they were usually levied for particular campaigns (such as those of Pompey against the pirates, those of Julius Caesar against Gauls, those of Mark Antony and Crassus against the Parthian Empire, and so on), and disbanded as soon these campaigns ended.

The legions included in the following list had a long enough history to be somehow remarkable. Most of them were levied by Julius Caesar and later included into Octavian's army, some of them levied by Mark Antony.

• Legio I Germanica (German) - 48 BC to 70 (Batavian rebellion), Julius Caesar
• Legio II Sabina (Sabine) 43 BC to circa 9 AD, early name of the Legio II Augusta
• Legio III Cyrenaica (from Cyrenaica) – probably around 36 BC to (at least) 5th century, Mark Antony
• Legio III Gallica (from Gallia) – around 49 BC to at least early 4th century, Julius Caesar (emblem: bull)
• Legio IV Macedonica (Macedonian) - 48 BC to 70 (disbanded by Vespasian), Julius Caesar (emblem: bull, capricorn)
• Legio IV Scythica (from Scythia) - around 42 BC to at least early 5th century, Mark Antony (emblem: capricorn)
• Legio V Alaudae (Larks) - 52 BC to 70 (destroyed in the Batavian rebellion), Julius Caesar (emblem: elephant)
• Legio VI Ferrata (Ironclad) - 52 BC to after 250, Julius Caesar (emblem: bull, wolf and Romulus and Remus)
• Legio VII - 51–44 BC, disbanded and re-enlisted by Augustus as Legio VII Paterna
• Legio VIII - 59–48 BC, Julius Caesar, disbanded and re-enlisted by Augustus as Legio VIII Augusta
• Legio IX Triumphalis (Triumphant) - 59–48 BC, Julius Caesar, disbanded and re-enlisted by Augustus as Legio IX Hispana
• Legio X Equestris (Knights), 58 to 48 BC, Julius Caesar, disbanded, reconstituted by Lepidus, incorporated into the Legio X Gemina by Augustus.
  • Legio X Veneria (devoted to the goddess Venus), probably another name of X Equestris.
• Legio XI - 58-45 BC, Julius Caesar (emblem: Neptune), disbanded, reconstituted by Augustus as Legio XI
• Legio XII Victrix (Victorious) - 57 BC to 45, Julius Caesar
  • Legio XII Antiqua (Ancient) - reconstituted by Lepidus in 43 BC, named by Mark Anthony, included in Augustus army as Legio XII Fulminata
• Legio XIII - 57 to 45 BC, Julius Caesar, later (41 BC) reconstituted as Legio XIII Gemina by Augustus
• Legio XVIII Libyca (from Libya) - disbanded 31 BC, Mark Antony
• Legio XXX Classica (Naval) - 48–41 BC, Julius Caesar

Imperial period legions

Early Empire legions

Legio I

• Legio I Germanica (German) - 48 BC to 70 (Batavian rebellion), Julius Caesar
• Legio I Adiutrix (Helper) - 68 to (at least) 444, Nero
• Legio I Italica (Italian) - September 22 66 to (at least) 5th century, established at Misenum, Nero
• Legio I Macriana liberatrix (liberator of Macer) - 68 to 69, Lucius Clodius Macer, governor of Africa
• Legio I Minervia (protected by goddess Minerva) - 82 to (at least) 4th century, Domitian
• Legio I Parthica (Parthian) - 197 to early 6th century, Septimius Severus

Legio II

• Legio II Adiutrix Pia Fidelis (helper faithful and loyal) - 70 to (at least) 3rd century, Vespasian
• Legio II Augusta (levied by Augustus) - before 9 to at least 3rd century (emblem: capricorn, pegasus).
  • Legio II Gallica (from Gallia) - established Arausio, modern Orange, France, possibly another cognomen for the Legio II Augusta
• Legio II Italica (Italian) - 165 to beginning of the 5th century, Marcus Aurelius
• Legio II Parthica (Parthian) – 197 until, at least half of 4th century, Lucius Septimius Severus
• Legio II Traiana Fortis (Trajan strong legion) - 105 to (at least) 5th century, Trajan
  • Legio II Germanica (German) - new cognomen from 3rd century, Caracalla

