List of Roman legions
The following Roman legions are known but did not all exist at the same time. The frequent double numbering results on the one hand from the fact that there were initially only four consular legions and each general set up new ones for a campaign, on the other hand from the frequent civil wars in which each party set up new legions. However, the numbers were traditionally retained ( Gemina , "twin").
To distinguish them, the legions were often given an addition to their name, which enabled clear identification. This name can go back to an award of the Legion (pia fidelis) for achievements, for example during a campaign, or to the founder (Flavia) . The original recruiting area could be included in the name, but also a statement about the purpose ( Equestris , "Mounted", or Adiutrix , "auxiliary troops", the latter consisted of naval units transformed into members of the army ).
In some cases, legions were re-established under the same number after their destruction, in some cases (for example with Legions XVII to XIX) the numbers that were considered ominous were no longer assigned. The numbers XXIII to XXIX remained vacant, probably to compensate for the multiple awards mentioned.
Only legions that existed until at least the Augustan era are listed, but not the numerous legions of civil wars such as 42 BC. Chr. Destroyed Mars Legion .
Due to the reorganization of the Roman army in the 4th century, the classic legionary structure was largely abandoned as an actual tactical unit, so that the pursuit of a single legion in late antiquity was sometimes very difficult.
Tables
Legions of the early and high imperial times
| Legion (raised from) |
Duration | Location a) at 30 BC BC ( Augustus ) b) around 24 ( Tiberius ) c) around 75 ( Vespasian ) d) around 150 ( Antoninus Pius ) |
Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Legio I Legio I Augusta Legio I Germanica ( Caesar ) |
48 BC BC - 69 ( Batavian Rebellion ) | a) Tarraconensis b) Bonna , Germania inferior , today Bonn c), d) not available |
"Augusta" 19 BC Withdrawn due to misconduct, Nijmegen (at least parts) 12–10 BC Chr., Cologne: 9–16, Bonn 16–69, see also Legio VII Gemina |
|
Legio I Italica ( Nero ) |
66 - at least 5th century | a), b) not available c), d) Novae , Moesia , 4 kilometers east of Svištov , Bulgaria |
|
|
Legio I Adiutrix pia fidelis (Nero) |
66/67 - at least 444 | a), b) not available c) Mogontiacum , Germania superior , today Mainz d) Brigetio , Pannonia , today Szőny- Komárom , Hungary |
|
|
Legio I Macriana liberatrix ( Lucius Clodius Macer ) |
68-69 | a) - d) not available | Africa proconsularis |
|
Legio I Minervia pia fidelis ( Domitian ) |
82 - at least 4th century | a) - c) not available d) Bonna , Germania inferior , today Bonn |
until 96 the Legion was called Legio I Flavia Minervia Domitiana |
|
Legio I Parthica ( Septimius Severus ) |
197 - at least 6th century | a) - d) not available | Singara , Mesopotamia , today Sinjar , Iraq |
| Legio II Sabina Legio II Augusta ( Augustus ) |
43 BC BC (?) - end of the 3rd century | a) Hispania b) Argentoratum , Germania superior , today Strasbourg , France c), d) Isca Silurum , Britannia , today Caerleon , Wales |
dissolved again a few years after it was founded, reactivated as Legio II Augusta for the Cantabrian War , Mainz 9–16, Strasbourg 16–43, then Britain |
|
Legio II Adiutrix (Nero) |
67 (?) - at least 3rd century | a), b) not available c) Lindum , Britannia , today Lincoln , England d) Aquincum , Pannonia , today Budapest , Hungary |
