Legio II Adiutrix ("Second Legion, the Rescuer") was a legion of the Imperial Roman army founded in AD 70 by the emperor Vespasian (r. 69–79), originally composed of Roman navy marines of the classis Ravennatis. There are still records of II Adiutrix in the Rhine border in the beginning of the 4th century. The legion's symbols were a Capricorn and Pegasus.
History
editThe formation of Legio II Adiutrix from marines of the classis Ravennatis following the Year of Four Emperors was due to the machinations of the commander of the Roman fleets, Sextus Lucilius Bassus. Bassus' intentions was to incite those men to desert Vitellius in support of Vespasian, but his intrigue was so poorly handled that while the marines decided to support Vespasian, lost his command, Cornelius Fuscus was sent to take command of the marines, and Bassus was sent to Vespasian to determine his fate.[1]
The first assignment of II Adiutrix was in Germania Inferior, where the Batavian rebellion was at its peak. After the defeat of the rebels, Legio II Adiutrix followed general Quintus Petillius Cerialis to Roman Britain where it replaced Legio XIV Gemina bringing the strength of the garrison in that province to four legions.[2] The legion is believed to have made its base camp at Chester.[3]
In 87, the legion was recalled to the continent to participate in the Dacian wars of emperor Domitian.[4] There it made its new base at Aquincum (modern Budapest). Around 95 and 96, still in Dacia, the later emperor Hadrian served as military tribune in Legio II Adiutrix.[5]
In the summer of 106 the legion took part to the siege of the Dacian Capital Sarmisegetusa. After Trajan's Dacian Wars of 101–106, the legion returned to Pannonia Inferior, where it would remain for the years to come. Despite this, the legion or vexillations or subunits took part in:
- Lucius Verus's campaign against the Parthian Empire (162–166)[6]
- Marcus Aurelius' campaign against the Marcomanni and the Quadi (171–173)
- Marcus Aurelius' campaign against the Quadi (179–180). The Legion was commanded by Marcus Valerius Maximianus in Laugaricio.
- Caracalla's campaign against the Alemanni (213)
- Gordian's campaign against the Sassanid Empire (238)
In 193, Legio II Adiutrix supported emperor Septimius Severus during his struggle for the purple.
Attested members
edit| Name | Rank | Time frame | Province | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucius Artorius Castus | centurio | between 150 and 250 | Aquincum | CIL III, 1919 |
| Quintus Antistius Adventus[7] | legatus legionis | 162–c. 165 | Parthian War | AE 1893, 88 = ILS 8977; AE 1914, 281; CIL VIII, 18893 = ILS 1091 |
| Marcus Valerius Maximianus[7] | legatus legionis | 179 | Laugaricio | AE 1956, 124 |
| Quintus Ranius Terentius Honoratianus Festus[8] | legatus legionis | between 200 and 250 | AE 1965, 240 | |
| Aurelius Pollion | miles? | Pannonia | Papyrus from Tebtunis [9] | |
| Marcus Vettius C.f. Latronus | tribunus angusticlavius | before 99 | AE 1951, 52 | |
| Titus Furius Victorinus | tribunus angusticlavius | before 140 | Aquincum | CIL VI, 41143 |
| Publius Cominius Clemens | tribunus angusticlavius | c. 162—165 | Parthian War | AE 1890, 151 |
| Publius Aelius Hadrianus | tribunus laticlavius | c. 95 | Historia Augusta, "Hadrian", 3 |
Epigraphic inscriptions
edit- Gaio Valerio Crispo veterano ex legione II Adiutrice Pia Fideli. Chester (Deva), U.K. RIB 478.
- Lucius Terentius Claudia tribu Fuscus Apro miles legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis. Chester, U.K. RIB 477.
- Lucius Valerius Luci filius Claudia tribu Seneca Savaria / miles legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis. Chester, U.K. RIB 480.
- Gaius Calventius Gai filius Claudia tribu Celer Apro miles legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis / Vibi Clementis (...). Chester, U.K. RIB 475.
- Gaius Iuventius Gai filius Claudia tribu Capito Apro / miles legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis / Iuli Clementis annorum XL stipendiorum XVII. Chester, U.K. RIB 476.
- Quintus Valerius Quinti filius Claudia tribu Fronto Celea / miles legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis annorum L stipendiorum XXṾ (...). Chester, U.K. RIB 479.
- Voltimesis P̣udens Gai filius Sergia tribu Augusta eques legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis annorum XXXII stipendiorum XIII hic situs est. Chester, U.K. RIB 482.
- Gaius Murrius Gai filius Arniensis Foro Iuli Modestus miles legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis / Iuli Secundi annorum) XXV stipendiorum / hic situs est. Bath, U.K. (Aquae Sulis). RIB 157 = CIL VII 48.
- Titus Valerius Titi filius Claudia tribu Pudens Savaria miles legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis / Dossenni Proculi annorum XXX aera VI heres de suo posuit hic situs est. Lincoln (Lindum), U.K. RIB 258 = CIL VII 185.
- legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis / Ponti Proculi Lucius Licinius Luci filius Galeria tribu Saliga Lugdunonnorum XX stipendiorum II. Lincoln (Lindum), U.K. RIB 253 = CIL VII 186.
- Quintus Cumelius / Quinti filius / Fabia Celer Bracarensis / veteranus legionis II Adiutricis hic situs annorum LXXV (...). Astorga (Asturica), Spain. CIL II 2639.
- Fortunae Balneari sacrum / Valerius Bucco miles legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis / decuria Aemili (...). Segovia, Spain. CIL II 2763.
- VICTORIAE AVGVSTORV(m) EXERCITUS QVI LAV GARICIONE SEDIT MIL(ites) L(egionis) II DCCCLV (Marcus Valerius) MAXIMIANUS LEG(atus) LEG (ionis) II AD(iutricis) CVR(avit) F(aciendum). Laugaricio (today Trenčín), Slovakia.
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ Gwyn Morgan, 69 A.D., The Year of the Four Emperors (Oxford: University Press, 2006), p. 200 ISBN 9780195315899
- ^ Sheppard Frere, Britannia: A History of Roman Britain, revised edition (London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1974), p. 118
- ^ Graham Webster, The Roman Imperial Army (New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1969), p. 74 and note
- ^ H.M.D. Parker, The Roman Legions (1957) (New York: Barnes and Noble, 1993) pp. 152f
- ^ Anthony Birley, Hadrian: The Restless Emperor (London: Routledge, 1997), p. 32 ISBN 9780415228121
- ^ Parker, Roman Legions, p. 166
- ^ a b Géza Alföldy, Konsulat und Senatorenstand unter der Antoninen (Bonn: Rudolf Habelt Verlag 1977), p. 298
- ^ Paul M. M. Leunissen, Konsuln und Konsulare in der Zeit von Commodus bis Severus Alexander (Amsterdam: J.C. Gieben, 1989), p. 338
- ^ Jarus, Owen (6 March 2014). "Ancient Egyptian Soldier's Letter Home Deciphered". Live Science. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
External links
edit- roman-britain.co.uk
- livius.org account of Legio II Adiutrix Archived 2020-03-08 at the Wayback Machine
- Familia Gladiatoria - Hungary Archived 2012-07-16 at the Wayback Machine, Hungarian reenactment group