thumb|II Adiutrix supported Septimius Severus, commander of the Pannonian army, in his fight for the purple. This denarius was struck to celebrate the legion.
thumb|right|300px|Map of the [[Roman Empire in AD 125, under emperor Hadrian, showing the Legio II Adiutrix, stationed on the river Danube at Aquincum (Budapest, Hungary), in Pannonia Inferior province, from AD 106 to at least 269]]
Legio II Adiutrix ("Second Legion, the Rescuer") was a legion of the Imperial Roman army founded in AD 70 by the emperor Vespasian (r. 69–79), originally composed of Roman navy marines of the classis Ravennatis. There are still records of II Adiutrix in the Rhine border in the beginning of the 4th century. The legion's symbols were a Capricorn and Pegasus.
History
The formation of Legio II Adiutrix from marines of the classis Ravennatis following the Year of Four Emperors was due to the machinations of the commander of the Roman fleets, Sextus Lucilius Bassus. Bassus' intentions was to incite those men to desert Vitellius in support of Vespasian, but his intrigue was so poorly handled that while the marines decided to support Vespasian, lost his command, Cornelius Fuscus was sent to take command of the marines, and Bassus was sent to Vespasian to determine his fate.
The first assignment of II Adiutrix was in Germania Inferior, where the Batavian rebellion was at its peak. After the defeat of the rebels, Legio II Adiutrix followed general Quintus Petillius Cerialis to Roman Britain where it replaced Legio XIV Gemina bringing the strength of the garrison in that province to four legions. The legion is believed to have made its base camp at Chester.
In 87, the legion was recalled to the continent to participate in the Dacian wars of emperor Domitian. There it made its new base at Aquincum (modern Budapest). Around 95 and 96, still in Dacia, the later emperor Hadrian served as military tribune in Legio II Adiutrix.
In the summer of 106 the legion took part to the siege of the Dacian Capital Sarmisegetusa. After Trajan's Dacian Wars of 101–106, the legion returned to Pannonia Inferior, where it would remain for the years to come. Despite this, the legion or vexillations or subunits took part in:
- Lucius Verus's campaign against the Parthian Empire (162–166)
- Marcus Aurelius' campaign against the Marcomanni and the Quadi (171–173)
- Marcus Aurelius' campaign against the Quadi (179–180). The Legion was commanded by Marcus Valerius Maximianus in Laugaricio.
- Caracalla's campaign against the Alemanni (213)
- Gordian's campaign against the Sassanid Empire (238)
| legatus legionis
| c. 116
| Parthian War
| TLMN4, 4
|-
| Quintus Antistius Adventus
| legatus legionis
| 162–c. 165
| Parthian War
| = ILS 8977; ; = ILS 1091
|-
| Marcus Valerius Maximianus
| legatus legionis
| between 200 and 250
|
|
|-
| Aurelius Pollion
| miles?
|
| Pannonia
| Papyrus from Tebtunis
|-
| Marcus Vettius C.f. Latronus
| tribunus angusticlavius
| before 99
|
|
|-
| Titus Furius Victorinus
| tribunus angusticlavius
| before 140
| Aquincum
|
|-
| Publius Cominius Clemens
| tribunus angusticlavius
| c. 162—165
| Parthian War
|
|-
| Publius Aelius Hadrianus
| tribunus laticlavius
| c. 95
|
| Historia Augusta, "Hadrian", 3
|}
Epigraphic inscriptions
- Gaio Valerio Crispo veterano ex legione II Adiutrice Pia Fideli. Chester (Deva), U.K. RIB 478.
- Lucius Terentius Claudia tribu Fuscus Apro miles legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis. Chester, U.K. RIB 477.
- Lucius Valerius Luci filius Claudia tribu Seneca Savaria / miles legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis. Chester, U.K. RIB 480.
- Gaius Calventius Gai filius Claudia tribu Celer Apro miles legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis / Vibi Clementis (...). Chester, U.K. RIB 475.
- Gaius Iuventius Gai filius Claudia tribu Capito Apro / miles legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis / Iuli Clementis annorum XL stipendiorum XVII. Chester, U.K. RIB 476.
- Quintus Valerius Quinti filius Claudia tribu Fronto Celea / miles legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis annorum L stipendiorum XXṾ (...). Chester, U.K. RIB 479.
- Voltimesis P̣udens Gai filius Sergia tribu Augusta eques legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis annorum XXXII stipendiorum
XIII hic situs est. Chester, U.K. RIB 482.
- Gaius Murrius Gai filius Arniensis Foro Iuli Modestus miles legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis / Iuli Secundi annorum) XXV stipendiorum / hic situs est. Bath, U.K. (Aquae Sulis). RIB 157 = .
- Titus Valerius Titi filius Claudia tribu Pudens Savaria miles legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis / Dossenni Proculi annorum XXX aera VI heres de suo posuit hic situs est. Lincoln (Lindum), U.K. RIB 258 = .
- legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis / Ponti Proculi Lucius Licinius Luci filius Galeria tribu Saliga Lugdunonnorum XX
stipendiorum II. Lincoln (Lindum), U.K. RIB 253 = .
- Quintus Cumelius / Quinti filius / Fabia Celer Bracarensis / veteranus legionis II Adiutricis hic situs annorum LXXV (...). Astorga (Asturica), Spain. .
- Fortunae Balneari sacrum / Valerius Bucco miles legionis II Adiutricis Piae Fidelis / decuria Aemili (...). Segovia, Spain. .
- VICTORIAE AVGVSTORV(m) EXERCITUS QVI LAV GARICIONE SEDIT MIL(ites) L(egionis) II DCCCLV (Marcus Valerius) MAXIMIANUS LEG(atus) LEG (ionis) II AD(iutricis) CVR(avit) F(aciendum). Laugaricio (today Trenčín), Slovakia.
See also
- List of Roman legions
- Roman legion
Notes
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References
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External links
- roman-britain.co.uk
- Familia Gladiatoria - Hungary , Hungarian reenactment group