Legio II Italica
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The Legio II Italica pia fidelis ("the Italian Second Legion, the pious and faithful") was a legion of the Roman army.
It was excavated on behalf of Marcus Aurelius around the year 165 AD (together with the Legio III Italica ) to strengthen the Danube regions. The Legion was stationed in Dalmatia until 170 and in Noricum until its dissolution in the middle of the 5th century AD .
As a symbol, the Legion carried the Capitoline Wolf , to which the legendary founders of Rome, the twins Romulus and Remus , were added under Gallienus . This is u. a. known from coins (see below), which were issued under Septimius Severus and Gallienus in recognition of the loyalty of the II. Italica.
Command structure
Before the Legion was stationed, Noricum was considered a provincia inermis , i.e. H. without a legionary garrison, and was ruled by presidential procurators from the knightly class (procurator Augusti [Augustorum] provinciae Noricae) . The commander of the legion, a legatus legionis from the rank of senators, was also governor of the province of Noricum from the late 2nd century on. The official title for this was legatus Augusti [Augustorum] pro praetore provinciae Noricae . As a rule, his term of office was one to two years. After that, they usually rose to become consuls (consul designatus) . The first senatorial legionary commander / governor for Noricum known by name was Gaius Memmius Fidus Iulius Albius, who held this office in 190/191. The governor had an extensive staff (officium) made up of officers and soldiers available for administrative and logistics tasks . His residence was then in the Albing legionary camp in Lauriacum / Enns and in Ovilavis / Wels.
From the reign of Gallienus , the senatorial governors were increasingly replaced by men from the equestrian order, the agentes vices praesides , who at first only appeared as deputies of the senatorial governor. Then a prefect took over the leadership of the legion in Enns (praefectus legionis) . From the 90s of the 3rd century duces were appointed supraregional commanders of the Noric and Upper Pannonian provincial forces, the legionary prefects sank to the status of local subordinates or simple fortress commanders.
function
Initially concerned with the protection of Italy, Dalmatia and the eastern Alpine regions, the Legion (as a strategic reserve) fought from 170 the tribes of the Marcomanni , Quadi and Jazygen, who massively oppressed the Danube provinces of Raetia , Pannonia , Moesia and Dacia , in part also Noricum 3rd century especially the Iuthungen and Alamanni . Furthermore, the Legion, together with other ales and cohorts of the border troops, provided the governor's bodyguard, the singulares in Lauriacum and Ovilava. But also in other parts of the province many of their legionaries were active in administrative and control offices. Due to the short-term influx of more than 6000 Roman citizens in Noricum, the Legion probably also contributed significantly to the further Romanization of this province. Up until late antiquity, it secured the Limes on the Upper Danube - spread over several locations - with the help of naval units assigned to it.
development
When large units of the Danube Army had to be withdrawn to the east of the empire for the Parthian War from 161 to 166, Emperor Mark Aurel ordered the reorganization of two legions in northern Italy to protect the border on the Danube Limes in view of the threat of clashes with Germanic and Sarmatic tribes and the weakening to strengthen the border troops through the so-called Antonine plague brought in by returning troops from the east . Their nickname also suggests that their main recruiting area was the densely populated northern Italy.
2nd century
Marcus Claudius Fronto, Gnaeus Iulius Verus and Tiberius Claudius Proculus Cornelianus were commissioned to set up (dilectus) the two new legions. Fronto was consul at the end of 165 / beginning of 166, so the levies must have started in late autumn. Due to the presence of the two emperors Mark Aurel and Lucius Verus 168 in their headquarters near Aquileia , it can be assumed that the training of the new recruits also took place here and was personally supervised by the two rulers.
Since the Legion 166 was not yet fully operational due to the epidemic already mentioned, it remained for some time as part of a special command in the hinterland to protect the eastern edge of the Alps, Noricum, Pannonia and above all Italy against attacks by the tribes from the north. Presumably, the II. Italica did not have a fixed camp either, but was in changing bases. The presence of legionnaires of the II. Italica in Poetovio , Pula and other places has been proven, but could not be dated exactly.
