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{{RomanMilitary}}
'''Legio XIII''', known after [[31 BC]] as '''Gemina''' (the "twin legion"), is one of the more historically remarkable [[Roman legions]]. It was one of [[Julius Caesar]]'s key units in [[Gaul]], and in the [[Roman Republican civil wars|civil war]], and was the legion with which he famously [[crossing the Rubicon|crossed the Rubicon]] on [[January 10]], [[49 BC]]. The legion appears to have still been in existence in the 5th century; it symbol was the lion.
'''Legio XIII''', known after [[31 BC]] as '''Gemina''' (the "twin legion"), is one of the more historically remarkable [[Roman legions]]. It was one of [[Julius Caesar]]'s key units in [[Gaul]], and in the [[Roman Republican civil wars|civil war]], and was the legion with which he famously [[crossing the Rubicon|crossed the Rubicon]] on [[January 10]], [[49 BC]]. The legion appears to have still been in existence in the 5th century; its symbol was the lion.

[[Special:Contributions/79.162.47.83|79.162.47.83]] ([[User talk:79.162.47.83|talk]]) 19:15, 10 July 2008 (UTC)
== History ==
== History ==
=== Under the late Republic ===
=== Under the late Republic ===
Line 30: Line 30:
During the [[Gallic wars]] ([[58 BC|58]]-[[51 BC]]), Legio XIII was present at the [[Battle against the Nervians]], the [[siege of Gergovia]], and while not specifically mentioned in the sources, it is reasonable to assume that Legio XIII was also present for the [[Battle of Alesia]].
During the [[Gallic wars]] ([[58 BC|58]]-[[51 BC]]), Legio XIII was present at the [[Battle against the Nervians]], the [[siege of Gergovia]], and while not specifically mentioned in the sources, it is reasonable to assume that Legio XIII was also present for the [[Battle of Alesia]].


After the end of the Gallic wars, the [[Roman senate]] refused Caesar his second consulship, ordered him to give up his commands, and demanded he return to [[Rome]] to face prosecution. Forced to choose either the end of his political career, or civil war, Caesar brought ''Legio XIII'' across the [[Rubicon]] river and into Italy. The legion remained faithful to Caesar during the resulting civil war between Caesar and the conservative [[Optimates]] faction of the senate, whose legions were commanded by [[Pompey]]. Legio XIII was active throughout the entire war, fighting at [[Battle of Dyrrhachium (48 BC)|Dyrrhachium]] ([[48 BC]]) and [[Battle of Pharsalus|Pharsalus]] ([[48 BC]]). After the decisive victory over Pompey at Pharsalus, the legion was to be disbanded, and the [[legionaries]] "pensioned off" with the traditional land grants; however, the legion was recalled for the [[Battle of Thapsus]] ([[46 BC]]) and the final [[Battle of Munda]] ([[45 BC]]). After Munda, Caesar disbanded the legion, retired his veterans, and gave them farmlands in Italy.
After the end of the Gallic wars, the [[Roman senate]] refused Caesar his second consulship, ordered him to give up his commands, and demanded he return to [[Rome]] to face prosecution. Forced to choose either the end of his political career, or civil war, Caesar brought ''Legio XIII'' across the [[Rubicon]] river and into Italy. The legion remained faithful to Caesar during the resulting civil war between Caesar and the conservative [[Optimates]] faction of the senate, whose legions were commanded by [[Pompey]]. Legio XIII was active throughout the entire war, fighting at [[Battle of Dyrrhachium (48 BC)|Dyrrhachium]] ([[48 BC]]) and [[Battle of Pharsalus|Pharsalus]] ([[48 BC]]). After the decisive victory over Pompey at Pharsalus, the legion was to be disbanded, and the [[legionaries]] "pensioned off" with the traditional land grants; however, the legion was recalled for the [[Battle of Thapsus]] ([[46 BC]]) and the final [[Battle of Munda]] ([[45 BC]]). After Munda, Caesar disbanded the legion, retired his veterans, and gave them farmland in Italy.


=== Under the Empire ===
=== Under the Empire ===

Revision as of 19:18, 10 July 2008

Legio XIII Gemina
Sestertius minted in 248 by Philip the Arab to celebrate the province of Dacia and its legions, V Macedonica and XIII Gemina. Note the eagle and lion, symbols on the reverse, respectively of legio V and legio XIII.
Active57 BC to sometime in the 5th century
CountryRoman Republic and Roman Empire
TypeRoman legion (Marian)
RoleInfantry assault (some cavalry support)
SizeVaried over unit lifetime. Approx. 3,500 fighting men + support at the time of creation. Expanded and given the cognomen Gemina in 31 BC.
Garrison/HQBurnum, Illyricum (1st century BC)
Emona, Pannonia (1st century)
Augusta Vindelica, Germania Superior
Poetovio, Pannonia (1st century)
Roman Dacia (106 - c. 270)
Dacia Aureliana (since 270)
Babylon in Egypt (400s)
NicknamesGemina, "The twin" (since 31 BC)
Pia Fidelis, "Faithful and loyal"[1]
MascotLion
EngagementsGallic Wars (58-51 BC)
Battle against the Nervians (57 BC)
Battle of Gergovia (52 BC)
Battle of Alesia (52 BC) - uncertain
Battle of Dyrrhachium (48 BC)
Battle of Pharsalus (48 BC)
Battle of Thapsus (46 BC)
Battle of Munda (45 BC)
Battle of Actium (31 BC)
1st and 2nd Battle of Bedriacum (69)
Dacian Wars (101-102,105-106)
Vexillationes of the 13th participated in many other campaigns.
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Julius Caesar,
Marcus Salvius Otho,
Marcus Antonius Primus

