Legio III Gallica

The legion served in Antony's Parthian War in 36 BC. After the battle of Actium and Antony's suicide during Antony's Civil War, the III Gallica was sent again to the East, where they garrisoned the province of Syria.[1]

III Gallica was used in Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo's campaign against the Parthians over the control of Armenia.[1] It was also commanded by Corbulo.[1] The campaign lasted from 58-68 AD. Because of the campaign it was stationed in Armenia. Corbulo's successes triggered the emperor Nero's paranoia of persecution and eventually the general was forced to commit suicide. After this, III Gallica was transferred to the province of Moesia on the Danube.

In the Year of the Four Emperors in 69, the legion, and the rest of the Danubian army, aligned first with Otho, then with Vespasian. They were instrumental in the final defeat of Vitellius in the second Battle of Bedriacum and in the accession of the Flavians to the throne of Rome. This legion during its service in Syria had developed the custom of saluting the rising sun, and when dawn broke at Bedriacum they turned east to do so. The Vitellian forces thought that they were saluting reinforcements from the east and lost heart.[1] Following the defeat of Vitellius the legion was moved to Capua.[1]

Inscription of Legio III Gallica at the Nahr al Kalb inscriptions

After this civil war, the legion was again sent to Syria.[1] The reason they returned is because other legions were fighting the Jews, and Syria was left unmanned.[1]The legion was probably based at Raphanaea.[1] Raphanaea was captured by a Roman army in 71 AD. The III Gallica may have participated in the expedition.[1]While the legion was in Syria, some subunits may have fought in Trajan and Domitian's Dacian wars.[1]It is also very likely that the legion took part in Trajan's Parthian wars. The III Gallica fought against the Jewish rebellion of the 2nd century. They also took part in Lucius Verus' campaign against the Parthians. During a Roman civil war the Syrian Legions, the III Gallica included, supported Pescennius Niger.[1]Eventually Septimus Severus, another claimant to the title of Roman Emperor would win the war. Septimius Severus would campaign against the Parthian Empire, none with noteworthy(?) success(Ctesiphon captured). One of the legions that fought in this campaign was the III Gallica.[1] During the reign of Roman Emperor Caracalla, the Legion left an inscription amongst the Commemorative stelae of Nahr el-Kalb.[1] III Gallica played a central role in the early reign of Elagabalus. In 218, during Macrinus' reign, Julia Maesa went to Raphana, Syria, where the legion was based under the command of Publius Valerius Comazon. She largely donated to the legion, which, in turn, proclaimed emperor Julia Maesa's grandson, the fourteen-year-old Elagabalus, on the dawn of 16 May. On June 8, 218 near Antioch. Gannys, Elagabalus' tutor, defeated Macrinus and his son, with the help of the III Gallica and the other legions of the East. In 219, the legion, exhausted by Elagabalus excesses, supported its commander, senator Verus, who proclaimed himself emperor. Elagabalus had Verus executed, and dispersed the legion. The legionaries were transferred namely to III Augusta, stationed in the Africa provinces. However, the following emperor, Alexander Severus, reconstituted the legion and redeployed them back in Syria. Valerius Comazon entered in Elagabalus court, becoming prefect of the Praetorian Guard and consul in 220. III Gallica records then become obscure. The legion partook in Alexander's campaign against the Sassanids.[1]