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Legio III Italica

An antoninianus issued by Gallienus in 260 to celebrate III Italica. Note the stork, the legion's symbol, on the obverse. The legion is called VI Pia VI Fidelis, "six times faithful and six times loyal"

Legio III Italica ("Italian Third Legion") was a legion of the Imperial Roman army founded in 165 AD by the emperor Marcus Aurelius (r. AD 161–80) for his campaign against the Marcomanni tribe.[1] The cognomen Italica suggests that the legion's original recruits were drawn for the defence of Italy. The legion was still active in Raetia and other provinces in the early 5th century (Notitia Dignitatum, dated ca. 420 AD for Western Roman Empire entries).

Together with Legio II Italica and Legio I Adiutrix, Legio III Italica was in the Danube provinces from the beginning, fighting the Marcomanni invasion of the Raetia and Noricum provinces. In 171 AD, they built the camp Castra Regina, (modern Regensburg) designed as a strong defensive position.

In the civil war of 193 AD, this legion supported Septimius Severus and helped him defeat his opponents: first Didius Julianus, then Pescennius Niger, and Clodius Albinus. Their loyalty was extended to Severus' successor, Emperor Caracalla, for whom they fought in 213 AD in a campaign against the Alamanni.

  1. ^ "livius.org account of Legio III Italica". Retrieved 2022-08-23.

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