Legio III Italica

Antonine Dynasty

Marcus Aurelius in the year 165 AD raised two new legions – the II and III Italica, in preparation for a major campaign. Their names suggest that their composition was raised from populous Italy. Gaius Vettius Sabinianus was the legion's first commander.[1] Immediately after they received their eagles, both legions were sent to Pannonia which was being invaded by the Marcomanni; an inscription from Salona in Dalmatia attest to vexillations fortifying that strategic port city.[2]

Under the command of Quintus Antistius Adventus, the III Italica took part in the expeditio Germanica that protected Italy against Germanic tribes.[3] In 170 the legion probably attacked the Germanic tribes under the command of the later Emperor Pertinax in part, succeeded in the process of expelling the Germanic invaders from the provinces of Raetia and Noricum.

During the 170s the legion had no established base, but was dispersed in vexillations. Between 172 and 179 some cohorts of the legion were stationed in the large, temporary fort of Eining for around ten years. Presumably other detachments were stationed at Alkofen and Regensburg Kumpfmuehl. The legion only established a headquarters for itself around 175, as attested by an inscription at the east gate of Castra Regina (modern Regensburg).[4] From 179 AD, the entire legion was stationed in Castra Regina. In 182 the legion participated in a military campaign against the Germanic Burer tribe. Soon after their arrival in Raetia, the Legion was involved in much construction and was, among other things in the elimination of damage to the Limes forts that had arisen in the course of the Marcomanni wars involved. They also built forts in Ellingen, Pfünz, Künzing, Dambach, Passau and Straubing. For this operation, inter alia, the Legion used brickworks in Bad Abbach. A section built in the year 181 AD under the supervision of a centurion, the safety fence of the fort Böhming:

Transferred soldiers (vexillarii) of Leg III Ital have the wall (vallum), built under the supervision of Julius Iulinus, centurion of Leg III Italia.[5]

The majority of reinforcements for the legion came from the numerous villae rusticae in Raetia and initially served the legion well. After the catastrophic German invasions from the middle of the 3rd century, many of these farms were destroyed and not rebuilt.

Earlier, reinforcements were probably partly brought from northern Italy, in Trento an inscription was discovered in the late 2nd century, after a certain Gaius Valerius Marianus annonae there as adlectus legionis III Italicae was used – (literally, selected for the food supply of the Legio III Italica). However, the route over the Brenner Pass was not the only supply line, also from the Great St. Bernard is a dedicatory inscription ( 200 AD ) of Titus Claudius Severus, a frumentarius legionis (Logistics Officer). Maybe he was in the order of the governor as a courier on the road when he donated a bronze votive tablet on the pass Jupiter Poeninus.

Aurelius Silvinus, another frumentarius legionis, left behind in Rome a dedicatory inscription. He was probably an official under Severus Alexander, and consecrated on the Caelian a small marble statue of the god in the "camp of the strangers" (castra peregrina).

Severan Dynasty

In the civil war of 193 (so-called Second Year of the Four Emperors), the legion supported Septimius Severus against Didius Julianus, and later against Clodius Albinus and Pescennius Niger in the struggle for the imperial throne. As a reward for their loyalty, a series of coins were struck, they had a lapel one flanked by the eagle legion standards and the inscription LEG(io ) III ITAL(ica).

Their loyalty was continued with Severus' successor and son Caracalla, under whose guidance they took part 213 in a campaign against the Alemanni, and 214 against the Karpen in Dacia and Syria in 217.

From this time the legion held the honorary title Antoniniana. Two inscriptions from the Dacian garrison city of Alba Iulia validate the presence of two centurions of the III Legion, Marcus Ulpius Caius and Marcus Ulpius Vitalis. As part of the most battle-worthy army of the Danube the III Italica was often involved in the conflicts of the so-called "soldier-emperors" in the Crisis of the Third Century.

They also served under the last two Severans Elagabalus (218–222) and Severus Alexander (222–235). The latter gave the Legion the honorary title Severiana.

Soldier Emperors

In an inscription from Celeia (Celje, Slovenia), another name of honor will be handed over Gordiana, suggesting that a vexillation the Legion under Gordian III . proven in a campaign against the Sassanid Empire (242–244).

253 supported the collection of their commander to the emperor Valerian, a vexillation went with him 259/60 again in the East. Also an inscription of Shapur I. Sassanide, the Valerian defeated at Edessa and captured, talks of soldiers " from the people of Raeter " in the Roman army. Meanwhile, she won the West under the leadership of his son and second emperor Gallienus (253 -268) multiple victories against German tribes, for which her Title VI and VII pia pia

It is odd that the III. Italica not mentioned on the historically significant dedicatory inscription of the Augsburger Siegesaltar to 260, which has given rise to speculation about their whereabouts at the time . A complete withdrawal of the Legion of Raetia is probably excluded, as was already marching at this time only with the much more flexible vexillations into the field. The Legion had indeed been repeatedly parked departments for the Persian front, the fight against the usurper Ingenuus and against the Alemanni, a perfect deduction of the Legion would have been unwise in view of the very tense security situation.

