List of units during Trajan wars

[Ingsoc]

Could anyone know a good source which list all the known units (Legions and Vexillas) which took part in Trajan Dacian Wars and his invasion to the Parthian Empire?

[Kosmo]

Here is a list of legions used against Parthia that I posted some time ago:

 

"In his biography of Trajan, Julian Bennet mentions that, at the begining of the parthian campaign the roman army was gathered at Satala (south of Trapezunt in Cappadocia)

The army was supposed of being made from some entire legions or parts of legions as follows:

-from Syria - III Galica, IV Scythica, VI Ferrata

- from Cappadocia - XII Fulminata, XVI Flavia Firma (the last was based in Satala)

- Judeea - X Fratensis

- Arabia - III Cyrenaica

From the Danube came, on land across the Balkans and Asia Minor, or on the Black Sea from Tomis to Trapezunt the following:

- in full - I Adiutrix, XV Apollinaris

- probably in part - VII Claudia, XI Claudia, XIII Gemina, II Traiana fortis, XII Primigenia, XXX Ulpia victris, I Italica, V Macedonica.

 

The total number it's hard to guess, but the author proposes that from this 17 legions were at least 8 full legions with at least as many auxilliaries for a total of some 80. 000 men."

 

I will look in Bennet for the legions of the Dacian wars.

[Ingsoc]

Thanks Kosmo! I would check Bennet book myself.

[sylla]

There's far less information on the Dacian than the Parthian campaigns of Trajan, as the accounts of Appian, Dio Chrysostomus, Statilius and Trajan himself have been all entirely or almost entirely lost; besides, the epigraphic evidence is relatively scarce and only the elite units can be identified at the Trajan's column.

 

Since Domitian, the Danubian border had nine legions as a permanent garrison; XV Apollinaris was a recent acquisition for Pannonia from the Eastern border, maybe related to the demise of XXI Rapax; the other legions were:

Pannonia: I & II Adiutrix and XIII Gemina (lately redeployed to Berzobis in Dacia);

Moesia Superioris: XIIII Gemina, VII Claudia and IV Flavia (lately redeployed to Sarmizegethusa);

Moesia Inferioris: V Macedonica and I Italica.

 

Two elite units were brought in full; the Praetorian Guard under Claudius Livianus and I Minervia from Germania Superior commanded by the prince Hadrian.

Vexyllations from VI Victrix and X Gemina (Germania Superior) came also under Hadrian.

Vexyllations were brought from at least three Eastern legions; IV Scythica, XII Fulminata and an unidentified unit.

These are minimal figures, since in all likelihood some units are not attested in the epigraphic record.

Trajan recruited two additional legions for the second campaign (circa 105): II Traiana Fortis and XXX Ulpia Victrix.

 

No less than 90 auxiliary units were involved; their organization was far more complex. The usual estimation is of at least 1.5 auxilia for each legionary.

In addition, the armies of several client kingdoms were involved.

My main source was also Bennett.