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Page 7 of 8 [1512]
The legion certainly took part in the Parthian war of Lucius Verus. If she is the leg. III, which is used in direct relation with the name of the most famous commander of this war, Avidius Cassius (see Abschn. A. o. S.1299), who as governor of Arabia certainly would have commanded them (see Westd. Korr.-Bl. 1909, 36), then the legion must have played an excellent part in the war (see also the speech of Marcus Aurelius: “’Αραβιχὸς πόλεμος….” (= Arabian war) (Cass. Dio LXXI 25, 2); different in Premerstein Klio XIII 78ff). The theory of Meyer Heerwesen 162 who concludes from two inscriptions in Salonae, one form a centurion of the legion (CIL III 2038, probably from the first century) and a (centurion) frumentarius (CIL III 2063), that during the Marcomanii-wars the legion was replaced with a vexillation with troops from the East and which was concentrated in Salonae, can’t be proven (see Premerstein Klio XIII 71f and 92). Both the stones III 2038 and 2063, even if the originate from the same period, which regarding to the first stone is difficult to attest, prove little regarding to the presence of a detachment of the legion in Salonae. The conclusion of v. Domaszewski N. Heidelb. Jahrb. V 1895, 129 that the “v[exilationes] per Dalm(atiam) …. et Raet(iam) et Noric(um)” (CIL XIV 289*c which comes from the same period), was composed of troops from the East, can’t also be proven.
The conclusion of Meyer Heerwesen 162 and Premerstein Klio XIII 77 that III Cyrenaica did NOT join the revolt of Avidius Cassius in the spring of 175 is in contradiction to Dio LXXI 23, 2 who states that “τὰ ὲντὸς του̃ Ταύρουπάντα διὰ βραχέος” supported the case of Avidius. Furthermore this conclusion is highly unlikely: isolated between the provinces and legions given to Avidius, the legion would have been forced to join sooner or later. On the other hand, that ̉Αραβες (Arabia) is not among the list of revolted provinces in the speech of Marcus Aurelius to his army in Pannonia (Dio LXXI 25,1), should not be taken lightly. In addition to this, Avidius Cassius was governor of Arabia before his consulate of the year 165 (inscription found 18 km from Bostra, Röm.-germ. Korr.-Bl. 1909, II S.36) and also commanded III Cyrenaica then (already concluded by Rhein. Mus. LIX 194). Should this legion have refused to join him later? By my point of view, the conclusion that in the year 172 severe fighting took place in Arabia (Premerstein Klio XIII 95f) can’t be proven. Any of the audience could only have understood, just like the present unprejudiced reader, the ” ̀Αραβιχὸς πόλεμος” (Arabian war) (Dio LXXI 25, 2), which is mentioned in the speech of Marcus Aurelius, if they knew the military actions of the year 163-166 (s. Abschn. A o. S.1297).
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