Guest spartacus Posted March 3, 2005 Report Share Posted March 3, 2005 Which Legion can be deemed the most successful Legion and why? also Which Legion could be deemed the worst? Success could be battles won, least casualties whilst worst legion could be one with the least victories, desertion rate poor, losing in battle etc! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maximus Posted March 3, 2005 Report Share Posted March 3, 2005 I think Legio II Augusta because they were Vespasians commandoes. The Elite!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.Clodius Posted March 3, 2005 Report Share Posted March 3, 2005 I would say the most famous is Legio X, Caesar's favorites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeke Posted March 4, 2005 Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 I would say Veleria Virtix, or Legion XX because it really never lost a battle and was stationed in Britian for a very long time it is also thee most documented Legion in the empire they lasted till the the time of Theodeious I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pompeius magnus Posted March 4, 2005 Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 Obvoiusly the worst would have been the imfamous legion of varius as I believe augustus said: Varius give me back my legions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scanderbeg Posted March 4, 2005 Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 The destruction of the three legions at teutenburg was more of a Generals fault then legion. They did their best. They tried their hardest to pull through. They endured so much. Varus was nothing but a fool. He was warned, he did not send any reconiscence(sp?), he just marched in like a moron and trusted Germans as his advisers. Never trust an enemy. No matter how friendly he seems. OH BTW the chant was I believe: Three Griefs of Lord Augustus Lord Augustus each time bawling As he fetched his head a crack. "Varus, Varus, General Varus, Give me my three Eagles back." Lord Augustus tore his bedcloths, Blankets, sheets and counterpane. "Varus, Varus, General Varus, Give me my three Legions back." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.Clodius Posted March 4, 2005 Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 Yes, the Varian legions were never reformed. That is no legion took the numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest spartacus Posted March 4, 2005 Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 Prob a bad omen, considered unlucky perhaps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scanderbeg Posted March 4, 2005 Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 I think it was more out of respect. Augustus was said to have been very close with that legion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Decurio Posted March 23, 2005 Report Share Posted March 23, 2005 I Agree with Clodius, the X Legion was probably the most famous legion and most sucessful. I say this because their victories were numerous and quite well known. The legion also lasted numerous Emperors. They helped defeat Gaul, fought against the Germans, invaded britain with Caesar, were the spearhed for Caesar's campaign and battles agaisnt Pompey in the Civil war including Pharsalus,Campaigned in North Africa, fought against the murderers of Caesar at Phillipi, fought agaisnt Marka antony at Actium, fought against Rome's age old enemy the Parthians in Armenia, Took the city of Jerusalem (famous siege of Jerusalem), and finally took the great fortress of Masada in Judea. One example of their skill is their siege of the strong Parthian fortress of Volandum. In the storming of the fort they didnt lose a singe legionary, and only a handful were wounded. You cant get much better than that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julius Caesar Posted March 25, 2005 Report Share Posted March 25, 2005 Scanderberg: I'd agree that the Teutoberg disaster was due more to Varus' command than a deficiency of the legions. I believe that two other Roman armies managed to turn the tables after falling into similar ambushes by Germans and defeat them. The first was during Drusus' campaigns of conquest, and the second during his son Germanicus' second campaign in 15 AD. In the latter, Germanicus' lieutenant Caecina was leading half the army (4 legions + aux troops) back to the Rhine at the end of that campaigning season when they were ambushed by the Germans. I believe Arminius was in charge, and his forces were initially successful but allowed the prospect of loot to cloud their judgement, and then Caecina ordered a counterattack that snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, allowing the weary army to make it back to the Rhine mostly intact (though I think they suffered heavy cavalry losses). Decurio: Do you have any more info on that siege of Volandum, or can you suggest a source that does? Rome vs the East is one of my favorite subjects within the study of the Roman Empire, and I've always found the lack of detail to be frustrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquila Volo Posted April 20, 2005 Report Share Posted April 20, 2005 What about Marius' legion; Primigenia? They weren't able to protect the city, but Sulla did use some tricks. They should still be honored. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Germanicus Posted April 22, 2005 Report Share Posted April 22, 2005 Aquila - I've been looking at Legion lists, and Primigenia was the name of two legions formed by Caligula, not of any formed by Marius from what I can see. It sounds like you've read the totally misleading "Gates of Rome" series of fiction books, where this supposed legion figures heavily. The books are not historicaly accurate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquila Volo Posted April 22, 2005 Report Share Posted April 22, 2005 Not completely...but they help...that's what my research said, too.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caesar Posted April 23, 2005 Report Share Posted April 23, 2005 I would have to go with Legion X. They were very succesful, and made up of some of the best soldiers the Empire had to offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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