|
|
Legio II Traiana fortis ( Trajan ) |
105 - at least 5th century | a) - c) not available d) Nicopolis , Aegyptus near Alexandria , Egypt |
"Traiana fortis" = "The brave Trajans" |
|
Legio II Italica pia fidelis ( Marcus Aurelius ) |
165 - early 5th century | a) - d) not available | Lauriacum , Noricum , today Lorch (Upper Austria) |
|
Legio II Parthica (Septimius Severus) |
197 - at least the middle of the 4th century | a) - d) not available | near Rome |
|
Legio III Gallica (Caesar) |
around 49 BC BC - at least early 4th century | a), b) Syria c), d) Raphaneia , Syria, near Homs , Syria |
|
|
Legio III Augusta pia fidelis (Augustus) |
43 BC BC - at least late 4th century | a), b) Ammaedara (?), Africa , today Haidra , Tunisia c) Theveste , Numidia , today Tebessa , Tunisia d) Lambaesis , Numidia , today Lambesse , Algeria |
|
|
Legio III Cyrenaica ( Marcus Antonius ) |
probably around 36 BC BC - at least 5th century | a) Nicopolis , Aegyptus near Alexandria , Egypt b), c) Nicopolis (?) d) Bostra , Arabia Petraea , today in Hauran in Syria |
|
|
Legio III Italica consors (Marcus Aurelius) |
165 - at least late 4th century | a) - d) not available | "Consors" = "amicable"; Castra Regina , Raetia , today Regensburg |
|
Legio III Parthica (Septimius Severus) |
197 - at least early 5th century | a) - d) not available | probably Rhesaina ( Mesopotamia ), today Raʾs al-ʿAin , Syria |
|
Legio IIII Macedonica (Caesar) |
48 BC Chr. - 70 ( Batavian Rebellion ) | a) Hispania b) Tarraconensis c), d) absent |
Hispania to 48, then Mogontiacum , Germania superior , today Mainz |
|
Legio IIII Scythica (Marcus Antonius) |
around 42 BC BC - at least early 5th century | a) Macedonia b) Moesia c), d) Zeugma , Syria , today Turkey , flooded by the Birecik reservoir |
|
|
Legio IIII Flavia Felix ( Vespasian ) |
70 - (?) | a), b) not available c) Burnum , Dalmatia , today Ivoševci , Croatia d) Singidunum , Moesia , today Belgrade , Serbia |
Successor to the Legio IIII Macedonica, which was dissolved by Vespasian |
|
Legio IIII Italica ( Severus Alexander ) |
231 (?) - at least 5th century | a) - d) not available | in the eastern provinces |
| Legio V Vernacula Legio V Alaudae (Caesar) |
52 BC Chr. - 70 ( Batavian Rebellion ) |
a) Hispania b) Vetera , Germania inferior from 9 - 43, c), d) not available |
"Vernaculae" = native (that is, from Gallia Transalpina ), Alaudae = cupped lark (because of the crest) |
|
Legio V Gemina pia fidelis (?) |
? | a) - d)? | Vindobona 114 |
|
Legio V Macedonica pia fidelis (triple) ( Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus ) |
43 BC BC - at least 5th century | a) Macedonia b) Moesia c) Oescus , Moesia, today Gigen , Bulgaria d) Troesmis , Moesia, today Iglita , Romania |
from 167 Potaissa , Dacia , today Turda , Romania |
|
Legio VI Ferrata fidelis constans (Caesar) |
52 BC BC - around 260? | a) Laodicea ad Mare ( Latakia ), Syria b) Raphaneia , Syria, near Homs , Syria c) Samosata , Commagene , today Samsat , Turkey , d) Caparcotna , Galilee |
"Ferrata" = "Iron" probably smashed in the Parthian campaign |
|
Legio VI Gemina (?) |
? | a), b)? c), d) Tarraconensis |
|
|
Legio VI Victrix (Augustus) |
41 BC BC - early 5th century | a) Hispania b) Tarraconensis c) Novaesium , Germania inferior , today Neuss d) Eboracum , Britannia , today York , England |
"Victrix" = "victorious", Novaesium 60/70, 95, Vetera II 1st century - around 120, Britannia around 120 |
