Legio I Iovia

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The Legio I Iovia (also Legio I Iovia Scythica ) was a legion of the late ancient Roman army, which was set up together with the Legio II Herculia by Diocletian (284-305) towards the end of the 3rd century AD. The name of the Legion refers to Diocletian's nickname Iovius (adjective to Iuppiter ). The Legion's emblem has not survived.

The Legion was stationed in the new Roman province of Scythia , which had split off from Moesia inferior, near the mouth of the Danube. Presumably a vexillation accompanied Caesar Galerius (293 / 305-311) between 296 and 298 on the campaigns against the Sassanids . Independently operating vexillations have occurred since the 4th century . So the Jovians and Herculians emerged from the legions I Iovia and II Herculia in Diocletian times . After Diocletian's death, at least parts of the legion were moved to the Dinogetia fort , where brick stamps attest to their presence.

In the early 5th century, the Legio Prima Iovia was under the command of the Dux Scythiae . The Praefectus legionis and the Praefectus ripae were with their troops in the garrison Noviodunum ad Istrum ( Isaccea in Romania), the main camp of the legion. Another Praefectus ripae was stationed with his troops in Accisso (also Castrum Aegyssus , today Tulcea ). There they guarded the border to the Barbaricum on the Danube as Legio ripariensis ("Shore Legion ") . Another Praefectus ripae of Legio I Iovia was stationed with the Cohors Secunda Herculia musculorum Scythicorum and the fleet in Inplateypegiis , further detachments in Capidava ( Topalu ).

The legion was probably absorbed into the Byzantine army.

Web links

Commons : Legio I Iovia  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Jonah Lendering: Legio I Iovia . In: Livius.org (English)
  2. ↑ David Morton Gwynn: AHM Jones and the later Roman Empire , Brill, 2008, ISBN 978-9004163836 , p. 153.
  3. ^ Emil Ritterling : Legio (II Herculia). In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume XII, 2, Stuttgart 1925, column 1467 f.
  4. ↑ AE 1944, 68 , AE 1950, 106 , AE 1976, 636 .
  5. ↑ Notitia Dignitatum Or. XXXIX.
  6. ↑ Peter Herz , Peter Schmid , Oliver Stoll (Eds.): Between Region and Empire: The Upper Danube Region in the Roman Empire , Frank & Timme, 2010, ISBN 978-3865963130 , p. 22.