Legio XIII, known after 31 BC as Gemina (the "twin legion"), is one of the more historically remarkable Roman legions. It was one of Julius Caesar's key units in Gaul, and in the civil war, and was the legion with which he famously crossed the Rubicon on January 10, 49 BC. The legion appears to have still been in existence in the 5th century; its symbol was the lion.

History

Under the late Republic

Legio XIII was levied by Julius Caesar in 57 BC, before marching against the Belgae, in one of his early interventions in intra-Gallic conflicts.

During the Gallic wars (58-51 BC), Legio XIII was present at the Battle against the Nervians, the siege of Gergovia, and while not specifically mentioned in the sources, it is reasonable to assume that Legio XIII was also present for the Battle of Alesia.

After the end of the Gallic wars, the Roman senate refused Caesar his second consulship, ordered him to give up his commands, and demanded he return to Rome to face prosecution. Forced to choose either the end of his political career, or civil war, Caesar brought Legio XIII across the Rubicon river and into Italy. The legion remained faithful to Caesar during the resulting civil war between Caesar and the conservative Optimates faction of the senate, whose legions were commanded by Pompey. Legio XIII was active throughout the entire war, fighting at Dyrrhachium (48 BC) and Pharsalus (48 BC). After the decisive victory over Pompey at Pharsalus, the legion was to be disbanded, and the legionaries "pensioned off" with the traditional land grants; however, the legion was recalled for the Battle of Thapsus (46 BC) and the final Battle of Munda (45 BC). After Munda, Caesar disbanded the legion, retired his veterans, and gave them farmland in Italy.

Under the Empire

Augustus reconstituted the legion once again in 41 BC to deal with rebellion of Sextus Pompeius (son of Pompey) in Sicily.

Legio XIII acquired the cognomen Gemina ("twin", a common appellation for legions constituted from portions of others) after being reinforced with veteran legionaries from other legions following the war against Mark Antony and the Battle of Actium.[2] Augustus then sent the legion to Burnum (modern Knin), in Illyricum, a Roman province in the Adriatic Sea.

In 16 BC, the legion was transferred to Emona (now Ljubljana) in Pannonia, where they dealt with local rebellions.

After the disaster of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD, the legion was sent as reinforcements to Augusta Vindelicorum (Augsburg), Raetia, to prevent further attacks from the Germanic tribes.

Emperor Claudius sent them back to Pannonia around 45; the legion camped at Poetovio (modern Ptuj, Slovenia).

In the year of the four emperors (69), XIII Gemina supported first Otho and then Vespasian against Vitellius, fighting in the two Battles of Bedriacum.

Stamped Brick
Position of Roman legions in 80. XIII Gemina was in Poetovio (mark 12).

Under Trajan the Legion took part in both Dacian wars (101-102, 105-106), and it was transferred by Trajan in 106 to the newly conquered province of Dacia (in Apulum, modern Alba Iulia, Romania) to garrison it.

Vexillationes of the XIII Gemina fought under Emperor Gallienus in northern Italy. The emperor issued a legionary antoninianus celebrating the legion, and showing the legion's lion (259-260).[3] Another vexillatio was present in the army of the emperor of the Gallic Empire Victorinus: this emperor, in fact, issued a gold coin celebrating the legion and its emblem.[4]

In 271, the legion was relocated when the Dacia province was evacuated, and restationed in Dacia Aureliana.

In the 5th century, according to the Notitia Dignitatum, a legio tertiadecima gemina was in Babylon in Egypt, a strategic fortress on the Nile at the traditional border between Lower Egypt and Middle Egypt, under the command of the Comes limitis Aegypti.[5]

Fictional accounts

  • A fictionalized account some of the actions of Legio XIII Gemina during the struggle between Julius Caesar and the Optimates faction under Pompey can be seen in the joint HBO/BBC/RAI television production Rome.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Steiner, Johann Wilhelm C. (1851). Codex inscriptionum romanarum Danubii et Rheni. pp. p. 253. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  2. ^ Birley, E.B. "A Note on the Title 'Gemina'". Journal of Roman Studies (18): pp. 56–60. {{cite journal}}: |pages= has extra text (help)
  3. ^ Cowan, p. 17.
  4. ^ Cowan, p. 26.
  5. ^ Notitia Dignitatum, In partibus Orientis, XXVIII

References

Primary sources

Secondary sources

  • Lendering, Jona. "Legio XIII Gemina". Retrieved 2006-11-18.
  • Cowan, Ross (2003). Imperial Roman Legionary AD 161-284. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-601-1. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special%3ADiff%2F224863244