What legions did Trajan take to Dacia?

[Magnus]

Sorry Daniele, i tend to write how it's spelled or pronounced today... 8) That's why I didn't write "Vlpia Victrix".

List edited.

[D B Campbell]

Legions as recorded being there:

• XIV Gemina
• IV Flavia Felix
• I Adiutrix
• I Minerva
• VII Claudia
• X Gemina
• II Trajana Fortis
• XXX Ulpia Victrix

Total - 8

II Traiana and XXX Ulpia only in Second Dacian War (probably).

Legions with possible involvement:

XIII Gemina (Vindobona)
XV Apollinaris (Carnuntum)
I Italica (Novae)
II Adiutrix (Aquincum)

What are your reasons for separating these four from the previous eight?
XIII Gemina was actually stationed in Dacia after the wars, so was probably (rather than only "possibly") involved.
I Italica and II Adiutrix were almost certainly involved, as demonstrated by career inscriptions (iirc).

Legions with Vexilations:

• XXII Primigenia
• XX Valeria Victrix

I wasn't aware that anyone had ever suggested this pair! What's the evidence?!

[Magnus]

Yeah, I know about II Trajan and XXX Ulpia...I reenact the 30th lol.

"What are your reasons for separating these four from the previous eight?"

Because the ones I have listed I have evidence to say..."Yes, they were there and fought". Ones I am unsure of, or stationed in the area, didn't make this list. From livius.org:

XIV Gemina: "In 92, XXI Rapax was destroyed by the Dacians and XIV Gemina was transferred to Pannonia to replace it, The legion was first stationed at Osijek, and later at Vindobona (modern Vienna), from which town it fought against the Suebes and Sarmatians. This war was continued during the reign of Nerva and escalated to the large Dacian wars of Trajan (101-106), which culminated in the conquest of modern Rumania. Veterans of the Fourteenth were settled in Sarmizegetusa, the capital of the conquered provinces."

IV Flavia Felix: In 98, the emperor Trajan ordered the legion to build roads in the region north of the Danube, where Tibiscum (modern Jupa) was founded (and copper mines were explored). The Iron Gate was now protected on both sides by Roman troops. Four years later, IIII Flavia Felix took part in the Dacian campaign of Trajan and was briefly stationed in the capital of the newly annexed territories, Sarmizegetusa. (The other legions in the occupation force were I Adiutrix and XIII Gemina.)

I Adiutrix: The emperor Trajan used it during his conquest of Dacia (101-106). Together with IIII Flavia Felix and XIII Gemina, it was part of the forces that occupied the new province. Tiles found at Apulum (modern Alba Julia) with the words XIII Gemina and I Adiutrix suggest that our unit briefly shared a fortress with another legion, but it should be noted that the reading of the tiles is far from certain.

I Minervia: During the reign of Trajan, it fought against the Dacians (101-106). One inscription suggests that it was part of a task force with VI Victrix and X Gemina from Neuss and Nijmegen. In the final years of the war, I Minervia was commanded by the future emperor Hadrian. The legion's emblem can be seen on the famous column of Trajan in Rome, the victory monument that was erected after Dacia had been conquered. (italics are mine to remind myself to add the 6th)

VII Claudia: During the reign of Trajan, the war against the Dacians was renewed (101) and the seventh legion was one of the most important units. Its base Viminacium was used to build op the Roman army that was to invade Dacia in the second campaign season (102). In the neighborhood, at Drobeta, the Romans erected a famous bridge across the Danube, designed by Apollodorus of Damascus. It is very likely that soldiers of the seventh legion were employed to do the actual building. Victory was finally achieved in 106.

X Gemina: In both towns, X Gemina had to defend the Danube frontier. Both towns belonged to the province of Pannonia. These movements must have had something to do with Trajan's Second Dacian war (105-106), but there is still no evidence for active involvement, although one inscription suggests that the Tenth was part of a task force with I Minervia and VI Victrix from Bonn and Neuss.

VI Victrix: At the end of the first century, the sixth legion was transferred to Xanten, where it replaced XXII Primigenia. Many soldiers, however, did not stay at this base: during the Dacian wars, units of VI Victrix were sent to the Danube, which lay almost unguarded now that the garrisons were fighting in Dacia. One inscription suggests that a subunit of the Sixth was part of a task force with the other legions from Germania Inferior, I Minervia and X Gemina from Bonn and Nijmegen.

The others only have sent vexillations to the campaign, not the entire unit.

XV Apolinaris
VI Victrix

More to follow...I JUST got a call from Hamilton Police OFFERING ME A JOB AS A POLICE CONSTABLE!!!!

I'M IN NO SHAPE RIGHT NOW TO DO ANYTHING EXCEPT...I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO DO!!!

WHOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!!

[Magnus]

The vexillations from XXII and XX, from Titus's post, but it's in italian?

"Vexillationes of XXII Primigenia and XX Valeria Victrix too:
From: [url:2569srcs]http://sapiens.ya.com/AQVILA-LEGIONIS/blazquez.pdf[/url] "

I'll try and do more research later....confirm the # of full legions deployed and who only sent vexillations. Not too interested in the auxilliaries just yet, but I'll post what I find.