| Legio VII Legio VII Claudia pia fidelis (Caesar?) |
before 59 BC Chr. -? | a) Balkans ? b) Dalmatia c), d) Viminatium , Moesia , today Kostolac , Serbia |
from Claudius as "VII Claudia"; is under Trajan 115 in Cyprus to the suppression of the Jewish uprising used |
| Legio VII Hispana (official) Legio VII Galbiana (nickname) Legio VII Gemina ( Galba ) |
68 -? | a), b) not available c) Legio, Tarraconensis , today León , Spain d)? |
VII Gemina was formed from VII Hispana and I Germanica |
| Legio VIII Gallica Legio VIII Augusta (Caesar) |
59 BC BC - 4th century | a) Tunisia ? b) Poetovio , Pannonia , today Ptuj , Slovenia c) Argentoratum ?, Germania superior , today Strasbourg , France d) Argentoratum |
44 BC Newly formed (as VIII Augusta?) |
|
Legio IX Hispana (Caesar) |
58 BC BC - around 160 | a) Hispania b) Siscia ?, Pannonia , today Sisak , Croatia ) c) Eboracum , Britannia , today York , England d) in the east ( Jewish uprising ) |
Eboracum before 121, Ulpia Noviomagus Batavorum 121, in the east after 121 |
| Legio X Equestris Legio X Gemina (Caesar) |
58 BC BC - at least 5th century | a) Hispania b) Petavonium ?, Tarraconensis , today Santibanez de Vidriales , Spain c) Ulpia Noviomagus Batavorum , Germania inferior , today Nijmegen , Netherlands d) Aquincum , Pannonia , today Budapest , Hungary |
"Equestris" = "Mounted", later renamed X Gemina, Arenacium 70 winter camp, Noviomagus 71-104, Aquincum 104-> 150, then Vindobona |
|
Legio X Fretensis (Augustus) |
41/40 BC BC - at least around 400 | a) Makedonia b) Zeugma , Syria , today Turkey , flooded by the Birecik reservoir c), d) Aelia Capitolina , Judea , today Jerusalem , Israel |
"Fretensis" = "Canal / Strait" |
| Legio XI Legio XI Actiaca Legio XI Claudia pia fidelis (Caesar?) |
? | a) Balkans ? b) Burnum , Dalmatia , today Ivoševci , Croatia c) Vindonissa , Raetia , today Windisch AG , Aargau d) Durostorum , Moesia , today Silistra , Bulgaria |
Vindonissa 70-101, Danube Front 101, Dacia by 150, = in Claudia Kaiser Claudius renamed |
|
Legio XII Fulminata (Caesar) |
58 BC BC - after 150 | a) Aegyptus ? b) Syria c), d) Melitene, Cappadocia , today Malatya , Turkey |
"Fulminata" = "hurling lightning" |
|
Legio XII Gemina (?) |
? | a)? b) Germania superior or Raetia c) Pannonia d)? |
|
| Legio XIII Legio XIII Gemina (Caesar) |
57 BC BC - at least 5th century | a) Illyricum b), c) Mogontiacum , Germania superior , today Mainz , then Vindonissa , Raetia , today Windisch AG , Aargau d) Apulum ?, Dacia , today Alba Iulia , Romania |
Noviomagus (at least parts) 10–12 BC Chr., Dalmatia around 150, Mainz 9 - 16, Vindonissa 16 - 43, Vindobona 98-101 |
| Legio XIV Martia Victrix or Legio XIV Gemina (Augustus) |
? | a) Illyricum b), c) Mogontiacum , Germania superior , today Mainz c) d) Carnuntum , Pannonia , between Petronell and Bad Deutsch Altenburg , Lower Austria |
"Martia Victris" = "Victory of Mars", Vindobona 107-114, Carnuntum at the beginning of the 2nd century |
|
Legio XV Apollinaris pia fidelis (Caesar) |
53 BC BC - at least the middle of the 3rd century | a) Emona , Pannonia , today Ljubljana , Slovenia b) Aquileia ?, Italy c) Carnuntum , Pannonia, between Petronell and Bad Deutsch Altenburg , Lower Austria d) Satala , ( Armenia minor ), today Sadak, Turkey |
"Apollinaris" = "consecrated to Apollo" |
|
Legio XV Primigenia ( Caligula ) |
39 - 69 ( Batavian Uprising ) |
a) - d) not available | "Firstborn", Bonna 43-46, then Vetera |
