Legio VIIII Hispana (or the Ninth Hispanic Legion), sometimes known as Legio IX Hispana[1] was a Roman legion probably levied by Julius Caesar before 58 BC, for his Gallic wars. The legion had disappeared by the reign of Marcus Aurelius in the 2nd century, probably destroyed. The legion's symbol is unknown, likely a bull, as other legions created by Caesar.
Campaigns
Origins and the Gallic wars
The origins of the legion are not exactly certain, because early literary references in regards to them are sparse.[2] The name of the legion refers to Hispania; a name which was given to the entire Iberian Peninsula by the Romans. Sources state that they were amongst the oldest legions in the imperial Roman army, along with seventh, eighth and tenth.[3]
It usually citied is that is goes back to Julius Caesar's IX legion who were fighting in Gaul.[1]
The Ninth Legion was present during the whole campaign of the Gallic wars. Later, they remained faithful to Caesar in the civil war against the conservative faction of the Senate led by Pompey. They fought in the battles of Dyrrhachium and Pharsalus (48 BC) and in the African campaign of 46 BC. After his final victory, Caesar disbanded the legion and settled the veterans in the area of Picenum.
Following Caesar's assassination, Octavian recalled the veterans of the Ninth to fight against the rebellion of Sextus Pompeius in Sicily. After his defeat, they were sent to the province of Macedonia. The Ninth remained with Octavian in his war of 31 BC against Mark Antony and fought by his side in the battle of Actium. With Octavian as sole ruler of the Roman world, the legion was sent to Hispania to take part in the large scale campaign against the Cantabrians (25–13 BC). Their surname Hispana likely dates from this event and was probably earned for distinction in fighting.
After this, the legion was probably a member of the imperial army in the Rhine border that was campaigning against the Germanic tribes. Following the abandonment of the Eastern Rhine area (after the disaster of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest — AD 9), the Ninth was relocated in Pannonia.
Invasion of Britain
In 43 they participated in the Roman invasion of Britain led by emperor Claudius and general Aulus Plautius. Under the command of Caesius Nasica they put down the first revolt of Venutius between 52 and 57. The Ninth suffered important losses under Quintus Petillius Cerialis in the rebellion of Boudica (61) and was later reinforced with legionaries from the Germania provinces. Their last record in Britain dates from the late 1st century (AD71) when they set up a fortress which later became part of Eburacum once the colonia was established, and is now York.
Disappearance
Although it is often said that the legion disappeared in 117,[4] there are extant records for the Ninth legion later than that year, and it was probably annihilated in the east of the Roman Empire. It was certainly in Nijmegen in 121 and was probably finally destroyed during the Bar Kochba Revolt in Palestine or in a conflict with the Parthian Empire in 161.[5]
Popular culture references
For a time it was believed, at least by some British historians, that the legion disappeared during its stay in Britain, presumably in conflict with the peoples of present-day Scotland. This idea was used in the novels The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff, Legion From the Shadows by Karl Edward Wagner, Red Shift by Alan Garner, Engine City by Ken MacLeod, Warriors of Alavna by N. M. Browne, and also in the movie The Last Legion.
See also
References
External links
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