At first the legion was under the command of Quintus Antistius Adventus , who held the office of leg (atus) Aug (ustus) at praetenturum Italiae et Alpium around 168 . After the sudden death of his co-regent Lucius Verrus (169), Marcus Aurelius had to return to Rome, but beforehand made all the preparations for the offensive into the Transdanubian tribal areas that had been planned for a long time. As part of these measures, the legion was relocated a little further north and built their first well-known camp near Ločica ob Savinji in Slovenia together with ala Antoniniana . Even before 170 she was given the nickname pia (i.e. the pious and conscientious). But from 191 onwards it was more and more replaced by the nickname Italica . The Legion presented in 170 (together with the Legio III Italica) u. a. a vexillation for the construction of a 60 m long section of the fortifications of the Dalmatian port city of Salona / Solin.
- Vexillationes leg (ionum) II piae et III concordiae ped (es) (ducentos) sub cura P. Aelii Amyntioni (centurionis) frumentari leg (ionis) II Traian (ae)
- "(The) departments of Legions II Pia and III Concors (built) 200 feet (of the wall) under the supervision of Publius Aelius Amyntionus, the centurion for the grain supply of Legio II Traiana fortis ".
The tribal associations of the Marcomanni and Quadi crossed the Danube in 171 and penetrated through the Julian Alps to Northern Italy, where they destroyed Opitergium ( Oderzo ) and even besieged Aquileia . Further to the east, Jazygen, Roxolanen and Sarmatians joined and also crossed the Danube, some of their raiders reached the core of Greece. To combat it, Legion 172 was therefore relocated to the vicinity of the eastern Alpine region for the first time. Mark Aurel personally took over the central leadership of the campaign and opened his headquarters in Carnuntum . Under the command of Claudius Pompeianus and Helvius Pertinax , it was used in the Marcomann Wars and, with great effort, the invaders succeeded in throwing them back over the Danube and penetrating into their areas of settlement (around 193). During these fights, the so-called rain miracle also occurred, which the Legio I Adiutrix freed from the siege ring of the Quadi. The fact that a Pannonian legion also took part in the campaign suggests that the II. Italica had not even advanced to the Danube by this time.
Apparently the Legion stayed only briefly in the Ločica camp before they were moved to their first camp on Noric soil, Albing , around 174/175, again together with the Ala Antoniniana . There she was under the command of the legatus leg II Italicae et alae Antoninianae Quintus Herennius Silvius Maximus. Marcus Aurelius died on March 17, 180, his successor Commodus concluded a peace treaty with the barbarians, whereupon the military situation eased again. After the end of the fighting, the Legion returned to Noricum and developed a brisk construction activity there.
In the battles of the so-called second year of the Four Emperors between the opponents Septimius Severus , the governor of Upper Pannonia, Pescennius Niger and Clodius Albinus for the imperial throne, the Noric and Raetian provincials in the cities sided with Albinus, but the Legion remained loyal to Severus , which is why he gave her the honorary name fidelis (the faithful and reliable). In 193, the II Italica Pia Fidelis marched with his army to Rome , where he further consolidated his power, dissolved the presumptuous Praetorians who were always ready for rebellions and formed a new guard from his own troops, including members of the II Italica were selected. Severus later used the II. Italica successfully in his campaign against the Parthians . A vexillation accompanied him in 208-211 on his last and costly campaign in the inhospitable north of Britain .
3rd century
From 205 AD at the latest, the legion was barracked in Camp Lauriacum ( Lorch ), which is 5 km away and much more conveniently located near today's Enns . In its area a little smaller than Albing, it was apparently only occupied by her alone. Their legates resided as provincial governors in Ovilavis / Wels, where a smaller department was also stationed. Between 213 and 234, the II. Italica fought mainly against Juthungen invading Noricum again and again , causing the camp and civil town of Lauriacum to be severely damaged several times. Since the Alemannic War of 213, in which it was probably also used very successfully, the Legion had as a special honor for the first time the epithet of a ruling imperial family in its titulature, Antoniniana , which was confirmed again under Severus Alexander (222-235) but was now Severiana . According to an inscription from a shrine on the Styrian Kugelstein, one of their legates, Marcus Munatius Sulla Cerialis, should have particularly proven himself in the wars of the Quads that led to the death of their king Gaiobomarus. As a reward, he was named eponymous consul of 215.
