The Notitia Dignitatum



Legion lineages



This page created 15 July 2015, and last modified: 13 December 2015 (possible Praesidienses origin links added)

Spear



Disclaimer: Remember, a lot of what comes below is speculation. Hopefully informed speculation, but speculation nonetheless. Comments welcome! (lukeuedasarson "at" gmail.com)


The various praesental and comital legions in the Notitia generally do not have their names given in the traditional format as found for the limitanei legions, i.e. Legio (number) (appellation), e.g. Legio I Italica, which is actually listed (76.21) in the Notitia in the form Praefectus legionis primae italicae novae, i.e. "the prefect of Legio I Italica, at Novas". It is thus difficult in many cases to see which limitanei legion, if any, a particular field army legion derived from. The table below gives the possible relationships as I see them, along with my estimate of the degree of certainty of the relationship. "Certain" means the relationship is established from evidence outside the Notitia, such as an epigraphic record. "Assured" means the relationship is self-obvious, due to e.g. the unit carrying a number in the Notitia that was only ever issued to only one legion in the past. "Probable" is my own estimate that the chance of the relationship being correct is greater than 50-50; evidence in support may be intrinsic to the Notitia, extrinsic, or both; see the unit's pages for details. "Possible" means my estimation of the chance of the relationship being correct is less than 50-50. A (former) legion whose name is in [italics] means the existence of the unit is only presumed, and not attested outside the Notitia.

Old legion name Field army legion detachment reference & name       Certainty
Legio I Adiutrix 12.19 Primani
98/9.25 Pannoniciani seniores
Possible
Possible
Legio I Armeniaca 15.26 Prima Armeniaca Assured
Legio I Flavia [Constantia] 15.20 Balistarii seniores
15.21 Prima Flavia Constantia
Possible
Assured
Legio I Flavia [Gallicana Constantia] 98/9.138 Prima Flavia Gallicana Constantia Assured
Legio I Flavia [gemina] 18.18 Prima Flavia gemina Assured
Legio I Flavia [Metis] 98/9.143 Prima Flavia Metis Assured
Legio I Flavia [pacis] 98/9.123 Prima Flavia Pacis Assured
Legio I Flavia [Theodosiana] 15.24 Prima Flavia Theodosiana Assured
Legio [I] Flavia [victrix Constantina] 98/9.126 Flavia victrix Constantina Assured
Legio I Iovia

9.18 Ioviani iuniores
12.18 Scythae
18.25 Balistarii iuniores
98/9.21 Ioviani seniores
Possible
Probable
Possible
Possible
Legio I Isauria 15.33 Prima Isaur[i]a sagittaria Assured
Legio I Italica 12.19 Primani
15.30 Prima Italica
18.13 Menapii
98/9.26 Moesiaci seniores
98/9.31 Cimbriani
98/9.98 Menapii seniores
Possible
Assured
Possible
Certain
Possible
Possible
[Legio I (?) Iulia Alexandria] 18.29 Iulia Alexandria Assured
[Legio I Iulia Alpina] 98/9.131 Legio prima Alpina/a> Assured
Legio I Martia
15.17 Martenses seniores
18.24 Balistarii Dafnenses
21.16 Martii
98/9.139 Martenses
Possible
Possible
Probable
Possible
Legio I Maximiana 18.14 Prima Maximiana Thebaeorum Assured
Legio I Minervia 21.21 Minervii
98/9.27 Armigeri propugnatores seniores
98/9.32 Armigeri propugnatores iuniores
98/9.100 Propugnatores seniores
98/9.114 Propugnatores iuniores
Assured
Possible
Possible
Possible
Possible
Legio I Noricum

