Editing Legio VI Victrix

{{short description|Roman legion}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=Legio VI ''Victrix''
|image=Roman Empire 125.png
|image_size=300px
|caption=Map of the Roman empire in AD 125, under emperor [[Hadrian]], showing the LEGIO VI VICTRIX, stationed on [[Eboracum]] (York, England), in [[Britannia]] province, from AD 119 until the 4th century
|dates= 41 BC to after 2nd century
|country= [[Roman Republic]] and [[Roman Empire]]
|type= [[Roman legion]] ([[Marian reforms|Marian]])
|role= Infantry assault (some cavalry support)
|size= Varied over unit lifetime.
|garrison= [[Perusia]] (41 BC)
|ceremonial_chief=
|nickname= ''Victrix'', "Victorious"
|patron= 
|motto=
|colors=
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=[[Battle of Perugia|Perusia]] (41 BC)<br/>[[Cantabrian wars]] (29–19 BC)
|notable_commanders= [[Galba]]
|anniversaries=
}}
{{RomanMilitary}}

'''Legio VI Victrix''' ("Victorious Sixth Legion") was a [[Roman legion|legion]] of the [[Imperial Roman army]] founded in 41 BC by the general [[Augustus|Octavian]] (who, as [[Augustus]], later became [[Ancient Rome|Rome]]'s first emperor). It was the twin legion of [[Legio VI Ferrata|VI ''Ferrata'']] and perhaps held veterans of that legion, and some soldiers kept to the traditions of the Caesarian legion.

==In Republican service==
The legion saw its first action in [[Battle of Perugia|Perusia]] in 41 BC. It also served against [[Sextus Pompeius]], who occupied [[Sicily]] and made threats to discontinue sending grain to [[Rome]]. In 31 BC the legion fought in the [[Battle of Actium]] against [[Mark Antony]].

==In Imperial service==
===VI ''Victrix'' in Spain===
The legion took part in the final stage of the [[Roman conquest of Hispania]], participating in Augustus' major [[Cantabrian Wars|war against the Cantabrians]], from 29 BC to 19 BC,<ref>{{cite book |last=Rabanal Alonso |first=Manuel Abilio (coord.) |date=1999 |title=''La Historia de León, Vol. 1: Prehistoria y Edad Antigua'' |url=http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/libro?codigo=515838 |language=es |page=133 |publisher=Universidad de León |isbn=84-7719-817-9 |access-date=18 November 2013}}</ref> that brought all of the [[Iberian Peninsula]] under Roman rule.

The legion stayed in [[Spain]] for nearly a century and received the surname ''Hispaniensis'', founding the city of ''Legio'' (modern-day [[León, Spain|León]]).<ref>{{cite book |last=Rabanal Alonso |first=Manuel Abilio (coord.) |date=1999 |title=La Historia de León, Vol. 1: Prehistoria y Edad Antigua |url=http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/libro?codigo=515838 |language=es |page=189 |publisher=Universidad de León |isbn=84-7719-817-9 |access-date=18 November 2013}}</ref> Soldiers of this unit and [[Legio X Gemina|X ''Gemina'']] numbered among the first settlers of Caesaraugusta, what became modern-day [[Zaragoza]]. The [[cognomen]] ''Victrix'' (Victorious) dates back to the reign of [[Nero]]. But Nero was unpopular in the area, and when the governor of Hispania Tarraconensis, [[Galba]], said he wished to overthrow Nero, the legion supported him and he was proclaimed Emperor in the VI ''Victrix'' legionary camp. Galba created [[Legio VII Gemina|VII ''Gemina'']] and marched on Rome, where Nero killed himself.

===VI ''Victrix'' in Germany===
For a brief period (approximately 110 AD to 119), the legion was stationed along the Rhine river in the province of [[Germania Inferior]].

