Legio IV Macedonica ("Macedonian Fourth Legion"), was a

legion Legion may refer to: Military * Roman legion, the basic military unit of the ancient Roman army * Spanish Legion, an elite military unit within the Spanish Army * Legion of the United States, a reorganization of the United States Army from 179 ...

of the

Imperial Roman army The Imperial Roman army was the military land force of the Roman Empire from about 30 BC to 476 AD, and the final incarnation in the long history of the Roman army. This period is sometimes split into the Principate (30 BC – 284 AD) and the Do ...

founded in 48 BC by

Gaius Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...

(

dictator A dictator is a political leader who possesses absolute power. A dictatorship is a state ruled by one dictator or by a small clique. The word originated as the title of a Roman dictator elected by the Roman Senate to rule the republic in tim ...

of Rome 49–44 BC) with

Italia Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the Italy (geographical region) ...

legionaries The Roman legionary (in Latin ''legionarius'', plural ''legionarii'') was a professional heavy infantryman of the Roman army after the Marian reforms. These soldiers would conquer and defend the territories of ancient Rome during the late Republi ...

. The legion was disbanded in AD 70 by Emperor

Vespasian Vespasian (; la, Vespasianus ; 17 November AD 9 – 23/24 June 79) was a Roman emperor who reigned from AD 69 to 79. The fourth and last emperor who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors, he founded the Flavian dynasty that ruled the Empi ...

. The legion symbols were a

bull A bull is an intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e., cows), bulls have long been an important symbol in many religions, includin ...

(as with all of Caesar's legions) and a capricorn.

History

Early history

This legion was possibly founded in Italy during the 48 BCE Julius Caesar, who needed it in his war against

Pompey Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey or Pompey the Great, was a leading Roman general and statesman. He played a significant role in the transformation of ...

. It saw its first action at the Battle of Dyrrhachium. After the civil war the legion was stationed in Macedonia. It was supposed to serve in Caesar's campaign against the

Parthian Empire The Parthian Empire (), also known as the Arsacid Empire (), was a major Iranian political and cultural power in ancient Iran from 247 BC to 224 AD. Its latter name comes from its founder, Arsaces I, who led the Parni tribe in conque ...

. However, the expedition was canceled after Caesar's death. This legion would go onto fight in the

civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

between Antony and

Augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...

.Before the conflict erupted, the legion was moved to Italy by

Mark Antony Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic from a constitutional republic into the au ...

, although this did not deter them from siding with

during the Battle of Mutina, where they fought against Antony and suffered heavy losses. In 42 BC, the legion fought at the

Battle of Philippi The Battle of Philippi was the final battle in the Wars of the Second Triumvirate between the forces of Mark Antony and Octavian (of the Second Triumvirate) and the leaders of Julius Caesar's assassination, Brutus and Cassius in 42 BC, at ...

and returned to the Italy with Augustus. It was nearly destroyed at the Battle of Phillipi, however it survived to be rebuilt. Likely resulting in the name ''Macedonica''. They were subsequently present at the siege of

Perugia Perugia (, , ; lat, Perusia) is the capital city of Umbria in central Italy, crossed by the River Tiber, and of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome and southeast of Florence. It covers a high hilltop and pa ...

in the winter of 41 BC, where Lucius Antonius, Mark Antony's brother, had taken refuge. The legion was also present at the

Battle of Actium The Battle of Actium was a naval battle fought between a maritime fleet of Octavian led by Marcus Agrippa and the combined fleets of both Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII Philopator. The battle took place on 2 September 31 BC in the Ionian Sea, ...

in 31 BC.

Cantabrian Wars

After Augustus became Emperor, in 30 BC it was moved to

Juliobriga Juliobriga ( es, Julióbriga, la, Iuliobriga, grc, Ἰουλιόβριγα) was the most important urban centre in Roman Cantabria, as stated by numerous Latin authors including Pliny the Elder. The site has traditionally been identified with ...

in Hyspania Tarraconensis to fight the

Cantabrian Wars The Cantabrian Wars (29–19 BC) (''Bellum Cantabricum''), sometimes also referred to as the Cantabrian and Asturian Wars (''Bellum Cantabricum et Asturicum''), were the final stage of the two-century long Roman conquest of Hispania, in what tod ...

. After the war the soldiers continued to serve as civil servants in Hispania.

