This page was last updated on 1 January 1999.

Legions of the Roman Empire


Introduction

Aside from being interested in ancient Rome, I know of at least one science fiction novel (Glen Cook's The Dragon Never Sleeps) that has military units named after Roman legions, and another (William Barton's When Heaven Fell) that borrows the form if not the actual legion names. At some point I decided to photocopy the list so I could have it handy; about ten seconds later I decided it belonged on my web page.

Note regarding The Dragon Never Sleeps

Cook's excellent The Dragon Never Sleeps lists several legions which are not mentioned in the lists below. They are:

IV Trajana (p. 215)
V Gallica (p. 244)
VI Adjutrix (p. 294)
VIII Furia (p. 244)
XII Victrix (p. 244)
XVII Macedonica (p. 187)
XXV Iberica (p. 390)
XXVI Ulpia (p. 244).

When I get the chance, I will research this a bit more. I have several books which mention individual legions (I especially recommend Edward Luttwak's The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire), but none which simply list the legions.

[Special thank to Chris Erbes, who provided the above list.]

The Legions

The historical information below is taken from Strategy and Tactics, issue #146 (November 1991), p.50.

Legion Formed Cognomia Historical Notes SF References
I Adiutrix 68 AD "Supportive" Recruited from sailors. .
I Germanica 48 BC(?) Rhine service Disbanded 69 AD. .
I Italica 66/67 AD "Recruited from Italians" . .
I Minervia 83 AD "Sacred to Minerva" . .
I Parthica 197 AD Service in Parthia . .
.
II Adiutrix 69 AD "Supportive" Recruited from sailors. .
II Augusta 43 BC(?) Reconstitution by Augustus . .
II Italica 168 AD "Recruited from Italians" . .
II Parthica 197 AD Service in Parthia . .
II Traiana 101 AD Raised by Marcus Ulpius Traianus . .
.
III Augusta 43 BC(?) Reconstitution by Augustus . .
III Cyrenaica 30 BC(?) Service in North Africa . .
III Gallica 48 BC(?) Service in Gaul . .
III Italica 168 AD "Recruited from Italians" . .
III Partica 197 AD Service in Parthia . Guardship in Dragon Never Sleeps (as "III Parthica")
.
IV Macedonica 48 BC Service in Macedonia Reconstituted as Flavia Felix in 70 AD. .
IV Scythica 30 BC(?) Victories over Scythians . .
.
V Alaudae 52 BC Celtic for "the Larks" Destroyed/disbanded 86 AD(?). .
V Macedonica 43 BC Service in Macedonia . .
.
VI Ferrata 52 BC "Ironclad" . .
VI Victrix 40/41 BC "Victorious" Also titled Hispanensis. .
.
VII Claudia 59 BC (?) Loyalty to Emperor Full title Claudia Pia Fidelis, "Claudian, Loyal and Faithful". Also titled Macedonica. .
VII Gemina 70 AD "Twin" Reconstituted from VII Hispania Guardship in Dragon Never Sleeps
VII Hispania 68 AD "Spanish" Titled Gemina after 70 AD. .
.
VIII Augusta 59 BC(?) Commemorating a victory Also titled Gallica. .
.
IX Hispana (?) "Spanish" Also titled Macedonica. Disbanded after 2nd century AD. .
.
X Fretensis 40/41 BC "Of the Channel" Title refers to participation in amphibious operations. Guardship in Dragon Never Sleeps
X Gemina 59 BC "Twin" Amalgamation of two legions. .
.
XI Claudia (?) Loyalty to Emporer Full title Claudia Pia Fidelis .
.
XII Fulminata 58 BC (?) "Equipped with Thunderbolt" . Guardship in Dragon Never Sleeps
.
XIII Gemina (?) "Twin" Amalgamation of two legions. .
.
XIV Gemina (?) "Twin" Amalgamation of two legions. Also titled Martia Victrix, "Martial and Victorious" .
.
XV Apollinaris 41/40 BC "Sacred to Apollo" . .
XV Primigenia 39 AD "First Born" Disbanded 70 AD. .
.
XVI Gallica 41/40 BC Service in Gall Reconstituted as XVI Flavia Firma in 72 AD. .
.
XVII 40/41 BC (?) Destroyed in 9 AD in Germany. .
.
XVIII 40/41 BC (?) Destroyed in 9 AD in Germany. .
.
XIX 40/41 BC (?) Destroyed in 9 AD in Germany. .
.
XX Valeria Victrix 41/40 BC "Valiant and Victorious" . .
.
XXI Rapax 41/40 BC "Grasping" (as a bird of prey) Destroyed/disbanded 102 AD (?) .
.
XXII Deiotariana 25 BC (?) From Deiotarus, king of Galatia Destroyed/disbanded 135 AD (?). .
XXII Primigenia 39 AD "First Born" . .
.
XXX Ulpia 101 AD (?) Raised by Marcus Ulpius Traianus . .

This is by no means a complete listing of the references to Roman legions in The Dragon Never Sleeps, let alone in science fiction in general. Got one for me to add? Please send it to me.