21.20 Lanciarii Augustenses
98/9.28 Lanciarii Sabarienses
98/9.134 Lanciarii Comaginenses
Probable
Possible
Possible
Legio I Pontica 18.27 Tzanni
98/9.137 Pontinenses
Probable
Possible
Legio I Valentiniana 18.31 Valentinianenses Possible
Legio II Adiutrix 21.9 Secundani
98/9.25 Pannoniciani seniores
Possible
Possible
Legio II Armeniaca 15.27 Secunda Armeniaca Assured
Legio II Augusta
21.6 Britones seniores
98/9.115 Secunda Britannica
Probable
Assured
Legio II Flavia [Constantia] 15.22 Secunda Flavia Constantia Thebaeorum
15.34 Balistarii Theodosiaci
18.23 Constantini Dafnenses
Assured
Possible
Possible
Legio II Flavia [Constantiniana] 98/9.127 Secunda Flavia Constantiniana Assured
Legio II Flavia [gemina] 18.19 Secunda Flavia gemina Assured
Legio II Flavia Virtutis 98/9.124 Secunda Flavia Virtutis Certain
Legio II Herculia

9.19 Herculiani iuniores
21.9 Secundani
98/9.22 Herculiani seniores
Possible
Possible
Possible
Legio II Isauria 54.2 Legio seccunda Isaura Assured
Legio II Italica


18.21 Divitenses Gallicani
98/9.23 Divitenses seniores
98/9.109 Secundani Italiciani.html
98/9.133 Lanciarii Lauriacenses
Possible
Certain
Assured
Assured
[Legio II Iulia Alpina] 98/9.132 Secunda Iulia Alpina Assured
Legio II Parthica 15.35 Transtigritani Probable
[Legio (?) II (Flavia ?) Theodosiana] 21.31 Balistarii Theodosiani iuniores
21.30 Secundi Theodosiani
Possible
Assured
Legio II Traiana


9.20 Fortenses
15.28 Fortenses auxiliarii
21.18 Germaniciani seniores
21.19 Secundani
98/9.099 Fortenses
98/9.110 Germaniciani iuniores
Possible
Possible
Possible
Possible
Possible
Possible
Legio II Valentiniana 15.23 Secunda Felix Valentis Thebaeorum Assured
Legio III Augusta 98/9.128 Tertio Augistani Assured
Legio III Diocletiana 18.15 Tertia Diocletiana Thebaeorum Assured
[Legio III Flavia Salutis] 98/9.125 Tertia Flavia Salutis Certain
Legio III Gallica 98/9.113 Lanciarii Gallicani Honoriani
98/9.121 Honoriani felices Gallicani
Probable
Probable
Legio III Herculea 98/9.112 Tertia Herculea Assured
Legio III Isauria 54.3 Legio tertia Isaura Assured
Legio III Italica
98/9.111 Tertia Italica
98/9.118 Ursarienses
Assured
Probable
[Legio III Iulia Alpina] 98/9.122 Tertia Iulia Alpina Assured
Legio III Parthica (see notes) none n.a.
Legio IV Flavia Felix 98/9.121 Honoriani felices Gallicani
98/9.135 Taurunenses
Possible
Possible
[Legio IV Iovia]
9.18 Ioviani iuniores
98/9.21 Ioviani seniores
Possible
Possible
[Legio IIII Italica] 15.41 Quarta Italica Assured
Legio IIII Martia 15.17 Martenses seniores
21.16 Martii
Probable
Possible
Legio IIII Scythica 12.18 Scythae Possible
Legio V Iovia


9.18 Ioviani iuniores
18.26 Pannoniciani iuniores
98/9.21 Ioviani seniores
98/9.25 Pannoniciani seniores
Possible
Possible
Possible
Possible
Legio V Macedonica
12.17 Daci
15.16 Quinta Macedonica
Possible
Assured
Legio VI Herculia


9.19 Herculiani iuniores
18.26 Pannoniciani iuniores
98/9.21 Ioviani seniores
98/9.22 Herculiani seniores
98/9.25 Pannoniciani seniores
Possible
Possible
Possible
Possible
Possible
Legio VI Parthica 15.32 Sexta Parthica
15.35 Transtigritani
Assured
Possible
Legio VI Victrix
21.6 Britones seniores
98/9.117 Praesidienses
102/5.207 Primani iuniores
Possible
Possible
Possible
Legio VII Claudia
98/9.142 Septimani iuniores
98/9.147 Septimani (iuniores)
Possible
Probable
Legio VII Gemina



