Roman Legion - Legio I Adiutrix
Legio I Adiutrix (First Auxiliary Legion) — a Roman legion of the imperial era, formed during the crisis of the year of the four emperors or shortly before it.
Date of creation: 68 AD. It existed until the middle of the 5th century AD.
Symbol: Capricorn, but also a winged horse (Pegasus) was used. The epithet "Adiutrix" denotes auxiliary troops.
Nicknames: Adiutrix (Auxiliary), Pia Fidelis (Devoted and Faithful), Severus, Pia Fidelis Bis (Twice Devoted and Faithful), Constans (Constant).
Battle Path
The legion was created in 68, as evidenced by a found military diploma, which mentions Legio I Adiutrix. The name of the legion "Auxiliary" points to the fact that it was created at a difficult time to assist the existing troops.
There are 3 versions of the legion's creation:
1) A number of historians believe that the legion was created from the sailors of the Misenum fleet (modern city of Miseno, Italy) shortly before his death by Emperor Nero. The Misenum fleet was the first in significance and importance fleet of the naval forces of the Roman Empire.
2) Other historians believe that the legion was created during the reign of Emperor Galba (June 68 AD - January 69 AD).
3) The legion began to be formed under Emperor Nero, and was completed under Emperor Galba.
- In the civil war that started after the death of Emperor Nero (68-69, the year of the four emperors), the I auxiliary legion first sided with Otho (January-April 69 AD), but after losing to Vitellius (April-December 69), it was transferred by him to Spain, where, as soon as the opportunity arose, it switched sides to Vespasian (December 69 - June 79 AD). Tacitus writes about these events: "They furiously rushed into battle, in order to earn the first laurels, but they were defeated..." The new emperor Vitellius relocated the legion to Spain "so that it would calm down, living in leisure, away from military clashes". (Tacitus. History II. 43 and History II. 67).
- In 70, Legio I Adiutrix, along with other legions under the command of Quintus Petillius Cerialis, took part in the suppression of the Batavian rebellion.
- Later, the legion was transferred to the Rhine border, where it took part in border conflicts. Here it was stationed in Mogontiacum (modern city of Mainz, Germany), along with Legio XIV Gemina. In addition to military service, they were involved in the construction of buildings, roads, and baths. However, it is believed that Legio I Adiutrix did not leave Spain until 88 (see R. Cagnat. A Brief History of the Legions).
- In 83 AD, during the reign of Emperor Domitian (81-96 AD), a detachment of the Legio I Adiutrix took part in a campaign against the German tribe of the Chatti. Later, parts of the legion, along with other vexillations from the Upper German and British legions, were involved in construction in the territory of the Lingones tribe (Northern France).
- In 86 AD, Legio I Adiutrix was transferred to Pannonia due to the destruction of the Legio XXI Rapax, which was ravaged by the Dacians who invaded the Roman provinces. The legion's camp was located in Brigetio. Pannonia was a Roman province, a region in Central Europe in the territory of modern Hungary, eastern Austria, southwestern Slovakia, northern Slovenia, northern Croatia, northeastern Serbia, northern Bosnia and Herzegovina.
A tile fragment with the stamp of the I Auxiliary Legion. 1st century AD
Bronze plate with the text Deo Invicto / Ulpius Sabinus / miles legio / nis primae / (A) diutricis "To the invincible god Ulpius Sabinus, soldier of the I Auxiliary Legion". 1-2 century AD
Denarius of Septimius Severus with reference to the I Auxiliary Legion, 193 AD.
- In 88 AD, Legio I Adiutrix took part in a campaign against Dacia and the Battle of Tapae. Because of the revolt of the governor of Upper Germany, Lucius Saturninus, in 89 AD, the success in Dacia did not consolidate, and Legio I Adiutrix was sent along with other forces to suppress this uprising.
- In 96 AD, the legionaries of Legio I Adiutrix participated in a campaign against the Suebi (a union of Germanic tribes). Under the rule of Emperor Trajan (98-117 AD), Legio I Adiutrix received from him the title "Devoted and Faithful" (pia fidelis).
- Legio I Adiutrix participated in the Dacian Wars of Emperor Trajan (101-106 AD). This is confirmed by a tile found in the Dacian city of Apulum (now the city of Alba Iulia, Romania), where the Roman legions stationed there are mentioned. After that, the legion returned to its base in Brigetio.
- Under Trajan, the legion also took part in his Parthian campaign (116-117 AD).
- Under Emperor Hadrian (117-138 AD), the legion was again returned to Brigetio.
- The last decades of the 1st century on the Danube were relatively calm, so parts of Legio I Adiutrix were used to participate in conflicts in the East and North Africa. It is believed that parts of the legion participated in the Parthian campaign of Emperor Lucius Verus (161-169 AD) in 161-166 AD.
- From 171 to 175 AD, Legio I Adiutrix was commanded by Publius Pertinax (the future Roman emperor in January-March 193 AD). Under him, parts of the legion participated in the Marcomannic War (166-180 AD) - a war of Rome with an alliance of Germanic and Sarmatian tribes.
- In the year of the five Roman emperors (193 AD), Legio I Adiutrix sided with Septimius Severus and fought against his opponents – Didius Julianus and Pescennius Niger. Septimius Severus appreciated the loyalty of the legion, as a result of which he minted a series of coins, which mentioned Legio I Adiutrix.
- In 195 and 197-198 AD, the unit participated in two campaigns against the Parthians, after which it returned back to Pannonia.
- In 208 AD, under the leadership of the legate Cornelius Valens, the legion fought in Britain.
- Vexillations of the legion participated in the Parthian campaign (216-217 AD) of Emperor Caracalla.
- During the reign of the emperors from the Severan dynasty (193-235 AD), Legio I Adiutrix received the nickname "Severus' Legion".
- In the 3rd century, during the reign of Emperor Maximinus I Thrax (235-238 AD), Legio I Adiutrix participated in a campaign against the Dacians (237 AD), and under Emperor Gordian III (238-244 AD) it fought with the Persians (244 AD).
- Also, throughout the 3rd century, Legio I Adiutrix received the honorary nicknames "Twice Devoted and Faithful" (Pia Fidelis bis) and "Constant" (Constans).
- Coins related to the reign of Emperor Gallienus (August 253-August 268 AD) contain inscriptions mentioning the Legio I Adiutrix unit.
- In the early 5th century, according to the Notitia Dignitatum, Legio I Adiutrix was still located in Brigetio. At this time, the legion became border and was governed by the Dux of the province of Littoral Valeria (the territory of modern Western Hungary).
Related topics
List of Roman Legions, Legion, Legionnaire, Legio XIV Gemina, Legio XXI Rapax, Limitans, Notification Dignitatum
Literature
- Dando-Collins. "The Legions of Rome. A complete history of all the legions of the Roman Empire”"
- R. Kanya. "A brief history of the various Legions."
- Jona Lendering. Legio I Adjutrix (English). Livius.org. 2002.
- Emil Ritterling. Paulys Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft. Legio (I adiutrix). Band XII,2. — Stuttgart, 1925. — 1380—1404 p.
- Gabriele Wesch-Klein. Soziale Aspekte des römischen Heerwesens in der Kaiserzeit. — Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag, 1998.
- Anthony Richard Birley. The Roman government of Britain. — Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.
- Markus Handy. Die Severer und das Heer. — Berlin: Antike Verlag, 2009.