===VI ''Victrix'' in Britain===

[[File:Romanwallinscotl00macduoft raw 0371Braidfield.png|thumb|right|Distance Slab of Legio VI<ref>{{cite web|title=RIB 2200. Distance Slab of the Sixth Legion Valeria Victrix|url=https://romaninscriptionsofbritain.org/inscriptions/2200|website=Roman Inscriptions of Britain|access-date=18 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Macdonald|first1=Sir George|title=The Roman wall in Scotland, by Sir George Macdonald|date=1934|publisher=The Clarendon press|location=Oxford|pages=384–386|edition=2d ed., rev., enl., and in great part rewritten|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b3760345;view=2up;seq=538;size=200|access-date=11 October 2017}}</ref> found near [[Cleddans]] on the [[Antonine Wall]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Distance Slab of the Sixth Legion, Duntocher|date=28 May 2015 |url=https://vimeo.com/129135898|access-date=14 November 2017}}</ref>]]

[[File:RIB 1137 - Sextus Calpurnius Agricola - VI Victrix.jpg|thumb|left|Dedication to [[Sol Invictus]] by a ''vexillatio'' of the VIth, ([[Corbridge]], Northumberland, 162–168).]]
[[File:Whitley Castle Hercules Altar Sopwith 1833.jpg|thumb|left|Altar to [[Hercules]], naming Gaius Vitellius Atticanus, Centurion of the Legio VI Victrix, at [[Whitley Castle]] (Epiacum) in southern [[Northumberland]]. Illustration by [[Thomas Sopwith (geologist)|Thomas Sopwith]], 1833. The altar is now in [[The Higgins Art Gallery & Museum|Bedford Museum]].]]

In 119, [[Hadrian]] relocated the legion to northern [[Roman Britain|Britannia]], to assist those legions already present in quelling the resistance there. ''Victrix'' was key in securing victory, and would eventually replace the diminished [[Legio IX Hispana|IX ''Hispana'']] at [[Eboracum]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Nitze |first1=William A. |title=Bedier's Epic Theory and the "Arthuriana" of Nennius |journal=Modern Philology |date=August 1941 |volume=39 |issue=1 |pages=1–14 |jstor=434162 |doi=10.1086/388502|s2cid=161408178 }} This states that VI Victrix was based at Eburacum (York).</ref> In 122 the legion started work on [[Hadrian's Wall]] which would sustain the peace for two decades.

Twenty years later, they helped construct the [[Antonine Wall]] and its forts such as [[Castlecary]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Castlecary|url=http://roman-britain.co.uk/places/castlecary.htm#rib2146|website=Roman Britain|access-date=28 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180604200812/http://roman-britain.co.uk/places/castlecary.htm#rib2146|archive-date=4 June 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> and [[Croy Hill]]<ref>Montgomery, Alan (2022), ''Walking the Antonine Wall'', Tippermuir Books Ltd., [[Perth, Scotland|Perth]], p. 148 {{isbn|978-1-913836-12-2}}</ref> but it was largely abandoned by 164. In 2020 a replica of the Eastermains stone was installed in [[Twechar]]. The original was found on Eastermains Farm (which adjoins Whitehill), west of Inchbelly Bridge, east of Kirkintilloch and is often associated with [[Auchendavy]].<ref>{{cite web|title=OS 25 inch map 1892-1949, with Bing opacity slider|url=http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16&lat=55.9489&lon=-4.1313&layers=168&b=3|website=National Library of Scotland|publisher=Ordnance Survey|access-date=12 October 2017}}</ref> It has been scanned and a video produced.<ref>{{cite web|title=Distance Slab of the Sixth Legion, Eastermains|date=30 March 2017 |url=https://vimeo.com/210768518|access-date=14 November 2017}}</ref> It is similar to two other distance slabs of the Sixth Legion on the Antonine Wall.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sabljak |first1=Ema |title=Rediscovering the Antonine Wall £2.1m project makes mark |url=https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/18964474.rediscovering-antonine-wall-2-1m-project-makes-mark/ |agency=Glasgow Evening Times |date=26 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mitchell |first1=Jenness |title=Roman replica takes pride of place near Antonine Wall site |url=https://news.stv.tv/west-central/roman-replica-takes-pride-of-place-near-antonine-wall-site?top |agency=STV news |date=28 December 2020}}</ref>

In 175, the Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius, defeated the [[Iazyges]] tribe of [[Sarmatians]]. He took them into Roman service and settled 5,500 of them in Britain; it has been claimed without evidence and contrary to legionary recruitment practices that some were assigned to Legio VI Victrix based in York. The only detachment attested in Britain is a unit at [[Ribchester]], south of [[Lancaster, Lancashire|Lancaster]]. Less certain is evidence from Bainesse, near [[Catterick, North Yorkshire|Catterick]], where lost tiles apparently stamped BSAR may be evidence for the presence of a Sarmatian unit there.