The written evidence of the Legion's further activities in the 3rd century is very scanty. As an important part of the powerful Danube Army, the II. Italica was certainly often involved in the disputes between the so-called soldier emperors (see also the Imperial Crisis of the 3rd Century ). During this turbulent time she acquired the title Gordiana , which suggests that her vexillation under Gordian III. in a campaign against the Sassanids (242-244) had proven. Members of the Legion are also likely to have stayed in the area of the North African Sitifis ( Sétif ), as gravestones of two of their soldiers are known from this city. In the Dacian War of Emperor Maximinus Thrax (238-244), the II. Italica again took part together with the II. Adiutrix , two of their soldiers are known from grave inscriptions who were killed or missing in this campaign. In the second half of the 3rd century she was probably also involved in a campaign against the Goths on the lower Danube. Perhaps the presence of the Legion in Thrace is also related, since a. Provincials were recruited as new recruits.
Emperor Valerian , who (before his elevation to emperor by his troops) held a command in Raetia, sent a division of the II. Italica to Africa, where they the re-establishment of the by Gordian III. should support the disbanded Legio III Augusta . The benevolence of the Danube regions was still indispensable for the holders of the imperial throne, who often changed in rapid succession, which prompted Valerian's son and successor, Gallienus , to give the Second Italica, who supported him above all against the usurper Postumus , the honorary title of Pia at least three times Fidelis to confirm, as can be seen from his coinage, in order to ensure her continued loyalty through this - and with the generous donativa (monetary gifts) associated with it . Her full name was from da Legio II Italica VII pia VII fidelis , d. H. "The seventh time loyal and loyal". A vexillation of the legion was also turned off for the new mobile reaction force (a forerunner of the later Comitatenses ) of Gallienus in northern Italy.
In the year 273 the army was set on the march again by Aurelian in the course of the suppression of the special empire of the Queen of Palmyra , Zenobia , which at times comprised almost the entire Roman east . A vexillation of their Raetian sister legion was also involved in this campaign. In 272 there was a decisive battle near Emesa :
“... the Palmyrenian army was 70,000 strong [...] and gathered on the plain in front of Emesa. Opposite them [Aurelian] stood up with his Dalmatian cavalry, as well as with the Moesiern, the Pannoniern [...], the Norikern and Raetern, who are Celtic legions ... "
A centurion of the Second Italica, Lucius Pupianus Verus, was probably also killed in this war. His grave stele can be seen today in the Museum of Damascus. 282 she supported - again together with the III. Italica - the elevation of the Prefect of the Guard Carus against Probus and acclaimed him emperor.
4th century
In the late Imperial Era, the legion was increasingly - and ultimately permanently - split into several independent units through long-term assignments of vexillations. The remainder of the legion that remained in Lauriacum now counted only a fraction of the strength of the team that it had at the beginning of the 3rd century. This core force now had the main task of securing the Danube border between the rivers Aenus ( Inn ) and Anisus ( Enns ), while Eastern Noricum fell under the responsibility of the newly established Legio I Noricorum in Favianis . Noricum was divided along the main Alpine ridge into Noricum ripense and Noricum mediterraneum , the governorship passed to a civilian official ( praeses ) who had his official seat in Ovilavis.
In the course of his military reform, Emperor Diocletian distributed the legion to several bases in Noricum and set up a state-run shield factory (fabrica scutaria) in Lauriacum . After a further reorganization under Gallienus , some cohorts of the Legion formed from selected soldiers were assigned to the new mobile field armies , such as B. the Secundani Italiciani, probably also consisting of soldiers of this legion, who were integrated into the field army of the Comes Africae , they were under the supreme command of the Magister Peditum Praesentalis . That part of the II. Italica that was still stationed in Lauriacum, however, was one of the lower-ranking Limitanei (border troops).
On June 27, 310 the Noric dux Aurelius Seneco won a victory over invaded Teutons in the west of his surveillance section, in which the II. Italica probably also played a part. Around 311 AD, a vexillation of the legion was relocated to the Germania inferior and moved into its new garrison in the bridgehead fort of Divitia ( Cologne-Deutz ) on the right bank of the Rhine as Legio II (Italica) Divit (i) ensium . In 312 they, like a section of their regular troops, moved with the army of Constantine I against the ruler of Italy, Maxentius , and helped Constantine to the throne after his victory in the battle of the Milvian Bridge . In 341 she saw the entry of Emperor Constantius II into Lauriacum, who on June 24 issued an edict for his Prefect of the Guard Catullinus.
