III Gallic Legion

The Legion was founded in 49 BC. n e. or 48 g. n e. . by order of Julius Caesar for his war with Pompey . The Legion was recruited in two Gallic provinces - Gallia of Cisalpia and Gallia of Transalpine , as indicated by its name - "Gallica" ("Gallic").

The first battle in which the legion participated was the battle of Dirrachia (modern Durres , Albania ), which occurred in the spring of 48 B.C. e. Under Caesar, the legion took part in the battle of Farsal , which occurred on August 9, 48 BC. n e. . Later, at the Battle of Munda (not far from the modern Osasuna ), which occurred on March 17, 45 BC. e. , and brilliantly won by Caesar, which actually put an end to Caesar's civil war with the Republicans.

After Caesar's death, the legion was part of the army of Mark Anthony during his Parthian campaign . He fought on the side of the second triumvirate at the battle of Philippi in October 42 BC. e. . After this battle, the first veterans of the legion received land in the vicinity of Perugia . This, in 41 BC. e. Fulvia and Lucius Anthony (the wife and brother of Marc Anthony) took advantage in order to draw them to the side of their former commander in his struggle with Octavian . The Legion and the veterans returning to it occupied Perugia, but in the winter of 41 B.C. e. were forced to surrender to the mercy of the troops of Octavian, who besieged the city.

After the reconciliation of Mark Anthony and Octavian, the legion as part of his army took part in the Parthian campaign 36 BC. e. that ended in failure. During the retreat of Anthony's forces from Parthia, the legion provides the rearguard , and, largely thanks to his heroic actions, Anthony managed to save his army.

After the defeat of Anthony in 31 BC. e. the legion entered the army of Octavian and was sent to Syria , where he again became involved in the war with Parthia, this time successful.

Over the next decades, units of the legion are used to quell Jewish uprisings and maintain order in the province. During the reign of Tiberius, a small detachment of legionnaires was in Cyprus , performing police functions.

In 63, the legion again participated in the Parthian campaign, the purpose of which was to possess Armenia , under the command of Corbulon . Corbulon with three legions captured Artaxata (present-day Yerevan ) and Tigranokert , forcing the Armenian king Tiridate , supported by Vologhes I , to ask for peace. Corbulon enthroned the great-great-grandson of Herod the Great Tigranes on the Armenian throne, however, after the departure of the Roman legions, the Parthians returned the kingdom to Tiridat.

After the suicide of Corbulon, the legion was transferred by Nero to Moesia .

In 69, the legion supported Othon and moved to his aid, but he was late and could not take part in the Battle of Bedriak . The Legion refused to recognize Vitellius as emperor and returned to Moesia. As soon as the eastern legions were declared emperor of Vespasian , the legion was the first on the Danube to support him, thereby attracting all the Danube legions to his side.

At the battle of Cremona, the legion occupied the right flank of Vespasian’s troops. With the dawn, as was customary in the legion, he turned to the sun and greeted him. This led the troops of Vitellius into confusion - they felt that the legionnaires welcomed reinforcements suitable from the east. The Legion showed its best side and it is logical that it was the soldier of this legion, Volusius , who was the first to break into the city.

At the beginning of 70, the legion was again sent to Syria under the command of the military tribune of Pliny the Younger .

In the II century, the legion is engaged in the suppression of Jewish rebellions, camped in Phenicia . He took part in the campaigns of Lucius Vera and Septimius Severus against Parthia.

The Legion played a key role in the reign of Heliogabal . In 218 , during the reign of Makrin , the grandmother of Heliogabal, Julia Mesa , arrived in Rafana (13 km northeast of the modern Irbid , Jordan ), where the legion camped under the command of Valery Komazon . Julia made large donations to the treasury of the legion, and the legionnaires, in turn, proclaimed her fourteen-year-old grandson as emperor. On June 8, 218, Makrin’s troops were defeated at Antiochus by the eastern legions of Heliogabal. Valery Komazon was rewarded with the position of prefect and became commander of the Praetorian Guard .

However, unhappy with the number of awards in the next year, 219 , the legion supported Senator Vera in claims to the throne. However, the senator was executed, and the legion was stripped of all titles and disbanded. The soldiers of the legion were transferred, for the most part, to Legion III of Augustus .

Alexander Sever , during his reign, restored the legion and again sent it to Syria.

After Valerian , who at one time commanded the legion, came to power, the legion on several coins is referred to as the Felix title, but there are no other sources for award of the legion with this title.

In 253, the legion takes part in the launched campaign against the Sassanids under the command of Valerian. The campaign was unsuccessful and in 260 most of the legion was captured with the emperor in Satal (modern Sadakh , Turkey ). Captured soldiers worked on the construction of the Shadervan bridge in Shushtar ( Iran ).

In 261, the legion was understaffed by the king of Palmyra Odenat . After the death of Odenath, the legion took the side of Aurelian and took part in the sack of Palmyra.

There are suggestions that from 261 to 269 ​​the legion was located and understaffed in Gaul , and then was returned by Aurelian again to the east, but this is unlikely.

In the time of Diocletian, the legion camped in Danab .

The last mention of the legion dates back to 323 , when he camped in Siena (modern Aswan ) in Egypt . Most likely, the legion was then disbanded, and its soldiers formed the basis for the recruitment of a new unit - the legion I Illyricorum .

• List of Roman Legions

• Legion at livius.org
• R. Kanya “Legion” A brief description of the history of various legions on the XLegio portal.
• Roman Glory Antique Martial Art