Legio VI was awarded the honorary title "Britannica" by [[Commodus]] in AD 184 following his own adoption of the title. <ref>The date of the award of the Britannica cognomen to Legio VI Victrix, 2006, Peter Warry https://www.academia.edu/38754312</ref>

In 185, the British legions mutinied and put forward one legate Priscus, a commander of their own (about whom little other information is known, but possibly [[Caerellius Priscus]]), to replace the unpopular Emperor Commodus, but the former declined. The mutiny was suppressed by [[Pertinax]], who would later become emperor himself after Commodus was murdered.

The large fort at [[Carpow]] in Scotland was occupied from about 184 by Legio VI who completed the fort with the principia and [[praetorium]] which they roofed with tiles bearing their new cognomen.<ref>The date of the award of the Britannica cognomen to Legio VI Victrix, 2006, Peter Warry https://www.academia.edu/38754312</ref>

The [[Legatus|Legate]] of the legion in the late second century, [[Claudius Hieronymianus]], dedicated a temple to [[Serapis]] in [[Eboracum]] in advance of the arrival of [[Septimius Severus]] in AD208.<ref name=GdlB>De la Bedoyere, G. 2002. ''Gods with Thunderbolts: Religion in Roman Britain.'' Tempus, Stroud. pp174.</ref>

An altar to [[Hercules]] was dedicated by Gaius Vitellius Atticianus, Centurion of the Legio VI Victrix, at [[Whitley Castle]] (Epiacum), illustrated above left.<ref>{{cite book | author=Robertson, Alastair F. | title=Whitley Castle; Epiacum: A Roman Fort near Alston in Cumbria | edition=3rd | year=2007 | pages=22–23 | publisher=Hundy | isbn=978-0-954-73394-0}}</ref>
{{clear}}

== Attested members ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
! Name
! Rank
! Time frame
! Province
! Source
|-
| [[Marcus Pompeius Macrinus Neos Theophanes]]<ref>René Hodot, [https://www.jstor.org/stable/20185691 "La grande inscription de M. Pompeius Macrinus à Mytilène"], ''[[Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik]]'', 34 (1979), pp.&nbsp;221-237</ref>
| [[legatus legionis]]
| between 100 and 110
| [[Germania Inferior]]
| {{CIL|14|3599}}
|-
| [[Publius Tullius Varro]]<ref>Anthony Birley, ''The Fasti of Roman Britain'' (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1981), p.&nbsp;239</ref>
| legatus legionis
| 118
| [[Roman Britain|Britannica]]
| {{CIL|10|3364}}
|-
| [[Lucius Valerius Propinquus]]<ref>Birley, ''Fasti of Roman Britain'', pp.&nbsp;240f</ref>
| legatus legionis
| c. 120
| Britannica
| {{CIL|2|6084}}
|-
| [[Lucius Minicius Natalis Quadronius Verus]]
| legatus legionis
| c. 130
| Britannica
| {{CIL|14|3599}}
|-
| [[Publius Mummius Sisenna Rutilianus]]
| legatus legionis
| c. 135
| Britannica
| {{CIL|14|3601}}
|-
| [[Quintus Antonius Isauricus]]<ref>Birley Anthony R. 21. Antoninus Pius’ Guard Prefect Marcus Gavius Maximus with an Appendix on new evidence for the Fasti of Britain under Antoninus. "The Antonine Wall: Papers in honour of Professor Lawrence Keppie", eds. David J. Breeze and William S. Hanson (Oxford, 2020), p. 326</ref>
| legatus legionis
| Late 140s
| Britannica
| {{CIL|7|233}}
|-
| Lucius Junius Victorinus Flavius Caelianus<ref>Birley, ''Fasti of Roman Britain'', p.&nbsp;254</ref>
| legatus legionis
| 150s
| Britannica
| 
|-
| [[Quintus Camurius Numisius Junior]]<ref>Birley, ''Fasti of Roman Britain'', pp.&nbsp;254-256</ref>
| legatus legionis
| 155-158
| Britannica
| {{CIL|11|5670}}
|-
| [[Claudius Hieronymianus]]<ref>Birley, ''Fasti of Roman Britain'', p.&nbsp;264</ref>
| legatus legionis
| between 190 and 212
| Britannica
| {{CIL|7|240}}
|-
| [[Gaius Minicius Italus]]
| [[tribunus angusticlavius]]
| c. 80
| [[Hispania Tarraconensis]]
| {{CIL|8|875}} = ILS&nbsp;1374; {{CIL|3|12053}}
|-
| [[Marcus Macrinius Avitus Catonius Vindex]]
| tribunus angusticlavius
| 160s
| Britannica
| {{CIL|6|1449}}
|-
| [[Publius Helvius Pertinax]]
| tribunus angusticlavius
| 170s
| Britannica
| 
|-
| [[Lucius Funisulanus Vettonianus]]
| [[tribunus laticlavius]]
| c. 58
| Hispania Tarraconensis
| {{CIL|3|4013}}; {{CIL|11|571}}
|-
| [[Gaius Calpetanus Rantius Quirinalis Valerius Festus]]
| tribunus laticlavius
| c. 60
| Hispania Tarraconensis
| {{CIL|5|531}} = ILS&nbsp;989
|-
| [[Marcus Pontius Laelianus]]<ref>Birley, ''Fasti of Roman Britain'', pp.&nbsp;273f</ref>
| tribunus laticlavius
| 122-124?
| Britannica
| {{CIL|6|1497}}
|-
| [[Quintus Licinius Silvanus Granianus Quadronius Proculus]]<ref>Birley, ''Fasti of Roman Britain'', p.&nbsp;274</ref>
| tribunus laticlavius
| 120s
| Britannica
| {{CIL|2|4609}}
|-
| Aulus Titius Severus
| [[Centurion|centurio]]
| 89-122
| Germania Inferior
| {{CIL|13|8174}}
|}

