Legio IIII Martia

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The Legio IIII Martia was a legion of the Roman army. The legion symbol is unknown. The name was derived from the god of war Mars and the number four was a continuation of the Legio III Cyrenaica already stationed in the province of Arabia .

The legion was probably raised by Aurelian (270–275) or Diocletian (284–305) to strengthen the units of the province of Arabia Petraea, which had been weakened after the suppression of the usurpation of Zenobias of Palmyra in 272 . In more recent research, in addition to an excavation around 300 by Diocletian, Galerius (293 / 305-311), who had an affinity for Mars, is considered as the author.

The first legionary camp in Betthorus (today el-Leğğūn) near Rabbat-Moab was built around 300 and offered 242 m × 190 m accommodation for around 2000 legionaries. After an earthquake, the camp was rebuilt around 363, but the excavated finds only indicate accommodation for about 1000 men. The written evidence of the Quarta Martia has come down to us from the early 5th century, when the Legion was stationed in Betthorus under the command of the Dux Arabiae . Further earthquakes caused damage to 505. Probably at the same time as the other eastern garrison types, the legion seems to have been withdrawn in 530. Subsequently, the civilian population previously living in the surrounding camp village moved behind the protective walls of the fort. With a severe earthquake that occurred in 551, the subsequent civil use also ended. Samuel Thomas Parker carried out five excavation campaigns here between 1980 and 1989.

literature

  • Emil Ritterling : Legio (IIII Martia). In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume XII, 2, Stuttgart 1925, Sp. 1556-1556.
  • Samuel Thomas Parker, J. Lander: Legio IV Martia and the Legionary Camp at El-Lejjūn. In: Byzantinische Forschungen 8 (1982), 185-210.
  • Samuel Thomas Parker, John Wilson Betlyon: The Roman frontier in central Jordan. Final report on the Limes Arabicus Project 1980-1989 (= Dumbarton Oaks Studies. Volume 40). 2 volumes. Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, Washington DC 2006, ISBN 0-88402-298-6 .
  • Johanna Ritter-Burkert: Bethorus - Lejjun (JO) . In: Hans-Peter Kuhnen (Ed.): Desert border of the Roman Empire. The Roman Limes in Israel and Jordan . Nünnerich-Asmus, Mainz 2018, ISBN 978-3-961760-10-7 , pp. 120–123

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Emil Ritterling: Legio (IIII Martia). In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume XII, 2, Stuttgart 1925, Sp. 1556.
  2. ^ Samuel Thomas Parker: Romans and Saracans. A History of the Arabian Frontier , 1986, 137-142.
  3. ^ Michael P. Speidel : The Roman Army in Arabia. In: Wolfgang Haase, Hildegard Temporini (ed.): Rise and decline of the Roman world (ANRW). Part 2: Principate. Volume 8. de Gruyter, Berlin et al. 1978, ISBN 3-11-007337-4 , p. 699.
  4. ^ Richard J. Brewer (ed.): The Second Augustan Legion and the Roman Military Machine. Birthday of the Eagle. National Museums and Galleries of Wales, Cardiff 2002, ISBN 0-7200-0514-0 , p. 171.
  5. ↑ a b Virtual Karak Resources Project: Legionary Fortresses in Arabia ( Memento of the original from August 26, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. with photos of the excavations in Betthorus and camp plan @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.vkrp.org
  6. ↑ Notitia Dignitatum Or. XXXVII
  7. ^ A b Johanna Ritter-Burkert: Bethorus - Lejjun (JO) . In: Hans-Peter Kuhnen (Ed.): Desert border of the Roman Empire. The Roman Limes in Israel and Jordan . Nünnerich-Asmus, Mainz 2018, ISBN 978-3-961760-10-7 , pp. 120-123; here: p. 123.