Legio XVIII
Legio XVIII ("Eighteenth Legion", spelled XVIII or XIIX[1][2]) was a legion of the Imperial Roman army. It was founded ca. 41 BC by the future emperor Augustus. The legion was, along with Legio XVII and Legio XIX, destroyed in the Battle of Teutoburg Forest (September 9, 9 AD). The legion's symbol and cognomen are unknown.
This legion was probably created to deal with Sextus Pompeius, the last opponent of the second triumvirate, garrisoned in Sicily and threatening Rome's grain supply. It was probably one of the eight legions Augustus promised Mark Antony for his campaign against the Parthians, but never delivered.[citation needed]
Following the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra in the battle of Actium (31 BC), the legion was stationed in Gaul. In the end of the 1st century BC, the XVIIIth was sent to the Germania provinces in the Rhine to take part in the enormous army led by Drusus and later Tiberius. In 5, the provinces were pacified. In 7, Publius Quinctilius Varus was assigned governor.
On September 9, Arminius, leader of the Cheruscan allies, reported a rebellion in the Rhine area. Without suspecting the information received, Varus took his three legions, the XVIII along with XVII and XIX, and headed west. Near modern Osnabrück, the Cheruscii led by Arminius ambushed the governor's army. All three legions were destroyed in what is known as the Battle of Teutoburg Forest and their eagle standards lost.
After their destruction, the Romans never used these legion numbers (XVII, XVIII and XIX) again.
Known members of the legion
Name | Rank | Time frame | Province | Soldier located in | Veteran located in | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gaius Pompeius Proculus | tribunus militum | ? | ? | ? | Italy | |
Marcus Caelius | centurio | ? | Raetia? | ? | - |
See also
References
External links
- livius.org account of the eighteenth legion
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- Legio I Adiutrix
- Legio I Armeniaca
- Legio I Flavia Constantia
- Legio I Germanica
- Legio I Illyricorum
- Legio I Iovia
- Legio I Isaura Sagittaria
- Legio I Italica
- Legio I Macriana liberatrix
- Legio I Maximiana
- Legio I Minervia
- Legio I Parthica
- Legio II Adiutrix
- Legio II Armeniaca
- Legio II Augusta
- Legio II Flavia Constantia
- Legio II Flavia Virtutis
- Legio II Gallica
- Legio II Herculia
- Legio II Isaura
- Legio II Italica
- Legio II Parthica
- Legio II Traiana Fortis
- Legio III Augusta
- Legio III Cyrenaica
- Legio III Diocletiana
- Legio III Gallica
- Legio III Isaura
- Legio III Italica
- Legio III Parthica
- Legio IV Flavia Felix
- Legio IV Italica
- Legio IV Macedonica
- Legio IV Martia
- Legio IV Scythica
- Legio V Alaudae
- Legio V Iovia
- Legio V Macedonica
- Legio V Parthica
- Legio VI Ferrata
- Legio VI Herculia
- Legio VI Hispana
- Legio VI Victrix
- Legio VII Claudia
- Legio VII Gemina
- Legio VIII Augusta
- Legio IX Hispana
- Legio X Equestris
- Legio X Fretensis
- Legio X Gemina
- Legio XI
- Legio XI Claudia
- Legio XII Fulminata
- Legio XIII Gemina
- Legio XIV Gemina
- Legio XV Apollinaris
- Legio XV Primigenia
- Legio XVI Flavia Firma
- Legio XVI Gallica
- Legio XVII
- Legio XVIII
- Legio XIX
- Legio XX Siciliana
- Legio XX Valeria Victrix
- Legio XXI Rapax
- Legio XXII Deiotariana
- Legio XXII Primigenia
- Legio XXX Ulpia Victrix