is illuminated more closely by inscriptions of A.Iulius Pompilius Piso … Berenicianus. Before he got a command in Africa in 176/177 CE, he operated with I Italica from Moesia Inferior and IIII Flavia from Moesia Superior “cum omnibus copiis auxiliorum dato iure gladi” during independent maneuvers, most likely in 172-175 (see column 1302f). We must not think (like Beuchel 85) that the theatre of these operations was Dacia and that Berenicianus was a deputy governor of the province, even if the altar in Potaissa were dedicated by a soldier of I Italica (CIL III 889) dated to the Marcomannic Wars (Beuchel 87, note 2). Neither is there any ground for assuming that Berenicianus’ troops marched through the Iron Gates, reached Sarmizegetusa and defended it against enemy attacks (see Von Domaszewski,<i>N.Heid.Jahrb.</i> V 116. It may be doubted if the tile of this legion (CIL III 12530a; <i>Arch.ep.Mitt.</i> XIV, 14 nr. 25a) or the tiles belonging to V Macedonica and XI Claudia found in fortress of Draschna-de-sus in the Carpathian mountains, point to the construction of this fortress during the Marcomannic wars by the legions named above. This installation will have been built in earlier times to protect the important mountain pass at this point, in conjunction with the border between Dacia and Moesia.

      The words of the <i>Historia Augusta Albini</i> 6.2 “egit et legionem quartanorum et primanorum” (He command the fourth and first legion as well) cannot be interpreted as if Clodius Albinus was a kind of successor to the command of Berenicianus’ corps of I Italica and IIII Flavia. The falsification of this entire book (see Hasebroek, <i>Die Fälschung der vita Nigri und vita Albini</i> Berlin 1916, p.28) made that inadmissible, despite the rescue attempt by Von Premerstein (<i>Klio</i> XIII, 82) who thinks Albinus was a tribunus militum of both legions. Legio I Italica immediately declared its allegiance to Septimius Severus when he was proclaimed emperor in April of 193 CE. This is borne out by the denarii struck in its name (Cohen IV, vol.2, 31 nr.257). The legatus legionis of that time was L.Marius Maximus (CIL VI 1450), under whose command the legion took part in the siege of Byzantium that took years and engaged in the battles against Albinus in 196/197 CE. As “dux exerciti Mysiaci aput Byzantium et aput Lugudunum” Marius Maximus would have been in charge of the mobilized detachments of the army in Moesia Inferior: I Italica, XI Claudia and their auxiliary units. He was in command until he became governor of Belgica in 197. He may have been succeeded in command of I Italica by M.Fabius Magnus Valerianus (CIL XI 2106) who may yet be distinguished, as Beuchel 87 notes, from the Severan commander Valerianus who decided the battle of Issus.

      A substantial number belonging to soldiers of I Italica…