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A Brief History of the Original Legio XIV

The fourteenth legion was perhaps recruited by Julius Caesar in 57 BCE, during the war in Gaul, before he attacked the Belgians. He implies the existence of a fourteenth legion in his account of the battle against the Nervians. This legion was destroyed by the Belgian Eburones in the first weeks of 53 , but reconstituted. During the civil war against Pompey, it fought in Spain in the battle of Ilerda (49). In the spring of 48, it served at Dyrrhachium. It was not present at Pharsalus. In late 48, the soldiers were sent back to Italy to be pensioned off, but in 46, they participated in Caesar's African campaign.

Another fourteenth legion is mentioned after 41; it was either a new creation or a reconstitution of the old legion. However this may be, it was used by Julius Caesar's heir Octavian, who had to put an end to Sextus Pompeius' occupation of Sicily, which put the grain supply of Rome into peril. When Pompeius was defeated, Octavian and his fellow-triumvir Mark Antony started a war, which culminated in the naval battle off Actium (31), where Octavian defeated his opponent and won the supremacy in the Mediterranean world. From now on, the world would know him as the emperor Augustus. The Fourteenth, which was reinforced with soldiers from disbanded legions and was henceforth known as 'the twin legion', was sent to Illyricum, where it stayed for forty years.

In 6 CE, Augustus' son-in-law Tiberius was to lead at least eight legions (VIII Augusta from Pannonia, XV Apollinaris, XIV Gemina and XX Valeria Victrix from Illyricum, XXI Rapax from Raetia, XIII Gemina and XVI Gallica from Germania Superior and an unknown unit) against king Marbod of the Marcomanni of Marbod in Czechia; at the same time, I Germanica, V Alaudae, XVII, XVIII and XIX were to move against Czechia as well, attacking it along the Elbe. It was to be the most grandiose operation that was ever concluded by a Roman army, but a rebellion in Pannonia obstructed its execution. It took three years to suppress the revolt. Then, the Romans were defeated and humiliated in the battle in the Teutoburger forest (September 9). During the reshuffling of the Roman forces after the disaster, the legion was transferred to Mainz in Germania Superior.

The tomb of Gnaeus Musius dates from the first half of the first century. It shows the bearer of the standard (the 'eagle') of the fourteenth legion, who died at the age of 32 after 15 service years. In his right hand, he has the standard, in his left a shield that is decorated with lightning flashes.

In 43, the emperor Claudius invaded Britain with II Augusta, IX Hispana, XIV Gemina and XX Valeria Victrix. After the first phase of the conquest, XIV Gemina was stationed in Mancetter in the Midlands. It was the only legion that was concentrated on one place; the other three had more than one base. Under the governor Ostorius Scapula, the legion was sent against the Cornovians in the Northwest, and later to the Deceangi, a tribe in northern Wales. Another victim was the tribe of the Brigantes in northern England. The Fourteenth was redeployed in Lincolnshire.

In the next decade, the XIV Gemina fought against the Welsh tribes: the southern Silures, the Ordovices, and the Deceangi in the north. It was now based at Wroxeter on the river Severn. Here it was to stay for some time. When the native queen Boudicca revolted in 60, the legion behaved itself valiantly and was rewarded the honorific title Martia Victrix ('victorious, blessed by Mars'). The emperor Nero considered the legion as the best he had.

Nero planned a campaign against the Parthian empire and the legion was consequently sent to the east in 66, but returned (probably in 68 due to Nero's death). In 70, it assisted the expeditionary force of general Cerialis, who suppressed the Batavian revolt. This time, the legion did not return to Britain, but to Mainz.

When in 89 the governor of Germania Superior, Lucius Antonius Saturninus, revolted against the lawful emperor Domitian, XIV Gemina and XXI Rapax supported him. However, the insurrection came to nothing and the two units were separated - the Twenty-first being sent to Pannonia.

In 93, XIV Gemina was transferred to Pannonia to replace Rapax, which had been destroyed by the Dacians. It was first stationed at Osijek, and later at Vienna. After fighting the Dacian wars of Domitian and his successor Trajan, it stayed at Carnuntum, east of Vienna. During the reign of Septimius Severus (193-211), it was still there. One of the badges of the legion showed the Capricorn; on others, the eagle was depicted. In the late third century, only the Capricorn was used.

If you have an interest in joining us feel free to contact us at:
legioxiv@livinghistorysociety.org

Feel free to also look at these sites:
Our Roman Forum
http://novaroma.org/
http://www.stormthewalls.dhs.org/Roman/Roman.htm
http://www.larp.com/legioxx/
http://www.albionarmorers.com/
http://www.niximperial.com/