[L C Cinna]

Forgotten II Adiutrix? And it's Mineruia, not Minerua, Traiana, not Trajana... wink:

Vale,

P.S. "J" letter does not exist in classic latin, like the "V" that is just "U"...
See here:
[url:5fwy0p9o]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_spelling_and_pronunciation[/url]

latin didn't have a letter "U", so if you insist on latin writing you have to use a "V" instead of the "U" not the other way round :wink:

[TITVS SABATINVS AQVILIVS]

No, it's not italian, it's spanish. Anyway, the participation of leg. XX in the large Danube wars under Domitian and Traian so far all reference points are missing. However M. Gervasio ‘Per la storia della legioni XV Apollinare e XX Valeria Victrix’ (in Saggi di storia antica, Beloch Roma 1910, 353-364) sought to prove the participation of these two legions in Trajan’s Dacian war from the fragment CIL VI 32902 = 3943, based on consideration of the fact that a fragment with that inscription was found in the forum Traiani and assuming that the legions which had participated in the Dacian war were enumerated on the epistyle of the Basilica Ulpia.
Someone says that this basis is too uncertain, particularly since the order in which the legions are enumerated is not by ascending order, as would be expected with the presupposed purpose, but seems to be by some other criteria (v. leg. XV Apol. supra p. 1753, 46ff.). Anyway that could be caused by the partecipation of just "uexillationes" of these legion not the whole ones, like the others enlisted.

Valete,

[TITVS SABATINVS AQVILIVS]

latin didn't have a letter "U", so if you insist on latin writing you have to use a "V" instead of the "U" not the other way round

Take a look at this: :wink:

Vindolanda tablet

Vale,

[Arahne]

For wars against Dacians I recommend next title
Alexandru Simon Stefan, Les Guerres Daciques de Domitien et de Trajan - Architecture millitaire, topographie images et histoire, Collection de l'ecole francaise de rome 353, ROme 2005
The author gave thorough analysis of dacian system of fortifications before the wars, historical and military aspect as well as roman fortification system during the both wars. There are numerous geographic maps of possible routes of attack, as well as analysis of corresponding epigraphic sources.
So, for those who can find it in bibliotheque, go and grab it, the whole aspect of both wars has been seriously elaborated.
There is another legion for the list
VI ferrata
inscription in laurel wreath - stone -found in roman camp in sarmizegetusa (102-105 A.D.)
vex(illatio)/ leg(ionis) VI/ Ferr(atae)

[drsrob]

latin didn't have a letter "U", so if you insist on latin writing you have to use a "V" instead of the "U" not the other way round

Take a look at this: :wink:

Vindolanda tablet

Vale,

Latin does know no U, the V being used both for 'v' and 'u'.
However, this goes only for capitals. In undercast we use the u for both.

[arklore70]

Do we have a listing of the Auxilia units present as well?

V/r
Mike

[L C Cinna]

On the diploma TITVS SABATINVS posted on page 1 and a nice list in the pdfs in Tarbicus posts.

[Centurio]

I just looked at your list again. Sorry I didn't notice it before but Traian can't have taken V Alaudae with him it was lost/remains disbanded during the Batavian revolt during Vespasianus reign.

Salve, L C Cinna!
As far as I know, legio V Alaudae was destroyed by Dacians in 86 AD
It took serious losses during Batavian revolt, but was not destroyed or disbanded. In 70 AD it was transferred to Moesia, where legion met its destiny in 86 AD. The legionary aquila was took by Dacians and returned to Romans during Trajan's siege of Apulum. Anyway, legion was not reconstituted again.

[Peroni]

Looking at the diploma which Daniel posted earlier, dated to 109 I notice that the Batavian cohorts are not listed. They do not appear on Dacian diplomae with cR status until 3 May 112.(AE 1997, 01782 = RMD-04, 00223)


Which could indicate that they were part of the second campaign (106)and not the first. (102) Or had moved out by then.

[D B Campbell]

As far as I know, legio V Alaudae was destroyed by Dacians in 86 AD. It took serious losses during Batavian revolt, but was not destroyed or disbanded. In 70 AD it was transferred to Moesia, where legion met its destiny in 86 AD. The legionary aquila was took by Dacians and returned to Romans during Trajan's siege of Apulum. Anyway, legion was not reconstituted again.

We know that V Alaudae was severely mauled during the events of AD 69. The absence of any evidence of its survival after that date suggests that it ceased to exist by AD 70.

There is no particular reason to link its disappearance with the defeat of Cornelius Fuscus in AD 86.

[Centurio]

We know that V Alaudae was severely mauled during the events of AD 69. The absence of any evidence of its survival after that date suggests that it ceased to exist by AD 70.

There is no particular reason to link its disappearance with the defeat of Cornelius Fuscus in AD 86.

It is true that there is no direct evidence of legion’s existance after 70 AD nor of its presense in Moesia. But there is a Tacitus’s passage (Hist.III 46), where he wrote, that in that year detachements of the former Vitellian’s army were attached to a new governor of Moesia, Fonteius Agrippa. E. Ritterling in his article stated that among these troops was legio V Alaudae (Legio, 1925, 1569) or, to be precise, that part of the legion which fought in Cremona with its aquila.
Furthermore, there is an insciption found in Dobrudgea (CIL.III.14214=ILS.9107) with the names of soldiers killed in battle (“in … memoriam fortissimorum virorum qui … pro re(i)p(ublica) morte occubueruntâ€