In the reign of Valentinian I (364–375), the legion was once again used under the Dux Ursicinius for major construction work on the Limes, among others. a. in the construction of a watchtower in Ybbs . It could not be clarified whether the auxiliaries commissioned with this also descended from the II. Italica. The last major renovation and reinforcement of the fortifications (towers and gates) of Lauriacum took place under Valentinian's rule. The bricks required for this were supplied by the Legion, which operated two large brick factories in Schönering near Wilhering and St. Pantaleon. The construction work may have been ordered by Gratian (367–383), whose presence in the legionary camp at this time is also documented in literature.
5th century
In the final phase of Roman rule on the upper Danube, the border guards (legiones ripenses) in Noricum ripense and Pannonia I were under the command of a Dux Pannoniae Primae et Norici ripensis , who had his headquarters in Carnuntum. On his troop list in the Notitia Dignitatum (ND), a total of five legionary prefects are given for both provinces. Their soldiers were supported by liburnarii (marine infantry) from units of the classis Histricae ( Danube Fleet ) in their daily patrol duty.
According to the ND, the Legion was essentially divided into three locations in Ufernoricum, but the headquarters were probably still in Lauriacum. A smaller department was in Lentia ( Linz , lower surveillance section) and one of its naval units in Ioviacum (possibly the small fort Schlögen ). In Enghagen near Enns was probably the liburnary unit of the Classis Lauriacensis mentioned in the ND .
The traces of the legion are lost in the late 5th century, in the Vita Sancti Severini , in relation to the forts and oppida of the upper Danube Limes, only the occupations in Lauriacum , Batavis / Passau and Favianis / Mautern are mentioned. The vigiles (guards) and the exploratores (scouts) in Lauriacum mentioned in the vita could possibly have been veterans of the Legion or their descendants.
Subunits
From the middle of the 4th century the following - probably - separated units from the Legion are known:
The one stationed in Secundarum / Pannonia
- Cuneus equitum Secundanorum Italicanorum ( Equestrian Troop ) under the command of the Dux Pannoniae secundae ripariensis et Saviae , the
- Secundani Italiciani in the North African Army under the command of the Comes Africae and in the Army of the Magister peditum praesentalis , the
- Auxiliares Lauriacenses and the
- Lanciarii Lauriacenses under the Comes Illyrici .
In the early 5th century, the Dux Pannoniae Primae et Norici Ripensis were subordinate to the following officers and units of the II Italian Legion:
- Praefectus legionis secundae Italicae partis inferioris in Lentiae ,
- Praefectus legionis secundae Italicae in Lauriaco ,
- Praefectus legionis secundae Italicae militum liburnariorum in Ioviaco ,
- Praefectus classis Lauriacensis (in Lauriacum ),
Inscriptions
A total of 135 inscriptions are known in which 157 members of this legion are mentioned. There are 13 legates, 6 tribunes, 85 batches, 42 legionaries and 11 veterans. In addition, there are the names of 26 soldiers involved in brick production with stamps and incised inscriptions.
Commander
In the 1st century, members of the knighthood ( equites ) with the designation procurator Augustorum provinciae Noricae were appointed as governors or procurators , who represented the highest military, civil and judicial authority in their field . The official title was changed several times later. These belonged to the ducenarii class . At that time there were no legions stationed in Noricum ( provincia inermis ). The governor, as commander in chief, only had auxiliary units, which probably initially also included Noric cavalry units. Since the provincial metropolis of Virunum was too remote, Ovilavis (Wels / Upper Austria) will soon have gained importance as a military and administrative center. When the Legio II Italica was stationed in Noricum , the governor or legionary legate relocated to the Lauriacum camp . The knightly procurators have now been replaced by a legate of the Legio II Italica from the senatorial class . In those provinces in which only one legion was stationed, they also took on the governor's agenda. Her official title was now legatus Augustorum (or Augusti ) pro praetore provinicae Noricae . In the course of his military and administrative reform, Emperor Gallienus removed the senatorial ruling class from the legions and the new governors, who again came from the knightly rank, now officiated under the name agentes vices praesidis , were initially only representatives of the senatorial praesides (legates) and carried the rank of vir perfectissimus . Then a prefect took over the leadership of the legion in Enns ( praefectus legionis ).
