XVI Gallic Legion

Ground

This legion was founded in 41 or 40 BC. e. Octavian , who needed extra strength to put an end to the occupation of Sextus Pompey of Sicily, which threatened the supply of grain to Rome ^[1] . When in 36 BC e. Pompey was defeated, the legion was probably sent to Africa , where several coins were found with the legend “LEG XVI” and a portrait of the young Octavian ^[2] . Not later than 27 years BC e. The XVI Gallic Legion was stationed in Gaul ^[2] . Perhaps after that he served for some time on the German border ^[1] .

Reaction

According to one version, from 15 BC. e. 9 year old e. Separate units of the XVI Gallic Legion were located in the region of Augsburg in Retsii . In 1959, a helmet of the Hagenau type was discovered on a gravel pit near Neu-Ulm with an inscription mentioning the legion: “Le (gio) XVI P (ubli) Aur (eli) IR (?) I (centuria) Arabi M (arci) Munati” ^[3] . Moreover, the find is located near the ruins of the Roman fortress of Burlafingen ^[4] . The helmet is typical for the first half of the 1st century and generally coincides with the time of the construction of the fortress ^[5] .

However, the fortress in Burlafingen and in neighboring Nersingen are more likely to be border control points and the presence of the legion here is unlikely. And even the helmet found cannot finally confirm the opposite. Due to the fact that a lot of things were found in the Burlafingen area near the Danube , it is assumed that the helmet should be considered as a donation to the river. This gift could be made by a legionnaire recruited from the local population, who adhered to the old local customs ^[4] .

Mogontiac

In 13 BC e. The XIV Paired and XVI Gallic Legions were relocated to the newly built camp in Mogontziak ^[6] . In 12-9 years BC. e. XVI Gallic legion was part of the Roman army under the command of Druze the Elder , who participated in the campaign in Germany ^[2] . When Druz died in 9 BC. e., soldiers of the XIV Paired and XVI Gallic legions built a cenotaph in Mogontziac in his honor ^[7] .

In the year 6, Tiberius went on a campaign against the Moroccan king Marobod . In total, he deployed twelve legions along with auxiliary troops, which represented half of the total military potential of the Romans at that time. Shortly after the start of the campaign, Tiberius received news of the uprising in Pannonia . Having made peace with Marobod, Tiberius went to suppress the rebellion. Undoubtedly, the XVI Gallic Legion took part in these events ^[1] .

In the fall of 9 years, when three Roman legions were destroyed in a battle in the Teutoburg Forest , the XVI Gallic Legion occupied the city of Altar Ubiev for a while and prevented a German attack on Belgica ^[1] . Nevertheless, the base of the legion remained in Mogontiac, where it soon returned and was supplemented by the XIII Paired and II August Legions ^[8] . After the death of Augustus in the year 14, legions rebelled in Germany, but they were soon reassured by Germanicus and sworn in ^[9] . In the years 14-16, the legions fought against the Germans over the Rhine ^[10] .

In the winter of 40/41, the governor of Upper Germany Servius Sulpicius Galba (future emperor) defeated the Germanic Hutt tribe, who lived near Mogontziak, and although the XVI Gallic legion was not mentioned in the description of this event by Dion Cassius ^[11] , he most likely accepted active participation in it ^[1] .

An analysis of the inscriptions from Mogontziac showed that 71% of the legionnaires of the 16th Gallic Legion were of Italian origin, and 29% of Gallic legion ^[12] .

Novezius

In the year 43, when the emperor Claudius took the XX Valeryev Victorious Legion from Novezia ( Lower Germany ) to invade Britain, the 16th Gallic was relocated there ^[2] . The legionnaires seem to have rebuilt part of their new fortress, probably using the stone they mined in Brohl ^[1] . In Brohl, perhaps, there was also the vexillation of the legion ^[13] . Presumably, at this time the legion was nicknamed "Germanic" ^[14] .

In 67, the legion participated in the suppression of the revolt of the governor of Lugdun Gaul Gaius Julius Vindeks ^[1] . In 69, the 16th Gallic Legion took the oath to the successor of Nero Galbe , but soon switched to the side of the governor of Lower Germany Vitellius , who proclaimed himself emperor ^[15] . Part of the legion went with him on a campaign in Italy. She took part in the battle of Bedriak , but then was defeated at Cremona by the army of Vespasian ^[15] .

Meanwhile, in Lower Germany, the Batavian uprising began. The Roman expeditionary force, consisting of the remnants of the V legion of the Zhavoronkov and XV the Firstborn , was defeated at Noviomag and was besieged in Castra Veter in the winter of 69/70. Although the I German , XVI Gallic and XXII Firstborn legions tried to save them, the two legions in Castra Veter were forced to surrender in March 70, but were killed. Not much later, I German and XVI Gallic surrendered in Bonn ^[1] .

Several months passed before the new emperor Vespasian could send a strong Roman army under the command of his relative Quintus Petillius Ceria , who defeated the rebels. V legion Zhavoronkov and XV Firstborn were never restored; The 16th Gallic and 4th Macedonian , which was guarded by Mogontziak, were disbanded, but new IV Happy Flavians and 16th Stable Flavian legions were recruited from among their soldiers ^[1] .

1. Emil Ritterling. Paulys Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft. Legio (XVI). Band XII, 2. - Stuttgart, 1925. - 1761-1764 p.
2. Hildegard Temporini, Wolfgang Haase, (Hrg). Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt (ANRW). Teil II Bd. 5/1. - Berlin - New York: de Gruyter, 1976.
3. Hans-Peter Kuhnen (Hrsg.). Abgetaucht, aufgetaucht - Flußfundstücke. Aus der Geschichte. Mit ihrer Geschichte. - Trier: Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier, 2001.

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

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