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Legio XII Fulminata
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[1708]
Whether the legionary tribune Claudius Hera, who was distinguished by two Augusti, seemingly the Divi fraters, with dona militaria, served in Legio XII Fulminata or III Cyrenaica remains unsure. The Christian legend in which legio XII Fuliminata is given a decisive part in the Marcomannic wars in relation to the rain miracle during the battle against the Quadi in 171 CE, does not hold water against stern critique (see also Harnack S.-Ber.Ak.Berl.1894, 835ff.; Petersen, Röm.Mitt.IX 78ff, especially p.80 note 89; Geffcken N.Jahrb.f.kl.Altert.1899, 253ff.). Nevertheless it cannot be excluded that a vexillation of the legion fought in the wars on the Danube (Premerstein, Klio XIII 70f., see also XV Apollinaris col. 1754). Legio XII Fulminata stayed loyal to Marcus Aurelius during the ‘shield elevation’ of Avidius Cassius in 175 CE and through its attitude deserved the honorary titulature certa constans (Ritterling Rh.Mus. LIX 1904.196ff.).
Specific accomplishments of the legion from later periods are not known. What caused the legionary  veterans of the papyrus certificate (BGU I nr.272) from the period of Antoninus Pius to go to Egypt, remains in the dark.
The tombstone of a wife of a centurion in Troesmis (CIL III 6191) cannot serve as evidence for the presence of a vexillation of the legion in the Danube area; even less so the inscription from Neviodunum (CIL III 3926) or Intercisa (CIL III 10305); and the origin of the glass in a Vienna collection with the inscription Legio XII (III 12035.2) is unknown.

Legati Legionis:
-         Q.Caecilius Q.f.Arn.Marcellus Dentilianus, probably during the reign of Antoninus Pius, CIL VIII 14291.
-         (A.Caesennius) Gallus in 69 CE, Joseph.Bell.18.11 “Eis de ten Galilaian esteile Kestios Gallov hegemona tou doodekatou tagmatos..” The relation to Caesennius Gallus can also be found in Groag, RE III 1306.
-         Calavius Sabinus in 62 CE, Tac.Ann. XV.7
-         (Cn. Papirius..Gal(eria) Aelianus Aemil[ianus] Tuscillus), doubtful since the legionary numeral is broken at the end and could also be emended to XIII or XIIII (CIL II 2075).
-         P.Tullius Varronis fil.Stel(latina) Varro, Legatus probably under Trajan or Hadrian (CIL XI 3364).

Tribuni militum:
-         M.Aelius Aurelius Theo, v(ir) c(larissimus) (laticl.), about the period of Alexander or -Gordian (CIL XI 376).
-         C.Aelius P.fil.C(laudia) Quirin(a) Domitianus, from Gaurus, Marcus Aurelius’ reign (Ephem.Epigr.VIII 98 nr.368)
-         C.Aufidius C.fil.Q(uirina) Maximus, flavian-trajanic period (CIL VIII 7079)
-         C.Carustanius C.f.Ser(gia) Fronto Caesianus Iulius, Augustus’ reign, Journ.Rom.Stud.III 1913, 253 nr.1, 254, nr.2; Dessau 9503 (9502).
-         (C.Caristanius?) Paullinus, who should perhaps be identified with the son of Caristanius Fronto, governor of Lycia (IGR III 511) in 80/81 CE (Journ.Rom.Stud.II, 102 nr.34).
 
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