The following are known of the legions of the Legion:
- Quintus Antistius Adventus , around 168
- Q. Herennius Silvius Maximus (169),
- Publius Helvius Pertinax , the future emperor, and
- Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus , the son-in-law of Marcus Aurelius (from 170),
- Junius Priscus Carinus? Quintilianus (187-188),
- C.Memmius Fidus Iulius Albius (190/91),
- M. Luventius Surus Proculus (201-205),
- Pollienus Sebennus (205/206),
- Father Catius Sabinus (206 to 208),
- Marcus Munatius Sulla Cerialis (before 215),
- M.Cn.Licinius Rufinus (222–235),
- Father Cosinius Felix (before 250),
- C. Macrinius Decianus (around 255),
- Aelius Restutus (last third of the 3rd century)
- M.Aurelius Marinus (last third of the 3rd century)
- M.Aurelius Iulius (around 276)
Officium
The legate had his own chancellery, the officium , at his disposal to support him in his administrative tasks . In terms of size, a similar order of magnitude as that of the Procurator von Raetien can be assumed, whose law firm had around 100 officales . The personnel were recruited from the Noric exercitus noricus (Noric provincial army) or from other troop units, in this case probably the nearest, Upper Pannonian or Rhaetian legions. Unfortunately, only two of the official titles of the officium have survived for Noricum ; the des
- Beneficiarius (non-commissioned officer in the office and police service) and that of the
- Eques singularis (governor's guard).
Like the procurators, the legates also had an administrative staff of around 100 officials at their disposal. Some of the officials also sat in Ovilavis . They were called consularis with or without the addition of legionis II Italicae . Their titles and functions are a little better known. So there was next to that
- Beneficiaries and the
- Eques singularis nor the
- Cornicularius (Board of Directors, Personnel, Internal Affairs), den
- Frumentarius (supplies, intelligence, administration of justice), the
- Strator (head stable master), the
- Librarius (scribe, copyist) and the
- Immunis (assistant).
Campaigns
- 171–174: Participation in the Marcomann Wars of Marcus Aurelius,
- 208–211: a vexillation takes part in the British campaign of Septimius Severus,
- 213: Participation in the Caracallas Alemannic War,
- 215: intervention against the quadrupeds,
- 234: Defensive battles against the Iuthung,
- 238–244: Participation in the Dacian war of Maximinus Thrax in the 3rd century, a vexillation also takes place against the Goths on the lower Danube,
- 253–260: Assignment to the province of Africa proconsularis to order that of Gordian III. to re-establish the dissolved Legio III Augusta ,
- 260: Participation in the Persian War of Valerian ,
- 260–268: the Legion fends off Iuthungen invaded in northern Italy,
- 270–275: Participation in the suppression of the usurpation of Zenobias of Palmyra under the leadership of Aurelian,
- 282: the legion supports the elevation of Carus to emperor,
- June 27, 310: victorious defensive battle against the Marcomanni near Prutting / Rosenheim,
- 312: The vexillation in Divitia fights on the side of Constantine in the battle of the Milvian Bridge against Maxentius.
literature
- Hans Petrovitsch: Legio II Italica (= research in Lauriacum. Vol. 13). Society for regional studies in Upper Austria, Linz 2006, ISBN 3-902299-04-5 .
- Emil Ritterling : Legio (II Italica). In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume XII, 2, Stuttgart 1925, Sp. 1468-1476.
- Gerhard Winkler : Noricum and Rome. In: Rise and Fall of the Roman World . Part 2: Principate. Volume 6: Political History. (Provinces and marginal peoples: Latin Danube-Balkan area). de Gruyter, Berlin et al. 1977, ISBN 3-11-006735-8 , pp. 232-235.
- Gerhard Winkler: Legio II Italica. The "house regiment" of Lauriacum. In: Jutta Leskovar , Christine Schwanzar, Gerhard Winkler (ed.): What we stand on. Archeology in Upper Austria (= catalogs of the Upper Austrian State Museum. New series, no. 195). Library of the Province, Weitra 2003, ISBN 3-85252-525-X , pp. 131-136.