| Legio XVI Legio XVI Gallica (Augustus) |
probably 41/40 BC Chr. - 70 ( Batavian Rebellion ) |
a) Germania? b) Mogontiacum , Germania superior , today Mainz c), d) not available |
9 Mogontiacum, 43 Novaesium |
|
Legio XVI Flavia Company (Vespasian) |
70 -? | a), b) not available c) Cappadocia d) Samosata , Commagene , today Samsat , Turkey |
Successor to XVI Gallica |
|
Legio XVII (Augustus) |
probably around 41 BC BC - 9 AD ( Varus Battle ) |
a) Aquitaine ? b) - d) not available |
|
|
Legio XVIII (Augustus) |
probably around 41 BC BC - 9 AD ( Varus Battle ) |
a) Germania? b) - d) not available |
|
|
Legio XIX (Augustus) |
41/40 BC BC - 9 AD ( Varus Battle ) |
a) Gallia b) - d) not available |
Cologne 14 BC BC, only a few years |
|
Legio XX Valeria Victrix (Augustus) |
probably around 25 BC BC - late 3rd century | a) Hispania b) Novaesium ?, Germania inferior , today Neuss c) Glevum , Britannia , today Gloucester , England d) Deva, Britannia, today Chester , England |
"Brave Victorious", Novaesium 16-43, Britannia 43-150, last evidence from coins of Carausius , † 294 |
|
Legio XXI Rapax (Augustus) |
31 BC Chr. - 92 | a) Raetia ? b) Vetera , Germania inferior , near today's Xanten c) Bonna , Germania inferior , today Bonn d) not available |
Rapax = Predatory (fast as a predator), Vetera to 43, Vindonissa 43-69, Bonna 70-83, was 92 in Pannonia under |
|
Legio XXII Deiotariana ( Deiotarus , King of Galatia ) |
48 BC BC - around 133 | a) - c) Nicopolis near Alexandria ( Aegyptus ) d) not available |
, 145 no longer exists 119 last document, probably in the Jewish revolt destroyed |
|
Legio XXII Primigenia (Caligula) |
39 - at least 3rd century | a), b) not available c) Vetera , Germania inferior , near today's Xanten d) Mogontiacum , Germania superior , today Mainz |
Vetera 70-late 1st century, Mogontiacum 1st century |
| Legio XXIII - XXIX Martia | omitted from counting | ||
|
Legio XXX Ulpia Victrix (Trajan) |
105 - early 5th century | a) - c) not available d) Vetera II , Germania inferior , near today's Xanten |
“Victorious Ulpius” (by the name of Trajan), Vetera II around 120 to the end of the 3rd century |
Map of Roman legions by 14 AD.Source: http://f.hypotheses.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/1447/files/2014/05/Roman-legions-14-AD-Centrici-site-Keilo- Jack.jpg
Map of Roman legions by 212 AD.Source: http://f.hypotheses.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/1447/files/2014/05/Roman-legions-212-AD-Centrici-site-Keilo- Jack.jpg
Map of Roman legions by 400 AD.Source: http://f.hypotheses.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/1447/files/2014/05/Roman-legions-400-AD-Centrici-site-Keilo- Jack.jpg
Legions of late antiquity
| Legion (raised from) |
Duration | Location |
|---|---|---|
|
Legio I Armeniaca (?) |
3rd century ? - early 5th century | |
|
Legio I Illyricorum ( Aurelian ) |
around 272/273 - at least the 5th century | Palmyra |
|
Legio I Flavia Constantia ( Constantius I ?) |
at 300? - at least 5th century | Mesopotamia |
|
Legio I Flavia Gallicana Constantia ( Constantius II ?) |
at 350? - at least 5th century | Gaul |
|
Legio I Flavia Pacis ( Constantius I ?) |
at 300? - at least 5th century | Gaul, Britain, Africa |
|
Legio I Iovia (Diocletian) |
around 290 - at least the 5th century | Noviodunum ad Istrum ( Isaccea in Romania) |
|
Legio I Isaura Sagittaria (Diocletian) |
around 300 - at least the 5th century | Isauria Province |
|
