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Page 3 of 11
[1409]
Because of the insurrection of Iulius Vindex, he (Nero) was forced to redirect the legion, which hadn’t left Italy, or hadn’t progressed too far east as yet, to Gaul to battle the usurper. This occurred in March or April 68 CE. If the legion managed to engage this revolt, may be doubted. However, at that time the news of Galba’s accession to the throne and the ambiguous attitude of Verginius Rufus, who had just defeated Vindex, would have become known. Therefore the legion and the other troops with it, will have continued in the same direction under command of Petronius Turpilianus and Rubrius Gallus (Dio LXIII 27.1). After Nero’s death, Galba on his journey through Gaul left the legion there and garrisoned it temporarily in Lugdunum (Lyons). This was probably because Galba mistrusted the Rhine army (with some reason: Tacitus, Histories I.7f;12 and 65), even after the recall of Verginius Rufus, and wanted the legion as support for any eventuality. However, the legion was certainly not part of the Rhine army, as was suggested by Von Domaszewski in Bonn. Jahrb. CXVII 177. That contradicts other evidence. Tacitus for instance clearly separates it from the Germanicus Exercitus in Historiae I.74. At the start of 69 CE the legion was still in Lugdunum with its legate Manlius Valens (Tacitus, Hist I.59;64 and 74). Like the governor of the province Iunius Blaesus, the legion joined the ranks of the emperor Vitellius and was taken from Lugdunum – surely to the satisfaction of this Colony that sympathized with the Rhine army - by the emperor’s consort Fabius Valens on his march to Italy for the Civil War against Otho. The legion distinguished itself by its bravery in battle against the Othonians (Hist. II.41). During Vitellius’s entry into Rome, the eagle of I Italica was among the quattor legionum aquilae (four eagles of the legions) of the Vitellian army (Hist. II.89). When the same army departed Rome to confront Vespasian’s troops, the legion was at the end of the column together with XXI Rapax and the vexillations of the British legions (Hist. II.100). The latter two legions had been sent ahead to Cremona by Caecina (Hist. III.14). Leaderless they were tempted by a successful confrontation of their cavalry to progress several thousand meters from the city and were defeated by the Flavians under Vipstanus Messala. The beaten units were then forced to flee back to Cremona’s walls (Hist. III.18). A night fight ensued and the soldiers of I Italica and XXI Rapax, who rushed forward to help their comrades, mixed with the other troops without any semblance of order (Hist.III.22 “Rapaces atque Italici omnibus se manipulis miscuereant”) and they were completely defeated and laid down their weapons.
2. When the legions of the conquered legions of Vitellius were spread across the empire, which was done immediately after the victory…
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