In the year 273 it was back in the wake of the War of Emperor Aurelian against the secession of the queen of Palmyra, Zenobia, in the east of the empire in march. On Palmyrenean campaign was also a vexillation her sister Legion, the Norian II Italica, involved 272 occurred in Emesa decisive battle:

"... The Palmyrene army of 70 000 men strong [ ... ] and gathered in the plain before Emesa . Opposite them is [ Aurelian ] placed with his Dalmatian cavalry , and with the Moesiern , the Pannonians [ ... ] , and the Noriker and Rhaetians , the Celtic legions are ... "

According to the Historia Augusta took Aurelian 275 also an expedition to Raetia to there repulse sunken barbarians again. The Emperor Probus (276–282) was active militarily in Raetia and won am Lech 278/279 a crushing victory over a coalition of Burgundians and Vandals, yet raised their II and III . Italica 282 the usurper Carus as a new emperor on the shield.

Late Antiquity

In the year 285 took a vexillation possibly the campaign Maximian to Africa in part. An existing from selected soldiers of the Legion cohort was as Tertiani by 300 as legionis comitatenses in the field army Comes the Illyrici been incorporated, they were under the command of the Magister Peditum Praesentalis.

Since the end of the 5th century 4./Rhaetian Legion appeared no longer as a cohesive unit. Rather, they had been reorganized under the leadership of sub-prefect in six major vexillations. Approximately 1,000 men were probably still stationed at Castra Regina. Since the main source for this is the Notitia Dignitatum, apparently no longer reflects the original unit with the pars inferior (section between Regensburg and Passau), can be probably take more vexillations for the early 4th century.

The northern border of Raetia now formed according ND pars superior (upper part), larger departments of the Legion stationed in Submuntorio and Vallato. The western boundary was the pars media (middle part) with the city Cambodunum and border post Vemania to Cassilacum.

The Tertia Italica was now "under the decree of the Most Honourable General of the provinces Raetiae I and II" (Sub dispositione viri spectabilis ducis provinciae Raetiae primae et secundae). It was spread over five locations, where each vexillation was again led by its own Praefectus.

In a passage of the Notitia Dignitatum states:

Praefectus legionis tertiae Italicae partis superioris, Castra Regina, nunc Vallato (Manching or world castle) Praefectus legionis tertiae Italicae partis superioris deputatae ripae primae, Submuntorio (Burghöfe (Mertingen)) Praefectus legionis tertiae Italicae per parte media praetendentis a Vimania (Isny) Cassiliacum usque, Cambidano (Kempten) Praefectus legionis tertiae Italicae transvectioni specierum deputatae, Foetibus "prefect of Legio III Italica, department to ensure the replenishment in fort Foetibus" (feet / Tyrol) and a Praefectus legionis tertiae Italicae transvectioni specierum deputatae, Teriolis, Department for securing the replenishment in fort Teriolis "(Zirl in Tyrol). The soldiers from Zirl transported and probably secured with supporting animal species to geschafften over the Brenner food and consumer goods to Seefeld saddle and handed them over there the cohort of feet. From the foot of the supply boats could be transported further down the Lech Valley, to provide, for example, the departments in Submuntorio (Burghöfe (Mertingen)) and others units. The road from the foot to the northwest led by Cambodunum / Kempten, where again the forts could be achieved at the Iller.

The vexillation in castle courtyards oversaw probably the section of road to the nearby provincial capital of Augusta Vindelicorum Augsburg Presumably, this unit was also equipped with rowing boats and controlled so that, inter alia, the Danube marshes west and east of the Lech mouth.

With the loss of Dekumatlandes had become a border town Cambodunum (Kempten). From Kempten to Iller mouth of the Empire's border ran along the river. Most likely was (0.7 ha) mentioned in the Notitia Dignitatum about 200 men stationed strong Legio III Italica vexillation of the higher grounds of the castle mound. This vexillation was responsible for the defense of the fort chain of Vimania (Isny) to Cassiliacum (Memmingen?)

Since the cognomen III Italica Gordiana is recorded, vexellations (sub-units) of the legion were involved in Emperor Gordian III's campaign against the Sassanid Empire in 243–244.

As part of the powerful Danubian army, III Italica took part in the frequent 3rd century internal power struggles. The legion fought for Gallienus against his rival Postumus, so it was awarded with the VI Pia VI Fidelis and VII Pia VII Fidelis (seven times faithful and loyal) cognomen. III Italica main camp was still Regensburg, but they were included in the 273 campaign commanded by emperor Aurelian against queen Zenobia.

Shield pattern of the Tertiani Italica, the comitatensis legion derived from III Italica.

Vexillations of the legion, comitatensis units, are mentioned in Notitia Dignitatum as still being in Castra Regina and the Danubian provinces during the early 5th century.

• List of Roman legions

• livius.org account of Legio III Italica
• LEGIO TERTIA ITALICA ANTONINIANA, German re-enactment group.
• Legio III Italica, US re-enactment group. [Dead Link]