SAPIENS UBIQUE CIVIS INTERNATIONAL DOCTORAL CONFERENCE ON CLASSICS
The Forgotten Legion
THE LEGIO III AUGUSTA IN RAETIA
Farkas István Gergő
University of Pécs
Interdisc. Doctoral School
SZEGED 2013.08.29.
The extent of the Roman Empire in January 15 BC
The extent of the Roman Empire in January 15 BC
The extent of the Roman Empire in December 15 BC
3
2
1 Germania 4
2 Raetia
3 Noricum
4 Pannonia
The extent of the Roman Empire c. AD 160
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RAETIA
military non-military
• Italia’s defense • Transport on the Danube
• Alpine passes • Agri decumates
• Buffer zone
• Unified borders
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RAETIA 2.
civic military
SMR Canabae Vici Legionary Auxiliary Numerus Fortlet Misc.
1 1 c. 50 2 47 13 24 5
c. 52 86+5
*SMR: Settlement of Municipal Rank
Roman Legions in Raetia 1.
Legio III Italica
◦ AD 165/166 – 179
◦ AD 179 – first quarter of the 6th c. AD
Legio III Augusta
◦ Spring of AD 238 – Autumn of AD 253
Roman Legions in Raetia 2.
Legio I Italica
◦ Günzburg
Legio III (Italica?)
◦Tiefelcastel, Riom-Parsonz,
Bivio, Ummendorf
Legio XVI (Gallica)
◦Burlafingen
The so-called Burlafingen helm
Roman Legions in Raetia 3.
legio III Italica
legio III Augusta
AD
-15 0 ... 150 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300
AD
300 400 500 600
History of the Legio III Augusta
238, early January: M. Antonius Sempronianus Gordianus and his son
are proclaimed Emperors in Carthage as Gordian I and II
238, c. 20th January: Capelianus, governor of Numidia, legatus of the
legio III Augusta suppresses the Gordians
238, middle of April: Death of Emperors Maximinus I and Maximus I
238, early May: Death of Emperors Pupienus and Balbinus; the
grandson of Gordian I is proclaimed Emperor by the Roman Army and
the Senate as Gordian III
238, Summer: Gordian III disbands the legio III Augusta but allows
several of its soldiers to continue their service in Raetia
Dating based on KIENAST 19962
Legio III Augusta 1.
CIL VIII, 2842 + 17976
Mlili (Algeria)
21st of October AD 253
Vic(toriae) Aug(ustae) │ pro sal(ute) dd(ominorum) nn(ostrorum) │
Valeriani et Gall│ieni [Augg(ustorum) vexi]llat(io) mill │[iaria leg(ionis) III
Aug(ustae) re]stitu │tae Raet(ia) Geme │ll(as) regressi die XI Kal(endas)
Nove(mbres) Volusi │ano II et Maximo │ co(n)s(ulibus) votum solver │unt
per M(arcum) Fl(avium) Valente(m) │ 7 (centurionem) leg(ionis) s(upra)
s(criptae) L(ucius) Volum(n)ius │Cresce(n)s op(tio) pri(ncipis) │ M(arcus)
Aurel(ius) Licinius op(tio) │ C(aius) Geminius Victor op(tio) │ {e}sculp(sit) et
s(cripsit) Donatus.
Legio III Augusta 2.
CIL VIII, 10 474, 09 + 22 631, 17a
Tazoult -Lambaesis (Algeria)
Summer of AD 238
[Le]g(io) III Aug(usta) Gor(diana).
Legio III Augusta 3.
CIL III, 4855
Hörzendorf (Austria)
AD 179+ (238/253)
Memoriae │ Val(erio) Cl(audio) Quinti(!) │ p(rimo) p(ilo) leg(ionis) II
Ital(icae) │ duci leg(ionis) III Ital(icae) │ duci et praep(osito) leg(ionis) III │
Aug(ustae) viro innocen│tissimo │ Iul(ius) Eutychianus │ et Iul(ius)
Auxanon│ alumn(i).
The Legion’s Station 1.
North African structural parallels on the
Raetian limes:
◦ Burgsalach „In der Harlach”; centenarium
FLEER 2004, 85: 'Typ. Burgsalach'
◦ Theilenhofen; porta decumana
REUTER 2007, 98-99
WELSBY 1990, 118, fig. 2.
The Legion’s Station 2.
Semicircular termination:
An architectural solution
mostly unknown in
Europe, but common in
the North African
provinces.
Burgsalach „In der Harlach”
centenarium
CZYSZ et al. 1995, 431, fig. 124.
The Legion’s Station 3.
Semicircular termination:
An architectural solution
mostly unknown in
Europe, but common in
the North African
provinces.
Theilenhofen auxiliary fort
FAßBINDER 2010, 97, fig. 9.
The Legio III Augusta in Raetia
Theilenhofen
Burgsalach
The roles of Legionary soldiers
1. Defensive and offensive actions
2. Construction, maintenance, reconstruction and
expansion of forts and watchtowers
3. Construction and maintenance of roads and
bridges
4. Fulfilling the religio publica
Building inscriptions
CIL III, 11965
Regensburg (Germany)
AD 179
CIL III, 14370,2
Böhming (Germany)
AD 181
Building inscriptions
Ellingen
Böhming
Regensburg
Aalen
Milestones
CIL XVII, 4, 70
Kösching (Germany)
AD 200/201
Imp(erator) Caesar │ L(ucius) Septimius Severus
Pius │ Pertinax Aug(ustus) Arab(icus) │
Adiab(enicus) Parthicus maximus │ pontif(ex)
max(imus) trib(unicia) pot(estate) VIIII
│imp(erator) XII co(n)s(ul) II p(ater) p(atriae)
proco(n)s(ul) et │Imp(erator) Caesar Marcus
Aurel(ius) │Antoninus Pius Aug(ustus) trib(unicia)
│pot(estate) IIII proco(n)s(ul) [[[et P(ublius)
Septim(ius)]]] │[[[Geta nobilissimus Caesar]]]
│vias et pont(es) rest(ituerunt) │ab Aug(usta)
m(ilia) p(assuum) LXII │a leg(ione) m(ilia)
p(assuum) XXXIIII.
Milestones
Kösching Burgweinting
Bergheim
Nassenfels (2)
Altars and other votive
inscriptions (plates, instrumenta)
Lupa 6582 Lupa 6562
Regensburg-Weinweg Regensburg-Niedermünster
AD 192/300 AD 177/180
Votive inscriptions
Regensburg
Legio III Italica
Official tasks of legionary Individual tasks of legionary
soldiers soldiers:
1. Constructions 1. Public offices
2. Expanding and renovating the 2. Private religion
road system (including bridges 3. Funerary customs
and tunnels) 4. Everyday life
3. Tending to the Imperatorial
cult Private constructions
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
