III Parthian Legion

It can be argued that the Third Parthian Legion is the least known of all the legions of the time of the Principate ^[2] . It is absolutely known that it was formed in 197 by the order of the emperor Septimius Severus simultaneously with two other legions that bore the same nickname - I and II Parthian ^[3] . Perhaps the legions included the remains of the usurper Pescennius Niger’s army ^[4] . Septimius Severus really needed new units for the campaign against the Parthian kingdom . The expedition was very successful and culminated in the capture of the Parthian capital Ctesiphon . According to the Roman historian Dion Cassius , the I and III Parthian legions remained as a garrison in the newly conquered territories, which were organized in the province of Mesopotamia ^[5] . The II Parthian Legion was transferred to Alban near Rome, where it served as the strategic reserve of the empire.

Mesopotamia was an unusual province due to the fact that its governor was a prefect who came from a horseman class , and not a senator ^[2] . Accordingly, the legate of the III Parthian Legion was not a senator, but a horseman ^[6] .

The III Parthian Legion was stationed in a fortress called Resaena (it is sometimes assumed that the legion was in Nisibis ) on Upper Habor ^[7] . Archaeological excavations, which could provide more detailed information about the history of the legion, are problematic, since the region is located in the military zone between Syria and Turkey . However, individual coins were found with the legend “LE III PS” ( lat. Legio III Partica Severiana - III Parthiansky Severov legion) ^[2] .

While in Resaena, the Third Parthian Legion controlled the road between the former Arab principalities of Edessa and Nisibis, and also defended the empire from the Parthians and (after the fall of their kingdom) the Sassanids . It is interesting to note that Resaena was located far behind the actual border. Perhaps Septimius Severus has already begun experimenting with a defense in depth, the creation of which began under Gallienus after 260 and was brought to perfection under Constantine I the Great ^[2] .

The III Parthian Legion undoubtedly took part in numerous conflicts on the eastern border in the III century. So, he was part of the Roman army during the Parthian campaign of Caracalla and Makrin , and was also involved by Alexander Severus in a drawless campaign against the Sassanids. The Sassanids invaded Mesopotamia in the 230s, but the emperor was able to restore order and carried out a counterattack, suffering, however, heavy losses ^[2] . On coins from Sidon , minted under Heliogabal , and on coins from Resaena, belonging to the reign of Alexander the North, the Third Parthian Legion is mentioned ^[3] . Under Alexander North, the legion received the honorary title of "Severs" ^[8] .

Most likely, the legion took part in the Persian campaign of Gordian III and the battle of Resaen ^[2] .

Coins bearing the legend “L III PIA” may refer to this victory. They also show that the Third Parthian Legion received the title “Pia” - “pious”. According to some assumptions, such coins were minted in the reign of Decius Trajan , who, however, did not campaign in the east. Based on the coins mentioned above from Sidon, it can be concluded that veterans of the legion were settled in this city ^[2] .

In 256, the Persian king Shapur I attacked the Roman state and captured many cities. When the Roman emperor Valerian tried to restore order and invaded Mesopotamia, he was defeated and captured. However, the king of Palmyra, Odenat, managed to defend the eastern provinces. Under Diocletian, as a result of the campaign of his co-ruler Galerius, the Persians were defeated and they had to abandon claims in the territory in northern Mesopotamia. The Third Parthian Legion must have played a role during these campaigns, but we have almost no information about this. There is one gold coin found in the Roman theater in Arausion , which was minted by the Gallic emperor Victorinus in the year 271. It contains the legend “LEG III PARTHICA”. This indicates the possibility of the participation of certain units of the legion in some actions in the West, but this is unlikely ^[2] . Under Diocletian, the legion was redeployed to Apadna in Osroen near the confluence of the Habor and Euphrates ^[9] .

Although, in principle, it is not unusual that units of the legion were sent to other parts of the empire. There is mention of a soldier of the III Parthian Legion (possibly I of Parthian) who buried his son in Cilicia . Another soldier buried in Isavria , a turbulent region, may have been killed in action ^[2] .

At the beginning of the 5th century, the 3rd Parthian Legion was last mentioned in the sources. According to Notitia Dignitatum , he was still in Apadna under the command of the Dux Osroena ^[10] .

1. Emil Ritterling. Paulys Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft. Legio (III Parthica). Band XII, 2. - Stuttgart, 1925. - 1539 p.
2. Paul Erdkamp. A companion to the Roman army. - Malden MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2007.

1. R. Kanya. A brief history of various legions (Russian) . Legio 2001.
2. Jona Lendering. Legio III Parthica . Livius.org . 2002.
3. Legio III Parthica (German) . imperiumromanum.com .

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