[1672]
the X with the title Veneria in Cremona (CIL V 4191, released perhaps in the year 713 = 41 BC), could still be placed on the old Caesarian legions: we cannot say to which other leg. X without title belonged the men, who were released to Brixia (CIL V 4987) and Capua (X 3887) later after the year 734 = 30 BC. On the other hand the leg. X, whose veterans were settled together with that of the leg. XII in 738 = 16 BC in the colony of Patrae (CIL III p. 95f., coins for instance Cohen I2 307 no. 412. 413. p. 351 no. 442. p. 531 no. 733. 735. 736.) is certainly the Fretensis: on an inscription of a soldier released at this time from the leg. X EQV the title is apparently rendered illegible; or he was a member of a so far unknown legion of the same number, garrisoned in the eastern part of the empire. For X Fretensis was, after the reorganisation of the Empire, assigned to one of the eastern provinces. When choosing between Egypt and Syria, the greater probability would speak for the latter. At the latest from the year 6 CE (see above p. 1235), but probably far earlier, the X Fretensis belonged to the army in Syria.
The oldest datable evidence for the province where the legion was garrisoned comes from the year 17 CE: Cyrrhi demum apud hiberna decumae legionis convenere (Germanicus and Piso, Tac. Annales II 57). Its permanent camp was located in the northern part of the province, not far away from Euphrates river on one side and the provincial capital Antiochia on the other. For more than one lifetime we lack mention of the legion, except for the participation of their veterans in the release to the veteran-colony Ptolemais through Claudius (Cohen I2 309 no. 431. 432, see above p. 1252 paragraph A). In the Armeno-Parthian turmoil under the reign of Nero the X Fretensis belonged, although not from the beginning, but from about 57 AD, to the forces of Corbulo (Tac. Ann. XIII 40), and he also retained this legion after the division of forces with Caesennius Paetus in 62 as an unit particularly close to him and valued by him (Tac. Ann. XV 6: Tertia et sexta et decuma legiones priorque Suriae miles apud Corbulonem manerent).  Under the leadership of Corbulo the legion participated in the Armenian campaign and remained under the command of this famous general until his fall. Shortly after this event the legion provided a vexillation to the shamefully concluded expedition of Cestius Gallus against Jerusalem in October 66 (Josephus, Bell. II.18. 9, see also above p. 1258 paragraph A).
Then the X Fretensis was among others subordinated to the general Flavius Vespasianus (Tac. Hist. V 1), sent by Nero to forcefully deal with the insurgent Jews, and was still in 66 seconded by him to Ptolemais (Joseph., Bell. III.4.2). After the operations of 67 (Bell. III 7. 21f. 31), which the legion accomplished under its legate Ulpius Trajanus, it wintered together with the V Maced. in Caesarea (Joseph., Bell. III.9.1). After the capture of Gamala (Bell. IV.1.3) Vespasian sent the