15.18 Septima gemina
98/9.102 Septimani seniores
98/9.104 Pacatianenses
98/9.117 Praesidienses
98/9.142 Septimani iuniores
98/9.147 Septimani (iuniores)
Assured
Probable
Possible
Possible
Probable
Possible
Legio VIII Augusta

18.13 Menapii
18.21 Divitenses Gallicani
98/9.29 Octavani
98/9.98 Menapii seniores
98/9.105 Vesontes
Possible
Probable
Assured
Possible
Possible
Legio X Gemina


15.19 Decima gemina
21.20 Lanciarii Augustenses
98/9.28 Lanciarii Sabarienses
98/9.134 Lanciarii Comaginenses
Assured
Possible
Possible
Probable
Legio XI Claudia
12.20 Undecimani
98/9.31 Cimbriani
98/9.108 Undecimani
Assured
Possible
Assured
Legio XIII Gemina
12.17 Daci
18.16 Tertio decimani
21.17 Dianenses
Possible
Assured
Probable
Legio XIV Gemina


18.17 Quarto decimani
21.20 Lanciarii Augustenses
98/9.28 Lanciarii Sabarienses
98/9.134 Lanciarii Comaginenses
Assured
Possible
Probable
Possible
Legio XX Valeria Victrix 18.12 Solenses seniores
18.19 Secunda Flavia gemina
18.28 Solenses Gallicani
21.6 Britones seniores
Possible
Possible
Possible
Possible
Legio XXII Primigenia 9.21 Nervii
18.13 Menapii
18.21 Divitenses Gallicani
98/9.24 Tongrecani seniores
98/9.98 Menapii seniores
Possible
Possible
Possible
Probable
Possible
Legio XXX Ulpia Victrix 18.13 Menapii
98/9.98 Menapii seniores
Possible
Possible
Note that I have counted the two legions under the Comes per Isauriam as "field army" units for the purposes of the above table.

Limitanei legions listed in the Notitia without any apparent corresponding field army legions listed are the following:

Legio I Illyricorum
Legio I Parthica
Legio III Cyrenaica
Legio III Parthica
(see notes)
Legio IIII Parthica
Legio X Fretensis
Legio XII Fulminata
Legio XV Apollonaris
Legio XVI Flavia Firma
Note that Legio III Parthica is not actually listed in the Notitia, it only being introduced by an interpolation (67.10.1) that is by no means secure. Former legions V Parthica & VI Ferrata appear to have left no trace in the Notitia, whether as limitanei or field army units. The poorly attested Legio XII Victrix is likewise absent.

Field army legionary units listed in the Notitia without any apparent corresponding limitanei legionary units listed are the following:

Lanciarii seniores (9.17)
Matiarii iuniores (9.22)
Matiarii seniores (12.16)
Lanciarii iuniores (12.21)
Funditores (15.29)
Constantini seniores (18.20)
Lanciarii Stobenses (18.22)
Matiarii constantes (21.15)
Germaniciani seniores (21.18)
Lanciarii iuniores (21.22)
Thebei (98/9.30)
Armigeri defensores seniores (98/9.101)
Regii (98/9.103)
Mattiarii iuniores (98/9.106)
Mauri cetrati (98/9.107)
Germaniciani iuniores (98/9.110)
Cortoriacenses (98/9.119)
Geminiacenses (98/9.120)
Abrincateni (98/9.141)
Defensores seniores (98/9.141)
Mauri Osismiaci (98/9.142)
The following units, while not positively asserted in the Notitia to be auxiliary units, are nonetheless most likely to be so as opposed to being legionary:
18.30 Augustenses
18.31 Valentinianenses
18.31.1 [Gratianenses]
21.24 Timacenses auxiliarii
21.25 Felices Theodosiani iuniores
21.26 Bugaracenses
21.27 Scupenses
21.28 Ulpianenses
21.29 Merenses
21.32 Scampenses
98/9.136 Antianenses
98/9.144 Superventores iuniores
98/9.145 Constantiaci
98/9.146 Corniacenses
98/9.148 Romanenses

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