==Epigraphic inscriptions==
[[File:Victory_inscription.JPG|thumb|Inscription from [[Wesel]], dating to AD 50–60]]
*- Dis Manibus '''''Gai Iuli''''' Galeria tribu '''''Caleni''''' Lugduno veterani ex '''legione VI Victrice''' Pia Fideli heres a se memoriae fecit. [[Lincoln, England|Lincoln]] (''Lindum''), U.K. RIB 252 = CIL VII 182.
*- Dis Manibus sacrum Nig̣ṛiṇae vixit annos XXXX '''''Aurelius Casitto''''' '''legionis VI Victricis''' Piae Fidelis curavit. [[Great Chesters]] (''Aesica''), U.K. RIB 1746 = CIL VII 740.
*- Dis Manibus '''''Titi Flavi Flavini''''' '''legionis VI Victricis''' Classicius Aprilis heres prius quam obiret fieri iussit. [[York]] (''Eboracum''), U.K. RIB 675.
*- Dis Manibus '''''Lucius Bebius''''' Augusta (tribu) '''''Crescens''''' Vindelicum miles '''legionis VI Victricis''' Piae Fidelis annorum XLIII stipendiorum XXIII heres amico faciendum curavit. York (''Eboracum''), U.K. RIB 671.
*- Dis Manibus Flaviae Augustinae vixit annos XXXVIIII menses VII dies XI filius Saenius Augustinus vixit annum I dies III vixit annum I menses VIIII dies V '''''Gaius Aeresius Saenus''''' [[veteranus]] '''legionis VI Victricis''' coniugi carissimae et sibi faciendum curavit. York (''Eboracum''), U.K. RIB 685 = CIL VII 245.
*- Dis Manibus '''''Gaius Iulius''''' Gai filius colonia Flavia '''''Ingenuus''''' miles '''legionis VI Victricis''' Piae Fidelis. [[High Rochester]] (''Bremenium''), U.K. RIB 1292 = CIL VII 1057.
*- Dis Manibus '''''Flavius Agricola''''' miles '''legionis VI Victricis''' vixit annos XLII dies X Albia Faustina coniugi inconparabili faciendum curavit. [[London]] (''Londinium''), U.K. CIL V 25.
*-'''''Lucio Pompeio''''' Luci filio / Quirina (tribu) '''''Faventino''''' / praefecto cohortis VI Asturum / tribuno militum '''legionis VI Victricis''' (...). [[Astorga, Spain|Astorga]] (''Asturica''), Spain.  CIL II 2637 = AE 1966, 187.
*- '''''Lucius Valerius Silvanus''''' / miles '''legionis VI Victricis''' / Deo Turiaco / votum solvit libens merito. [[Porto]] (''Portus''), Portugal. CIL II 2374 = AE 1959, 103. ·
*- '''''Titus Pompeius''''' Titi filius / Tromentina (tribu) / '''''Albinus'''''' domo Vienna / IIvir tribunus militum '''legionis VI Victricis'''. [[Mérida, Spain|Mérida]] (''Emerita Augusta''), Spain. AE 2002, 929.
*- Dis Manibus sacrum '''''Gaius Iulius Severus''''' veteranus '''legionis VI Victricis''' annorum LXI Iulia Danae liberta ex testamento (...).[[Mérida, Spain|Mérida]] (''Emerita Augusta''), Spain. CIL II 490.
*- '''''Marcus Tavonius''''' / Marci filius / Romilia (tribu) / '''''Firmus''''' domo Ateste / miles '''legionis VI Victricis''' (...). Mérida, Spain. Museo Nacional de Arte Romano - Mérida.
*- Dis Manibus sacrum / '''''Gaius Iulius Severus''''' / veteranus '''legionis VI Victricis''' / annorum LXI / Iulia Danae liberta ex testamento (...). Mérida, Spain.  CIL II 490.
*- Dis Manibus sacrum '''''Lucius Maelonius Aper''''' veteranus '''legionis VI Victricis''' {{lang|la|italic=no|Piae Fidelis annorum LXX militavit beneficiarius}} (...).  Mérida, Spain.  CIL II 491.
*- Dis Manibus sacrum / '''''Lucius Maelonius Aper''''' / veteranus '''legionis VI Victricis''' {{lang|la|italic=no|Piae Fidelis annorum LXX / militavit beneficiarius}} (...). Mérida, Spain. CIL II 491.
*- '''Legio VI victrix'''. Moers, Nordrhein-Westfalen. AE 2005, 1069b.
*- '''''Lucius Helvius''''' Luci filius / Papiria tribu / '''''Rebilus''''' Augustanus / veteranus '''legionis VI Victricis'''. Mérida, Spain. AE 2006, 616.

