History
Legio I Illyricorum was founded by Emperor Aurelian around AD 272, recruited entirely from Danubian provincial troops to serve as a mobile field force during his campaign to reconquer the breakaway Palmyrene Empire.[2][3] Following the defeat of Queen Zenobia, Aurelian permanently stationed the legion in the East to garrison Palmyra and maintain control over the desert frontier, operating out of bases including Qasr al-Azraq in modern Jordan.[4][5]
During the reigns of Diocletian and Galerius, the legion was transferred to the newly constructed Camp of Diocletian in Palmyra to serve as the city's primary military headquarters.[6][7] Detachments (vexillationes) of I Illyricorum saw service across the empire; under Emperor Licinius, a detachment commanded by the officer Victorinus was deployed to Egypt and Cyrene before returning to Palmyra.[7][8]
Sometime during the 3rd century, a unit of Moorish cavalry associated with the legion was also reassigned to Aila (modern Eilat) to replace Legio X Fretensis.[9] According to the late-4th century Notitia Dignitatum, Legio I Illyricorum remained active as a frontier unit (limitanei) guarding the Syrian desert under the command of the Dux Foenicis.[1]
Attested members
| Name |
Rank |
Time Frame |
Source |
|---|
| Victorinus |
Dux |
4th century AD |
[7] |
| Aurelius Onesimus |
Legionary |
3rd century AD |
[4] |
References
- 1 2 Kaiser, Anna Maria (2015). "Egyptian Units and the Reliability of the Notitia Dignitatum, pars Oriens". Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte. 64 (2): 243–261. JSTOR 24433912.
- ↑ Hebblewhite, Mark (2016). The Emperor and the Army in the Later Roman Empire, AD 235–395. Taylor & Francis. p. 193. ISBN 978-1-317-03430-8.
- ↑ Syvänne, Ilkka (2020). Aurelian and Probus: The Soldier Emperors Who Saved Rome. Pen and Sword Military. p. 276. ISBN 978-1-5267-6753-0.
- 1 2 Intagliata, Emanuele E. (2018). Palmyra after Zenobia (AD 273-750): An Archaeological and Historical Reappraisal. Oxbow Books. ISBN 978-1-78570-942-5.
- ↑ Merrony, Mark (2017). The Plight of Rome in the Fifth Century A.D. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-23809-1.
- ↑ Pollard, Nigel (2000). Soldiers, Cities, and Civilians in Roman Syria. University of Michigan Press. pp. 67–69. ISBN 978-0-472-11155-8.
- 1 2 3 Speidel, M. P. (1987). "The Roman Road to Dumata (Jawf in Saudi Arabia) and the Frontier Strategy of 'Praetensione Colligare'". Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte. 36 (2): 213–221. JSTOR 4436005.
- ↑ Whately, Conor (2021). Procopius on Soldiers and Military Institutions in the Sixth-Century Roman Empire. BRILL. p. 296. ISBN 978-90-04-46161-1.
- ↑ Lemire, Vincent; Berthelot, Katell; Loiseau, Julien; Potin, Yann (2022). Jerusalem: History of a Global City. University of California Press. p. 54. ISBN 978-0-520-29990-0.
