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Sixth Legion Troop Distribution
#1
I was looking for a very old book on the shelf for info on mosaics in Yorkshire,Wanderings in Roman Britain-Arthur Weigall. I found that there was mention of the Sixth Leg. sending re-enforcements/replacements to Bremetennacum (Ribchester).The evidence was an inscription (dated 238-244AD) from a Centurion from the Sixth dedicting the stone to Apollo,there is also mention of a earlier tablet in the Honour of Marcus Aurelius & Lucius Verus.I've been to the museum before but didn't see it.

Does anyone else have anymore info they could pass on Smile

Wouldn't this region come under the Twentieth stationed at Chester? :? Its all a bit early for me,but its good to tie up units through time.
Fasta Ambrosius Longus
John

We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

[Image: Peditum3.jpg]
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#2
John. There have been other dedications by the VI VICTRICS found not only at Corbridge but also from the Antonine Wall, then where you mention the XX VV LEG area I think things might have just been a situation of who had troops available at a particular time. It might just be where the Governor of a province would say to a Commander I need some troops to give a leg up here or there and he would have to comply.
Brian Stobbs
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#3
Cheers for that Brian.Would you say this is proof of inter-legion transfer?
Fasta Ambrosius Longus
John

We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

[Image: Peditum3.jpg]
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#4
I don't know about inter legion transfer but it looks like detatchments were sent out of Eboracum at certain times, and also those from XX vv have left evidence of time in the Wall area. This may well have come from their engineering and building skills where work would have had to meet certain standards that could not have been done by auxiliaries, it also shows that where you have around 5,000 troops near a City they have to be kept busy and productive or you wind up with a dicipline problem.
Brian Stobbs
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#5
Quote:... mention of the Sixth Leg. sending re-enforcements/replacements to Bremetennacum (Ribchester).The evidence was an inscription (dated 238-244AD) from a Centurion from the Sixth dedicting the stone to Apollo ...
Interesting interpretation, John. But the inscription (I presume it's RIB 583) simply indicates that a centurion of the Sixth had been seconded to command the regiment at Ribchester. (This was a fairly common appointment for legionary centurions.) So no legionaries were involved!

Quote:There is also mention of a earlier tablet in the Honour of Marcus Aurelius & Lucius Verus.
There was widespread rebuilding in northern England under the governor Calpurnius Agricola (c. AD 163/5). Forts seem to have been neglected under his predecessors. The stone you refer to (RIB 589) is just one of these building inscriptions. (As you probably know, the legions were very keen to take the credit for any and every job done!)

Quote:Wouldn't this region come under the Twentieth stationed at Chester?
I've never been a great believer in this theory, that provinces were strictly divided into legionary areas, with each legate having some kind of authority over the auxiliary units in his "area". Dietwulf Baatz pretty well blew the theory apart many years ago ("Kommandobereiche der Legionslegaten", Germania 67, 1989, 169-178) -- to my satisfaction, at any rate.

It's worth noting that these examples from Ribchester would tend to disprove the theory that the legate of the Twentieth was solely responsible for forts in his backyard.
posted by Duncan B Campbell
https://ninth-legion.blogspot.com/
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#6
It wasn't my interpretation but that of Arthur Weigall.

"A centurion of the Sixth Legion,which was stationed at York,makes a dedication to Apollo,who is identified with the British god of Youth,Maponus;and this is dated in the reign of the Emperor Gordian III (238-244 A.D.). The Sixth Legion evidently sent detachments to Ribchester from time to time,for another inscribed tablet was here erected by them about 169 A.D. in honour of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius and his imperial colleague,Lucius Verus."
Wanderings in Roman Britain-Arthur Weigall.Thornton Butterworth Ltd.

I can agree that the Twentieth may not have had a 'zone' of control.
Fasta Ambrosius Longus
John

We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

[Image: Peditum3.jpg]
Reply


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