==In popular culture==
The legion is mentioned in [[Robert Heinlein]]'s novel ''[[Have Space Suit – Will Travel]]'' and in the book ''[[From Scythia to Camelot]]'' by [[C. Scott Littleton]] and Linda A. Malcor.
It is also mentioned in the video game [[Total War: Attila]] as the only [[Western Roman Empire|Western Roman]] legion in Britannia

==Reenactment==  
A modern [[Historical reenactment|reenactment]] group based in [[Los Angeles]] reenacts this legion.

Another one exists based in Denmark and Sweden found under the name Legionord

Legio VI Victrix, Eboracum reenacts this legion in York.

The Antonine Guard, a living history society based in Scotland, recreates a unit of Legio VI during the Antonine occupation of Caledonia in the 2nd century AD.<ref>{{cite web|title=Antonine Guard Living History Society|url=http://www.theantonineguard.org.uk/|website=The Anonine Guard|access-date=26 May 2018}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of Roman legions]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Legio VI Victrix}}
* [https://www.livius.org/le-lh/legio/vi_victrix.html livius.org account] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150728040443/http://www.livius.org/le-lh/legio/vi_victrix.html |date=28 July 2015 }}
* [http://www.legionsix.org/ Legion Six Victorious, Los Angeles Roman reenactment society] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302180933/http://www.legionsix.org/ |date=2 March 2021 }}
* [http://www.roemercohorte.de/ LEG VI VIC COH VI ASTVR, German re-enactment society]
* [http://www.theantonineguard.org.uk/  The Antonine Guard, Scottish re-enactment society]
* [http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsEurope/BarbarianAlans.htm History Files: Alans (Geloni)]
* [http://ossetians.com/eng/news.php?newsid=370/ From Scythia to Camelot By C. Scott Littleton and Linda A. Malcor]
{{Roman Legion|}}

[[Category:Roman legions|06 Victrix]]
[[Category:Roman legions in Britain|6 Victrix]]
[[Category:40s BC establishments]]
[[Category:41 BC]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in the 1st century BC]]