Legio XIV Gemina | |
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![]() Map of the Roman empire in AD 125, under emperor Hadrian, showing the LEGIO XIV GEMINA, stationed on the river Danube at carnuntum (Petronell, Austria), in Pannonia Superior province, from AD 106 until the 5th century | |
Active | 41 BC to early 5th century at least |
Country | Roman Republic, Roman Empire |
Type |
Roman legion (Marian) later a comitatensis unit |
Role | Infantry assault (some cavalry support) |
Size | Varied over unit lifetime. Approx. 3,500 fighting men + support at the time of creation. |
Garrison/HQ |
Moguntiacum (9–43) Vindobona (92–106) Carnuntum (106–5th century) |
Nickname(s) |
Gemina Martia, "Martian twin" (after combination with Martia Legion) Victrix, "victorious" (added by Augustus) Pia VI Fidelis VI, "six times faithful, six times loyal" (added by Gallienus) |
Mascot(s) | Capricorn |
Engagements |
Gallic Wars (58-51 BC) Caesar's Civil War (49-45 BC) Post-Caesarian civil war (44 BC) Liberators' civil war (44–42 BC) Sicilian revolt (44–36 BC) Perusine War (41–40 BC) Final War of the Roman Republic (32–30 BC) Roman conquest of Britain (43) Year of the Four Emperors (69) revolt of Saturninus (89) Dacian Wars (101–106) Verus Parthian campaign (161–166) Marcus Aurelius Marcomannic campaign (168–180) Septimius Severus rise to power (193–194) Severus Parthian campaign (198) vexillationes of the 14th participated in many other campaigns. |
Legio quarta decima Gemina (Fourteenth Twin Legion) was a legion of the Roman Empire, levied by Julius Caesar in 57 B.C. The cognomen Gemina (twin in Latin) suggests that the legion resulted from fusion of two previous ones, one of them being the Fourteenth legion that fought in the Battle of Alesia, the other being the Martia (Martian) legion. The cognomen Victrix (victorious) was added by Augustus following their service in the Pannonian War c. A.D. 9. The emblem of the legion was the Capricorn,[1] as with many of the legions levied by Caesar.,[1] or the crossed thunderbolts of Jupiter.
Under Caesar[]
The XIV G.M.V was raised by Caesar in Cispaline Gaul during his raids into, and conquest of, Gaul. Their enlistment term was for 16 years, as per the other legions (though Augustus raised that to 20). For years after the Massacre at Atuatuca,[2] they were viewed as an unlucky legion. They were frequently left behind to guard the camp during battles and raids.
Under Germanicus[]
The XIV G.M.V fought under General Germanicus Caesar against the German rebel Hermann, better known as Arminius. A decade before this campaign, Hermann succeeded in wiping out three entire legions in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, one of the greatest disasters in Roman military history. They sealed a victory for Germanicus, and earned him a triumph from his adopted father, Emperor Tiberius.
Invasion of Britain[]
Stationed in Moguntiacum, Germania Superior, since AD 9, XIV Gemina Martia Victrix was one of four legions used by Aulus Plautius and Claudius in the Roman invasion of Britain in 43, and took part in the defeat of Boudicca in 60 or 61. This was the battle that would send them down in history as one of the greatest Roman Legions. At the stand at Watling Street the 14th defeated Boudicca's force of 230,000, according to Tacitus and Dio, with their meager force of 10,000 Legionaries and Auxiliaries. This act secured them as Nero's "most effective", and kept them garrisoned in Britain during the next few years to keep the uneasy tribes in check. After which, in 68 it was stationed in Gallia Narbonensis.
Rebellion on the Rhine[]
In 89 the governor of Germania Superior, Lucius Antonius Saturninus, rebelled against Domitian, with the support of the XIVth and of the XXI Rapax, but the revolt was suppressed.
Pannonian defense[]
When the XXIst legion was lost, in 92, XIV Gemina was sent in Pannonia to substitute it, camping in Vindobona (Vienna). After a war with the Sarmatians and Trajan's Dacian Wars (101–106), the legion was moved to Carnuntum, where it stayed for three centuries. Some subunits of Fourteenth fought in the wars against the Mauri, under Antoninus Pius, and the legion participated to the Parthian campaign of Emperor Lucius Verus. During his war against the Marcomanni, Emperor Marcus Aurelius based his headquarters in Carnuntum.
In support of Septimius Severus[]
In 193, after the death of Pertinax, the commander of the Fourteenth, Septimius Severus, was acclaimed emperor by the Pannonian legions, and above all by his own. XIV Gemina fought for its emperor in his march to Rome to attack usurper Didius Julianus (193), contributed to the defeat of the usurper Pescennius Niger (194), and probably fought in the Parthian campaign that ended with the sack of the capital of the empire, Ctesiphon (198).
In support of imperial candidates[]
In the turmoil following the defeat of Valerian, the XIIII Gemina supported usurper Regalianus against Emperor Gallienus (260), then Gallienus against Postumus of the Gallic empire (earning the title VI Pia VI Fidelis—"six times faithful, six times loyal"), and, after Gallienus' death, Gallic Emperor Victorinus (269–271).

Shield design of the Quartodecimani, a comitatensis legion under the Magister Militum per Thracias, 5th century, according to Notitia Dignitatum.
5th century[]
At the beginning of the 5th century, XIV Gemina was still assigned at Carnuntum. It probably dissolved with the collapse of the Danube frontier in 430s. The Notitia Dignitatum lists a Quartodecimani comitatensis unit under the Magister Militum per Thracias; it is possible that this unit is XIIII Gemina.
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 L. J. F. Keppie, Legions and Veterans: Roman Army Papers 1971–2000, page 128.
- ↑ "Atuatuca: provincial town in Gallia Belgica, modern Tongeren". Jona Lendering. http://www.livius.org/to-ts/tongeren/atuatuca.html. Retrieved 14. maja 2013.
Legions of Rome Stephen Dando-Collins
External links[]
- Legio XIV Gemina at livius.org
The original article can be found at Legio XIV Gemina and the edit history here.