Legio III Italica pars inferior, Castra Regina, 5th Century

[Robert Vermaat]

The superior/inferior distinction is very frequent among subdivisions of late Roman border legions, while the Tertiani were a splinter of III Italica which had been moved to the Illyrian mobile forces. The Tertiani were therefore an elite unit among the legiones comitatenses. Three of the five subunits of III Italica that had remained in Raetia were less prestigious border units, and two were 'only' supply units.

Hi Florian,

By superior/inferior, don't you mean seniores/iuniores? If not, can you tell me where you found that superior/inferior distinction, which to me signifies a grografical position, as in germania superior/Germania inferior?

Indeed, while the rest of the Tertiani (Italiciani) seem to be limitanei they are also listed as a legio comitatensis (ND Occ 5.53. Occ 7.53). I would not call them an elite legion among the comitatenses, which there seems no sign for. However, the core of III Italica, in my opinion, was indeed part of the mobile field army of Illyria in 394 AD, while split off cohorts and vexillations still held the line along the Danube.

William, there seems no proof that units of III Italica held Regensburg until it ceased to be Roman. The legionary fortress seems to have been held by federates from Böhmen, they formed part of the nucleus of the first Bavarians. But I'll read up on that a bit more.