Legions of Rome (20 page)

During the legion’s heyday, in that short period between
AD
67 and
AD
70, few legionaries were more feared, by both friend and foe, than the wild, sun-worshipping Syrians of the 3rd Gallica.

3RD ITALICA LEGION

LEGIO III ITALICA

3rd Italian Legion

EMBLEM:

Stork.

BIRTH SIGN:

Capricorn (probably).

FOUNDATION:

AD 165, by Marcus Aurelius, for the Marcomani Wars.

RECRUITMENT AREA:

Originally Italy.

POSTINGS:

Aquileia, Eining, Castra Regina.

BATTLE HONORS:

Marcus Aurelius’ Marcomani Wars, AD 165–175.

MARCUS AURELIUS’ STORKS

The second of two legions raised in Italy in
AD
165 by Marcus Aurelius for his Danube wars, it was in action immediately
.

Marcus Aurelius’ newly raised 3rd Italica Legion was fighting the Alemanni and Quadi Germans from the moment it reached the battlefront. Its first enlistment was enrolled in Italy in
AD
165 along with that of the 2nd Italica.

The 3rd Italica’s emblem of a stork, unique among legion emblems, may have referred to its new birth, but it could also have referred to the region in Italy where it was born. Puglia, for instance, was a famous nesting place of the stork in ancient times; the commune of Cerignola still uses the stork as its emblem to this day.

The 3rd Italica was initially stationed at Aquileia in northeast Italy with the 2nd Italica. It was at Eining in Austria by
AD
172, then moved to Castra Regina in Raetia, today’s Bavarian city of Regensburg. Construction of the Castra Regina legion camp began beside the Danube in
AD
179, when numismatic evidence puts the 3rd Italica Legion in residence.

By the end of the fourth century the unit was a comitatense legion under the command of the Master of Foot.

3RD PARTHICA LEGION

LEGIO III PARTHICA

3rd Parthian Legion

EMBLEM:

Centaur.

BIRTH SIGN:

Capricorn (probably).

FOUNDATION:

c. AD 197, by Septimus Severus, for his Parthian campaign.

RECRUITMENT AREA:

Originally Thrace/Macedonia.

POSTINGS:

Parthia, Rhesana.

BATTLE HONORS:

Septimus Severus’ Parthian campaign, AD 197–201.

FODDER FOR THE PERSIANS

Raised by Septimius Severus for service against the Parthians, and by
AD
197 based in newly occupied Mesopotamia, where it would spend its later career fighting the Persians
.

Together with the 1st and 2nd Parthica legions, the 3rd Parthica was raised in Thrace and Macedonia by Septimius Severus for his Parthian campaigns of
AD
197–201. After overcoming Parthian resistance and taking Edessa, capital of the kingdom of Osroene, a Parthian ally, and capturing the king, Abgar, Severus’ legions marched down the Tigris and stormed and looted the Parthian capital, Ctesiphon.

During these operations, the European recruits of the three Parthica legions regularly outperformed the men of the legions based in the East. But after a prolonged, bloody, and ultimately unsuccessful siege of the rich desert city of Hatra, even they had reached their limit and were on the point of mutiny. Severus gave up the siege and withdrew, leaving the 1st Parthica and 3rd Parthica legions to garrison Mesopotamia.

The 3rd Parthica Legion made its base at Rhesana, today’s Ra’s al-Ayn in Syria, midway between Nisibis and Carrhae. During the fourth-century campaigns of Persia’s conquering king Shapur II, the 3rd Parthica’s Rhesana base fell to the Persians. The 3rd Parthica Legion disappeared, apparently destroyed during the fall of Rhesana.

By the end of the fourth century, a 4th Parthica Legion was in existence. Raised during the third century, it was stationed at Circesio, today’s Aba Serae in Iraq, under the command of the Duke of Osroene. Based at Beroea (Aleppo), in Syria, this unit later probably formed part of the Byzantine army.

4TH MACEDONICA LEGION

LEGIO IIII MACEDONICA

4th Legion of Macedonia

EMBLEM:

Bull.

BIRTH SIGN:

Capricorn

FOUNDATION:

By Pompey the Great (probably).

RECRUITMENT AREA:

Originally Spain or Italy.

POSTINGS:

Juliobriga, Mogontiacum.

FROM FAME AT PHILIPPI TO IGNOMINY ON THE RHINE

The 4th Macedonica survived the Battle of Philippi, spent time in Spain before transfer to the Rhine, valiantly fought Arminius under Germanicus, only to disgrace itself in the Civilis Revolt and be disbanded by Vespasian and reformed as the 4th Flavia
.

The 4th Legion was carrying the “Macedonica” title very early in the imperial era; “4th Macedonica” appears on the tombstones of centurion Lucius Blattius and another, unnamed soldier, who settled at Este in Italy some time before 14
BC
. [Kepp.,
CVSI
, Syl. 24 and 25] It is probable that the legion appropriated its title following the first Battle of Philippi, in Macedonia, in 42
BC
, where it fought on the left wing of Mark Antony’s army and took very heavy casualties. Opposing general Marcus Brutus congratulated his troops for having “completely destroyed their famed 4th Legion” in the battle. [App.,
IV
, 117] But the unit survived to be rebuilt.

Under Octavian/Augustus, the legion was posted to Nearer Spain. Its base was at Juliobriga, modern Retorillo, where it remained until
AD
43, when Claudius transferred it to Mogontiacum on the Upper Rhine, replacing the 14th Gemina, which was assigned to the invasion of Britain.

In January
AD
69, the 4th Macedonica led the movement which resulted in the legions of the army of the Upper Rhine declaring their general Vitellius emperor, in opposition to Galba and then Otho. [Tac.,
H
,
I
, 55] The legion subsequently sent
several cohorts to Italy, which fought for Vitellius at the Second Battle of Bedriacum and Battle of Cremona against Vespasian’s troops. They lost, and surrendered. The 4th Macedonica cohorts remaining on the Rhine became embroiled in the Civilis Revolt later that year, and surrendered to the rebels early in
AD
70.

Vespasian, the new emperor, was so disgusted with the 4th Macedonica’s involvement with Civilis and his rebels that he abolished the legion.