What Happened to the Eagles?

[Michael Kerr]

Hi, I was wondering how many times eagles could have been lost and the loss covered up. I was just asking because during the Marcomannic Wars in 170ad Marcus Claudius Fronto who was Governor of the combined provinces of the Three Dacias as well as Governor of Moesia Superior with 4 legions at his disposal as well as auxiliary units, was killed in battle in Dacia by either the Iazyges, Dacians or German Buri. I don't know much of him but he was a bit of a war hero during the Parthian War.
He was in command of Xl Claudia legion in Moesia Inferior in his 30s and then in Parthian war he commanded 1 Minerva winning a string of army's prestigious awards and in 163Ad was promoted to "Legatus Augusti Pro Praetore" Governor of an Imperial Province. He was suffect consul in either 165 or 166AD. Anyway I digress, I was just wondering that with his important position he must have had a sizeable force with him when he was killed. What happened to that army, it seems funny to me that in 171AD the Costoboci overran Dacia and I was just wondering does anyone know more about this phase of Marcomannic Wars and indeed did the Costoboci invade because Dacia was short on troops because of some disaster. Anyway I love the site and enjoy reading the discussions that take place in the forum.