Early Service in Germania

Emperor Claudius likely transferred the legion to

Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-west, with Ma ...

in Germania Superior to replace the XIV Gemina. Probably in 41 AD.However. Some people think that the legion was transferred in 39 AD, when emperor Caligula waged war against the Germanic

Chatti The Chatti (also Chatthi or Catti) were an ancient Germanic tribe whose homeland was near the upper Weser (''Visurgis''). They lived in central and northern Hesse and southern Lower Saxony, along the upper reaches of that river and in the va ...

. While stationed in Germania the Fourth shared the fortress with the recently founded XXII Primigenia. The younger unit occupied the less honorable left-hand side, whereas IV Macedonica was living in the right-hand side.

Year of Four Emperors

During the

Year of Four Emperors A year or annus is the orbital period of a planetary body, for example, the Earth, moving in its orbit around the Sun. Due to the Earth's axial tilt, the course of a year sees the passing of the seasons, marked by change in weather, the hou ...

the Fourth legion were among the first to side with

Vitellius Aulus Vitellius (; ; 24 September 1520 December 69) was Roman emperor for eight months, from 19 April to 20 December AD 69. Vitellius was proclaimed emperor following the quick succession of the previous emperors Galba and Otho, in a year of ci ...

. Sodliers of this took part in Vitellius' march to Italy. It conquered the road through Switzerland, fought at Cremona and Bedriacum against the troops of the emperor

Otho Marcus Otho (; born Marcus Salvius Otho; 28 April 32 – 16 April 69) was the seventh Roman emperor, ruling for three months from 15 January to 16 April 69. He was the second emperor of the Year of the Four Emperors. A member of a noble Etr ...

. Several of its soldiers were rewarded for their service. Later they were defeated by

Later service in Germania

Meanwhile, in Germania Inferior, the

Batavians The Batavi were an ancient Germanic tribe that lived around the modern Dutch Rhine delta in the area that the Romans called Batavia, from the second half of the first century BC to the third century AD. The name is also applied to several milit ...

revolted In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...

. During the revolt the IV Macedonica guarded Mainz against attacks by Germanic

Usipetes The Usipetes or Usipii (in Plutarch's Greek, Ousipai, and possibly the same as the Ouispoi of Claudius Ptolemy) were an ancient tribe who moved into the area on the right bank (the northern or eastern bank) of the lower Rhine in the first century B ...

and

Mattiaci The Mattiaci were by Tacitus recorded as an ancient Germanic tribe and related to the Chatti, their Germanic neighbors to the east. There is no clear definition of what the tribe's name meant. The ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography'' sugge ...

. Although it had been successful during the campaign, it was regarded with some suspicion by the new emperor. Because of this it was punished, reconstituted under a new name, IV Flavia Felix, and given a new symbol, the lion. The lion was related to

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the ...

, Vespasian's favorite deity.

After Germania

The new Legio IV Flavia Felix was moved to

Burnum Burnum (; or Burnum Municipium), an archaeological site, was a Roman Legion camp and town. It is located 2.5 km north of Kistanje, in inland Dalmatia, Croatia. The remains include a praetorium, the foundations of several rooms, the amphithea ...

, a Roman military camp in Dalmatia. It would remain there until 70 CE. In the year 85 CE, the legion was transferred to Singudunum, Moesia. The legion would also be transferred to Syria by general Corbulo. During the reign of

Domitian Domitian (; la, Domitianus; 24 October 51 – 18 September 96) was a Roman emperor who reigned from 81 to 96. The son of Vespasian and the younger brother of Titus, his two predecessors on the throne, he was the last member of the Fl ...

, it fought against the Alemmani and Dacians. Later it fought in

Trajan's Dacian Wars The Dacian Wars (101–102, 105–106) were two military campaigns fought between the Roman Empire and Dacia during Emperor Trajan's rule. The conflicts were triggered by the constant Dacian threat on the Danubian province of Moesia and also b ...

. The Legio IV Macedonica would remain in Singudunum for the next 200 years. Afterwards it disappears from history.

Epigraphic inscriptions

*- ''Caius Valerius'' Cai filius Voltinia (tribu) ''Donatus'' miles legionis IIII Macedonicae annorum XXXIX hic (...). Logrono, Spain. Hisp. Epi. 14626.

Attested members

References

External links

livius.org account of Legio IV MacedonicaLegio IV MACEDONICA – reenactment site (in Spanish)
{{Roman Legion} 04 Macedonica 40s BC establishments 48 BC 70 disestablishments Macedonia (Roman province) Military units and formations established in the 1st century BC