Legio XX Valeria Victrix: Prosopography, archaeology and history

Description

This study of legio XX Valeria Victrix combines a personal, historical and archaeological approach to the study of the legion (roughly the first four centuries after Christ) as a whole. Epigraphic and historical evidence is presented for all those individuals known to have served with the Twentieth Legion in their various capacities. Sources are quoted, with translation, for each of these and significant details of the careers discussed. Further aspects of careers generally are considered at the end of the relevant sections. This corpus is supported by a number of indices – of nomenclature, origins, ranks, service and posts held in other units etc., as well as an index of primary sources. Other inscriptions attesting to the presence of the Twentieth legion and its activities in various quarters of the Empire are also collected and presented. This epigraphic evidence is drawn together with that of the archaeological and historical sources, and with the copious modern literature on the subject of the Roman Army, to present a history of the Twentieth Legion from its formation out of the legions of the civil wars of the late Republic, to its uncertain end in the changing conditions of the late third and fourth centuries. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of individuals and the light that their careers can shed on the history and activities of the legion. Studies on a number of other aspects of the history and organization of the legion are appended. Front Cover Title Page Copyright Table of Contents Abstract Acknowledgements Introduction Part I: Sources of Evidence Chapter I.1 Ancient Sources Chapter I.2 Epigraphic Evidence Chapter I.3 Archaeological Evidence Chapter I.4 Prosopography and Onomastics Part II: History Chapter II.1 The Early History of Legio XX (31 BC-AD 43) Chapter II.2 Legio XX and the conquest of Britain (AD 43-87) Chapter II.3 Legio XX Valeria Victrix at Chester (AD 88-122) Chapter II.4 The Twentieth Legion in the north of Britain (123-196) Chapter II.5 The Twentieth Legion in the third century (AD 197-296) Postscript: The end of the Twentieth Legion Part III: Prosopography Chapter III.1 Legatus legionis Chapter III.2 Tribunus laticlavius Chapter III.3 Tribunus angusticlavius Chapter III.4 Praefectus castrorum Chapter III.5 Primus pilus Chapter III.6 Centurio Chapter III.7 Miles Chapter III.8 Varia: Irregular Commands and Uncertain Ranks Appendices Appendix 1: The cognomina of Legio XX Appendix 2: The Boar Appendix 3: The Twentieth Legion and the Building of Hadrian’s Wall Appendix 4: Promotion and transfer in the centurial career Appendix 5: Catalogue of related inscriptions Abbreviations Bibliography Indices