Legio X Fretensis

[guy]

 

A nice article on this famous legion:

Quote

“Legio X Fretensis was a legion of the Roman army formed by either Julius Caesar or Augustus. The legion spent most of its existence in the East, primarily in Judea. It participated in Corbulo’s two Armenian campaigns as well as Vespasian and Titus’ battle against the Great Jewish Revolt of 66 CE, besieging both Jerusalem and Masada.“

https://www.worldhistory.org/Legio_X_Fretensis/

Edited February 2 by guy

[Pompieus]

Does a fellow ex-Pittsburgher dare to nit-pick?

Plutarch says Caesar raised 10 cohorts when he was pro-praetorian governor of Further Spain but doesn't call them a "legion".  There were a few citizen settlements in Spain at the time, but were there enough to form a "iusta legio" ? (especially in peace time).  They were very likely Spanish auxiliaries.  Nor could a legion (if it existed), formed in 61BC be controlled by Caesar until he took over as pro-consul in Gaul, as his imperium lapsed while he ran for consul.  Anyway, the Xth legion, famous in the Gallic and civil wars, was already in the province when Caesar arrived in 58, possibly raised by Gaius Pomptinus to suppress the Allobrogian revolt (61BC). There's no evidence connecting "Caesar's Favorite" Xth legion with Caesar's governorship of Farther Spain.

The Xth legion of the Gallic and civil wars was discharged by Caesar in 44BC and the veterans settled at Narbo Martius in Gaul.  After Caesar's assassination Lepidus reconstituted the Xth in winter 44/43 including (probably) what veterans he could recruit from the colony at Narbo.  This legion fought at Philippi and in the east with Antonius, and sometime after 31 was merged with another legion, given the title "Gemina", and served in Spain et al under the principate.

X Fretensis was most likely raised by Octavian in 41/40, fought against Sextus Pompey et al and saw long service in Syria and Judaea.

This is somewhat controversial and mostly follows Keppie "Making the Roman Army"

Edited August 22, 2021 by Pompieus

[guy]

Thanks for reading my post.

I will defer to everyone else on military matters. 😎

 

[caldrail]

Whilst I won't argue with Pompieus concerning his info, I would point out that it is possible to raise cohorts outside of a legion and form them into a vexillation without the need to go all the way to formal legion organisation. The Praetorians were never amalgamated into a single bodyguard legion (despite coming together in the same camp during Sejanus' attempted power play), and the Urban cohorts, repurposed from praetorians, were similarly organised.