Legio III

• Legio III Augusta (levied by Augustus) – 43 BC to (at least) late 4th century, Augustus (emblem: pegasus)
• Legio III Cyrenaica (from Cyrenaica) – probably around 36 BC to (at least) 5th century, Mark Antony
• Legio III Gallica (from Gallia) – around 49 BC to at least early 4th century, Julius Caesar (emblem: bull)
• Legio III Italica (Italian) - 165 to at least early 4th century, Marcus Aurelius
• Legio III Parthica (Parthian) - around 197 to at least early 5th century, Lucius Septimius Severus

Legio IV

• Legio IV Macedonica (Macedonian) - 48 BC to 70 (disbanded by Vespasian), Julius Caesar (emblem: bull, capricorn)
  • reconstituted under the name of Legio IV Flavia Felix (lucky Flavian legion) - about 70 to before 400, Vespasian
• Legio IV Scythica (from Scythia) - around 42 BC to at least early 5th century, Mark Antony (emblem: capricorn)

Legio V

• Legio V Alaudae (Larks) - 52 BC to 70 (destroyed in the Batavian rebellion), Julius Caesar (emblem: elephant)
• Legio V Macedonica (Macedonian) - 43 BC to after 400, consul Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus and Augustus (emblem: bull)
  • Legio V Urbana, probably early name of the Legio V Macedonica
  • Legio V Gallica, probably early name of the Legio V Macedonica

Legio VI

• Legio VI Ferrata (Ironclad) - 52 BC to after 250, Julius Caesar (emblem: bull, wolf and Romulus and Remus)
• Legio VI Victrix (Victorious) - 41 BC to late 4th century, Augustus (emblem: bull)
  • Legio VI Hispaniensis, another name of the Legio VI Victrix

Legio VII

• Legio VII Claudia Pia Fidelis (faithful and loyal Claudian legion) - 58 BC to end of 4th century, Julius Caesar (emblem: bull)
  • Legio VII Paterna (Paternal), name of Legio VII Claudia Pia Fidelis up to 42
• Legio VII Gemina (Twin) - October 68 to end of 4th century, Galba

Legio VIII

• Legio VIII Augusta (raised by Augustus), 59 BC to after 371, Caesar Augustus
  • Legio VIII Gallica (from Gallia), early name of VIII Augusta
  • Legio VIII Mutinensis (from Mutina), early name of VIII Augusta

Legio IX

• Legio IX Hispana (Spanish) - before 41 BC to before 160, Caesar Augustus

Legio X

• Legio X Fretensis (Of the sea straits) - 41/40 BC to at least 260, Augustus (emblem: boar, bull, dolphin, galley)
• Legio X Gemina (Twin) - 44 BC to early 5th century, Lepidus

Legio XI

• Legio XI Claudia Pia Fidelis (faithful and loyal Claudian legion) - 42 BC to early 5th century, Caesar Augustus (emblem: Neptune)

Legio XII

• Legio XII Fulminata (wielder of thunderbolt) - 43 BC to (at least) 5th century, Lepidus (emblem: thunderbolt)

Legio XIII

• Legio XIII Gemina (Twin) - 41 BC to (at least) 5th century, Caesar Augustus

Legio XIV

• Legio XIV Gemina Martia Victrix (Twin and Martial Victory) - Augustus

Legio XV

• Legio XV Apollinaris (devoted to the god Apollo) - 41/40 BC to 5th century - Augustus
• Legio XV Primigenia (devoted to goddess Fortuna) - 39 to 70 (destroyed in the Batavian rebellion), Caligula

Legio XVI

• Legio XVI Gallica (from Gallia) - 41/40 BC to 70 (Batavian rebellion) - Augustus (emblem: lion)
  • Legio XVI Flavia Firma (standfast Flavian legion) reconstitution of the XVI Gallica - 70 to 4th century - Vespasian

Legio XVII

• Legio XVII - 41 BC to 9 AD (Battle of the Teutoburg Forest), Augustus

Legio XVIII

• Legio XVIII - 41 BC to 9 AD (Battle of the Teutoburg Forest), Augustus

Legio XIX

• Legio XIX - 41 BC to 9 AD (Battle of the Teutoburg Forest), Augustus

Legio XX

• Legio XX Valeria Victrix (Valorous and Victorious) - after 31 BC to late 3rd century, Augustus (emblem: boar)

