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Page 1 of 7 LXXXVI. leg. XXX Ulpia Victrix. Column 1821-1829. Tr. Marcus Fichtinger
[1821]
(literature see above, column 1213), was as its name reveals, a creation of Trajan (Dio LV 24, 4 “Trajan [established] the Thirtieth Germanica”). It received its number as an expression for the total number of the legions that existed during that time – including itself -
[1822]
to honour all legions of the empire in this way. There were some arguments about the exact date of its founding: Schiller (Römische Kaisergeschichte I 555 appendix p. 938) placed it in the time between the Dacian and the Parthian wars, Von Domaszewski (Westdeutsche Zeitschrift XIV 25) named the year 107, which was just after the Dacian war, while Pfitzner (272 (compare 82, 83)) thought its establishment was a part of the preparation for this war and Schilling (De leg. I M. et XXX Ulp. 31ff.) wanted to trace back its roots to 98/99. A lot can be said for the probability of an army-reinforcement before 101 or 104 at the latest, even if Schilling’s arguments are not really convincing. Also the fact that XXX Ulpia had already fought with distinction in Dacia was proven by the cognomen v(ictrix) on the monuments from Trajan’s period.
It remains unclear, in which way the gods that belonged to XXX Ulpia – Neptune after coins of Gallienus (Roth: Wien. Numism. Zeitschrift V 1873, 86f. table. V 23) and Carausius (Cohen: VII² 17 nr. 146. 149), Jupiter with Capricorn after coins of Victorinus (Cohen: VI 76 nr. 69-73) – are related to the founding, its time or meaning. There could be also a connection to its imperial founder (see under II Trajana, column 1485).
We don’t know where and in which army group Leg. XXX took part in the Dacian wars. It was probably a part of the western army that started its operations from Moesia superior.
When this conflict was over and the modalities of occupation in the Danubian provinces were arranged, our legion most likely became part of Pannonia superior’s Army; its permanent camp must have been located in Brigetio, which was left by XI Claudia some years before (Schilling: 38 f. 51f. 127f.). Not only some bricks with the stamps LEG XXX • VV (CIL III 4663c. 11370 a-c), but also a little altar (CIL III 10974) was found at this site and seem to belong to the members of the XXX legion, and not to the XXth (von Domaszewski: Westdeutsche Zeitschrift XIV 24, 98). Brick-relicts of the XXX were also found in Carnutum and Vindobona (CIL III 4663a. b. 11370d-g. RLÖ e.g. I table VI 18 and table VII 25. II table IX 25. III table XII 15-17. Arch.-epigr. Mitt. V 110. Kenner: Archäologische Funde in Wien 1897 S. 27 Fig. 38) tell us that there was much building-work in all legion-camps of the Pannonian province, when our legion stayed there. That wasn’t unusual at all in the years after the enormous efforts during the Dacian wars.
It’s dubious, whether Leg. XXX left its camp at Brigetio to follow the imperator, when he started the Oriental wars in 114, as Dierauer believes (Traian 159, 5). A participation in the form of a special commando, called “vexillatio”, is more likely – that means that only a section would have been involved. The other legions of this province did the same to accompany leg. XV Apoll on its march towards the Orient.
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