Legions operating together in Britain?

[Nathan Ross]

[I thought that's what a Vexillation was?

Hmm, probably... ;-)

As far as I know, a vexillation could be any force operating under its own vexillum. The usual sort appears to be a detachment from a single legion (Vexillatio legionis XIIII Geminae Martiae Victricis, for example) sent off to join a larger force on campaign or to garrison some place or other.

If there were troops from more than one legion involved, I think they would form plural 'vexillations' - like CIL 05, 00954, from Aquileia: Vexillationes legionum I et II Adiutricium, or the Vexillationes exercitus Germanici (AE 1898, 00018c).

But then it gets confusing, as some vexillations (singular) seem to contain troops from more than one legion: e.g. AE 1925, 00078: Legio I Italica legio V Macedonica legio XI Claudia vexillatio Moesiae inferioris.

So whether a force comprising (say) two cohorts each from three different legions, with auxiliaries, would still be referred to as a singular 'vexillation' or as something else I don't know!