Legio II Flavia Virtutis

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The Legio II Flavia Virtutis ("Second Flavian Virtue Legion") was a late antique legion of the Roman army.

Legion history

Shield painting of the Secunda Flavia Virtutis , in the early 5th century.

The sister legions Legio I Flavia Pacis , Legio II Flavia Virtutis and Legio III Flavia Salutis were presumably set up by Constantius I (293-305) after defeating the usurpers Carausius and Allectus , to serve as a limitanei under the command of the Dux tractus Armoricani et Nervicani to secure the Gallic Atlantic coast against pirates. According to another opinion, the legion of Constantine the Great was formed after 312 by renaming a tetrarchical legion. An even later list under Constantius II (337–361) was also considered.

Constantine the Great (306–337) released vexillations from the legions , which he incorporated into the field army as Comitatenses . It is possible that the legions were given the nicknames Pacis , Virtutis and Salutis at this time . The "Mother Legion" was moved to the Rhine.

Around 360 the Legio II Parthica , Legio II Armeniaca and a Legio II Flavia , possibly identical to the Legio II Flavia Virtutis , unsuccessfully defended the city of Bezabde (today Cizre ) on the Tigris against the Persians . When the breach in the wall of the heavily fortified city could no longer be defended, the defenders were killed in street fights or taken prisoner.

Flavius ​​Theodosius , the father of Theodosius I (379–395), moved the legions 373 to North Africa to overthrow the usurper Firmus . The conflict took place mainly in the regions of Mauretania Caesariensis and Mauretania Sitifensis . The Legions I Flavia and II Flavia were temporarily stationed in the destroyed Caesarea for "clean-up work" . The legion has been documented in writing in Thelepte (Feriana / Tunisia).

In the early 5th century, the Secunda Flavia Virtutis is mentioned in the Notitia Dignitatum as Comitatenses under the supreme command of the magister peditum . As Secundani, they were subordinate to the Comes Africae . It is possible that the Legio II Flavia Virtutis also gave rise to the secunda Flavia , which were stationed in civitas Vangionum (near Worms ) and were commanded by a Praefectus militum , under the command of the Dux Mogontiacensis . However, this assignment is considered uncertain.

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Notitia Dignitatum Occ. V.
  2. ↑ a b c d e f Ralf Scharf: The Dux Mogontiacensis and the Notitia Dignitatum , pp. 226–237.
  3. ^ Hugh Elton: Warfare and the Military ; In: Noel Emmanuel Lenski (ed.): The Cambridge companion to the Age of Constantine , Volume 13, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2006, ISBN 0-521-52157-2 , p. 331
  4. ↑ Ralf Scharf: The Dux Mogontiacensis and the Notitia Dignitatum , pp. 254-256.
  5. ↑ Jona Lendering: Legio II Flavia Virtutis In: Livius.org (English)
  6. ↑ Ammianus Marcellinus : Res gestae XX, 7
  7. ↑ Ammianus Marcellinus : 29.5.18 ; see: Ralf Scharf: Der Dux Mogontiacensis and the Notitia Dignitatum , p. 226.
  8. ↑ CIL 8, 23181 .
  9. ↑ Notitia Dignitatum Occ. VII.
  10. ↑ Notitia Dignitatum Occ. XLI.