Web links
- Emil Ritterling: Legio II Italica (English translation)
- Jona Lendering: Legio II Italica . In: Livius.org (English)
- Article at imperiumromanum.com
- Article at roemische-legion.de
Individual evidence
-
↑ [I (ovi)] O (ptimo) M (aximo) / [et] d (is) d (eabusque) o (mnibus) / [- T] urboni / [us] Fuscinus / [b (ene) f ( iciarius)] co (n) s (ularis) leg (ionis) / [II It (alicae)] P (iae) F (idelis) pro se / [et suis] v (otum) s (olvit) l (ibens) m (erito) / [dom] inis nn (ostris) / [Severo] III et / [Antoni] no / [co (n)] s (ulibus)
The altar stone was discovered in 1954 in the Grödig cemetery wall, where it was originally installed unknown. According to the inscription it was donated by Turbonius Fuscinus around 202 AD for “Jupiter, the best and greatest as well as all gods and goddesses”… “gladly and for a fee for himself and his comrades”. Fuscinus was assigned to the Legio II Italica as a beneficiarier . - ↑ The soldier may have been stationed in Fort Lentia / Linz. The man is shown in full armor, a helmet with a crest and cheek flaps, a long sword (spatha) with a pommel attached to a shoulder strap , a round shield and a lance.
- ↑ ND occ .: V.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k Emil Ritterling : Legio (II Italica). In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume XII, 2, Stuttgart 1925, Sp. 1468-1476.
- ↑ CIL V, 1377 = 13640 = Hermann Dessau , Inscriptiones Latinae selectae 1098; missus ad iuventutem per Italiam legendam .
- ↑ CIL 3, 10662 ad.
- ↑ AE 1893, 88 = Dessau 8977
- ↑ a b CIL 3, 1980 .
- ↑ a b c d Gerhard Winkler: Noricum and Rome In: Rise and decline of the Roman world . Volume II, 6, de Gruyter, Berlin 1977, pp. 232-235.
- ↑ Ammianus Marcellinus 29.6.1.
- ↑ Historia Augusta , Pertinax 2, 4-6.
- ↑ Werner Jobst: June 11, 172 AD. The day of the lightning and rain miracle in Quadenland , session reports d. Academic Sciences, Phil.hist. Class 335, Vienna 1978.
- ↑ Gerhard Winkler: 2003, p. 132.
- ↑ CIL 9, 2213 .
- ↑ CIL 3, 5757 .
- ↑ a b Jona Lendering: Legio II Italica . In: Livius.org (English).
- ↑ CIL 9, 2593 .
- ↑ CIL 3, 5185 .
- ↑ CIL 3, 4891 .
- ↑ Cassius Dio 77, 20, 3 f.
- ↑ AE 1972, 709 and AE 1972, 710 .
- ↑ CIL 3, 3270 , CIL 3, 5218 .
- ↑ CIL 3, 11700 .
- ^ Inscriptiones Graecae ad res Romanas pertinentes I 29 and 678.
- ↑ Hans Petrovitsch: 2006, p. 292.
- ^ Zosimos 1: 52-53.
- ^ Zosimus: I 71, 4
- ↑ Notitia Dignitatum Occ. VII.
- ↑ Notitia Dignitatum Occ. V.
- ↑ CIL 3, 5565 = Dessau 664
- ↑ Andrea Scheithauer, Gabriele Wesch-Klein : From Cologne-Deutz to Rome? On the troop history of the Legio II Italica Divitensium . In: Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik 81 (1990) pp. 229–236 ( PDF ).
- ↑ Codex Theodosius: VIII 2.1
- ↑ Ammianus Marcellinus: XXXI 10, 20
- ^ ND Occidentis XXXIV.
- ^ Notitia Dignitatum: Occidentis XXXII
- ↑ a b Notitia Dignitatum: Occidentis VII
- ^ Notitia Dignitatum: Occidentis V
- ↑ ND occ.:XXXIV
- ↑ CIL 8, 12442 .
- ↑ CIL 3, 5712 , CIL 3, 5715 , CIL 3, 5723 .
- ↑ CIL 3, 5537 .
- ↑ CIL 3, 11743 .
- ↑ CIL 8, 2615 .