Legio I Iulia Alpina ( Constans ?) |
at 340? - at least 5th century | Province: Alpes Cottiae , Italy |
|
Legio I Martia (Diocletian?) |
around 300 - at least the 5th century |
Castrum Rauracense ( Kaiseraugst , Aargau ) after 300 |
|
Legio I Maximiana (Diocletian) |
around 296 - at least the 5th century | Aegyptus Province |
|
Legio I Noricorum ( Diocletian ) |
at 300 -? |
Noricum ripense (Ufernoricum) in Adiuvense and Favianae |
|
Legio I Pontica ( Diocletian ) |
before 288 - at least 5th century | Trabzon ( Pontus Polemoniacus ) |
|
Legio I Valentiniana ( Valentinian I ?) |
at 370? - at least 5th century | Coptus (Egypt) |
|
Legio II Armeniaca (?) |
? - at least 5th century | Satala , (today Sadak ) |
|
Legio II Brittannica ( Carausius or Allectus ) |
around 290 - at least the 5th century | Gaul |
|
Legio II Flavia Constantia (Diocletian) |
around 296/297 - 6th century | Cusae (today Al-Qusiyya , Upper Egypt) |
|
Legio II Flavia Constantiniana ( Constantine the Great ?) |
at 312? - at least 5th century | Italy, Mauretania Tingitana (Northern Morocco) and Africa proconsularis (Libya) |
|
Legio II Flavia Virtutis ( Constantius I ?) |
at 300? - at least 5th century | Gaul, Africa |
|
Legio II Herculia (Diocletian) |
around 285 - at least the 5th century | Scythia Province |
|
Legio II Isaura (Diocletian) |
around 300 - at least the 5th century | Isauria Province |
|
Legio II Iulia Alpina ( Constans ?) |
at 340? - at least 5th century | Provinces: Alpes Cottiae , Illyricum |
|
Legio II Valentiniana ( Valentinian I ?) |
at 370? - at least 5th century | Hermunthus (Egypt) |
|
Legio III Diocletiana (Diocletian) |
around 297 - at least the 5th century | Egypt, Thrace |
|
Legio III Flavia Salutis ( Constantius I ?) |
at 300? - at least 5th century | Gaul, Africa |
|
Legio III Herculia (Diocletian) |
around 290 - at least the 5th century | Raetia , Illyricum |
|
Legio III Isaura (Diocletian) |
around 300 - at least the 5th century | Isauria Province |
|
Legio III Iulia Alpina ( Constans ?) |
at 340? - at least 5th century | Province: Alpes Cottiae , Italy |
|
Legio IV Martia (Diocletian?) |
around 300 AD - at least the early 5th century | Betthorus ( Arabia petraea ) |
|
Legio IV Parthica ( Diocletian ) |
Diocletian's time - late 6th century; the IIII (not IV) is one of the last verifiable legions in the Eastern Empire | probably Edessa ( Mesopotamia ), later Beroea (today's Aleppo ) |
|
Legio V Iovia ( Diocletian ) |
around 300 - at least the 5th century | Bononia Castle, Pannonia Secunda |
|
Legio V Parthica (Diocletian) |
at 300 - 359 | Amida (Diyarbakir) |
|
Legio VI Herculia (Diocletian) |
around 290 - at least the 5th century | Pannonia Secunda |
|
Legio VI Parthica (Diocletian) |
around 300 - early 5th century |
The legendary Thebaic Legion
The Thebaic Legion (Legio Thebaica) , which played an important role in Christian martyr reports of the early Middle Ages and was given the nickname Donner (Tonitrus) , is to be referred to in the area of legend.
Other Roman associations
In the course of the various army reforms, other units were set up alongside or instead of the legions.
literature
- Yann Le Bohec (Ed.): Les legions à Rome sous le haut-empire . 2 vol., De Boccard, Paris 2000.
- Emil Ritterling : Legio. In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume XII, 1, Stuttgart 1924/25, Sp. 1186 - XII, 2, Sp. 1829 ( English translation )
Web links
- Overview at Livius.org (English)
- More Roman associations on lukeuedasarson.com