Legio XXI

• Legio XXI Rapax (Predator) - 31 BC to 92 (destroyed in Pannonia), Augustus (emblem: capricorn)

Legio XXII

• Legio XXII Deiotariana (levied by Deiotarus) - 48 BC to about 132-136 (probably destroyed in rebellion in Iudaea), Deiotarus
• Legio XXII Primigenia (devoted to goddess Fortuna) - 39 to 3rd century, Caligula

Legio XXX

• Legio XXX Ulpia Victrix (Victorious Ulpian legion) - 105 to early 5th century, Trajan

Late Empire legions

Diocletian reorganized the Roman army, in order to better handle the menace of the barbarians from north Europe as well as that of the Persians from the East. The army was formed by border and field units.

The border (limitanei) units were to occupy the limes, the structured border fortifications, and were formed by professional soldiers with an inferior training.

The field units were to stay well behind the border, and to move quickly where they were needed, with both offensive and defensive roles. Field units were formed by elite soldiers with high-level training and weapons. They were further divided into:

1. Scholae units – the personal guard of the Emperor, created to substitute the Praetorian Guard disbanded by Constantine I;
2. Palatinae units – "palace" units were the highest ranked units;
3. Comitatenses units – "line" or "regular" units, some of them were new legions, other were Early Empire legions;
4. Pseudocomitatenses units – they were limitanei units diverted into the field army and often kept there; some Early Empire legions became pseudocomitatenses units.

Some of these units kept a numbering scheme. Primary source is the Notitia Dignitatum

• Legio I
  • I Armeniaca (from Armenia) – pseudocomitatensis under Magister militum per Orientis command, fought under Julian the Apostate against the Persians
  • I Flavia Constantia (reliable Flavian) – comitatensis unit under Magister militum per Orientis command
  • I Flavia Gallicana Constantia (reliable Flavian legion from Gallia) – pseudocomitatensis under Magister Peditum per Gallias command
  • I Flavia Martis (Flavian legion devoted to Mars) – pseudocomitatensis
  • I Flavia Pacis (Flavian peaceful) – comitatensis under Magister Peditum
  • I Flavia Theodosiana – comitatensis
  • I Illyricorum (of the Illyrians) – stationed at Palmyra
  • I Iovia (devoted to Jupiter) – levied by Diocletian, stationed in Scythia Minor
  • I Isaura Sagitaria (archers from Isauria) – pseudocomitatensis under Magister militum per Orientis command
  • I Iulia Alpina – pseudocomitatensis under Magister Peditum command in Italia
  • I Martia
  • I Maximiana Thaebanorum (the Thebans of Maximianus) – comitatensis unit stationed near Thebes, Egypt, and probably fighting in the battle of Adrianople
  • I Noricorum (of the Noricans) – stationed in Noricum
  • I Pontica

• Legio II
  • II Armeniaca – pseudocomitatensis
  • II Britannica – comitatensis under Magister Peditum
  • II Flavia Constantia – comitatensis under Magister Peditum
  • II Flavia Virtutis – comitatensis under Magister Peditum
  • II Herculia (devoted to Hercules) – levied by Diocletian, stationed in Scythia Minor
  • II Isaura
  • II Iulia Alpina – pseudocomitatensis under Magister Peditum, in Comes Illyricum command
  • II Felix Valentis Thebaeorum – comitatensis

• Legio III
  • III Diocletiana
  • III Flavia Salutis – comitatensis under Magister Peditum
  • III Herculea – comitatensis under Magister Peditum, in Comes Illyricum command
  • III Isaura
  • III Iulia Alpina – comitatensis under Magister Peditum command in Italia

• Legio IIII
  • IIII Italica
  • IIII Martia
  • IIII Parthica

• Legio V
  • V Iovia (maybe the Jovians)
  • V Parthica

• Legio VI
  • VI Gemella
  • VI Gallicana
  • VI Herculia (maybe the Herculians)
  • VI Hispana
  • VI Parthica

• Legio XII
  • XII Victrix

References

• Oxford Classical Dictionary
• Keppie, Lawrence. The Making of the Roman Army, 1984
• Notitia Dignitatum reports the military units and their locations at the beginning of the 5th century.

External links

• livius.org list of legions

See also

• List of Roman legions (tables)cy:Rhestr Llengoedd Rhufeinig

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