Legio I Maximiana

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Painted shield of the Legio Prima Maximiana Thebaeorum in the early 5th century.

The Legio I Maximiana ("First Maximian Legion") was a legion of the Roman army that was raised by Diocletian around 296/297 and existed at least until the early 5th century.

Legion history

The Legio I Maximiana and its sister legion Legio II Flavia Constantia were set up by Diocletian in 296 or 297 to secure the newly established province of Thebais (Upper Egypt) when the province of Aegyptus was divided . The legion was named after Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus (293-311) and / or Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus (286-305), the Caesars and co-emperors of Diocletian. According to recent research, the Legio II Flavia Constantia was involved in the construction of the legionary camp in Theben / Luxor and probably had its first camp there together with the Legio I Maximiana Thebaeorum .

In the years 297/298 riots broke out in the province of Thebais (Upper Egypt), and Diocletian, who led the campaign himself, also deployed the lower Egyptian legions III Diocletiana and II Traiana fortis to suppress it. After the campaign, the Legio I Maximiana was stationed in Philae and formed the southernmost Roman garrison there.

In the year 354 a vexillation of the Legion as Comitatenses (field army ) was relocated near the Thracian Adrianopolis ( Edirne ). This unit was almost certainly used under Emperor Valens in 378 in the Battle of Adrianople and suffered heavy losses.

In the early 5th century, the Legio prima Maximiana in Filas (Philae) was subordinate to the Dux Thebaidos . The Comitatensische Legio Prima Maximiana Thebaeorum was subordinate to the Magister militum per Thracias . The Thebaei ("Thebans") were subordinate to the Magister Peditum Praesentalis as Legio palatinae (Guard) in Italy , but their origin from the Legio I Maximiana is uncertain.

Incursions by the Blemmyes worsened the military situation in Upper Egypt, so that Bishop Appion of Syene ( Aswan ) (around 425-450) requested additional troops from Emperor Theodosius II . Then the legion's traces are lost.

Myth of the Thebaic Legion

The Legions II Flavia Constantia and I Maximiana would be considered as possible "candidates" for a historical core for the Thebaic Legion (Legio Thebaica) , which played an important role in Christian reports of martyrs in the early Middle Ages , but the Legion is not historically comprehensible and in the area refer to the legend.

literature

  • Michael Alexander Speidel : The Thebaic Legion and the late Roman army . In: Otto Wermelinger, Philippe Bruggisser, Beat Näf and Jean M. Roessli (eds.): Mauritius and the Thebean Legion / Saint Maurice et la Légion Thébaine: Actes du colloque, 17-20 Sept. 2003 . Academic Press Friborg, Friborg, Saint-Maurice, Martigny 2005, ISBN 3-7278-1527-2 ( excerpts ).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Notitia Dignitatum Or. VIII
  2. ^ Emil Ritterling : Legio (II Flavia Constantia). In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume XII, 2, Stuttgart 1925, column 1467.
  3. ↑ a b Michael Alexander Speidel: The Thebaic Legion and the late Roman Army , pp. 40–41.
  4. ^ Alan K. Bowman: Egypt from Septimius Severus to the death of Constantine . In: ders., Averil Cameron , Peter Garnsey (eds.): The Cambridge Ancient History , Volume 12, The Crisis of Empire, AD 193-337 , University of Cambridge, Cambridge 2005 (2nd edition), ISBN 978-0- 521-30199-2 , p. 316.
  5. ↑ Jona Lendering: Legio I Maximiana. In: Livius.org (English)
  6. ↑ Notitia Dignitatum Or. XXXI
  7. ↑ Notitia Dignitatum Oc. V and VII.
  8. ^ Johannes Hahn, Stephen Emmel, Ulrich Gotter: From Temple to Church: Destruction and Renewal of Local Cultic Topography in Late Antiquity (Religions in the Graeco-Roman World), Brill Academic Pub, 2008, ISBN 978-90-04-13141- 5 , pp. 219-220.
  9. ↑ Michael Alexander Speidel: The Thebaic Legion and the late Roman Army , pp. 38-46