Legio XX Valeria Victrix

Legio XX "Valeria Victrix" was a Roman legion, probably raised by Augustus some time after 31 BC. It served in Hispania, Illyricum, and Germania before participating in the invasion of Britannia in 43 AD, where it remained and was active until at least the beginning of the 4th century. The emblem of the legion was a boar. The "Valeria" part of Legio XX cognomen is difficult to understand: it might be related to the concept of "military value" or valour; others suggest a relationship with the "Valeria" gens, or with the black eagle.

XX "Valeria Victrix" was part of the great army that campaigned against the Cantabrians in Hispania Tarraconensis from 25 to 13 BC.

The legion then moved to Illyricum, and is recorded in the army of Tiberius operating against the Marcomanni in 6 AD. In one battle the legion cut through the enemy lines, was surrounded, and cut its way out again.

After the disaster of Varus in 9 AD, XX "Valeria Victrix" moved to Germania Inferior and was based at Oppidum Ubiorum (Cologne), then moved to Novaesium (Neuss) some time during Tiberius' reign.

The legion was one of the four with which Claudius invaded Britain in 43, after which it encamped at Camulodunum (Colchester), with some units at Kingsholm in Gloucester and a garrison at Wroxeter from the 50s AD. [W H Manning 2000 'The fortresses of Legio XX'. In RJ Brewer (ed) "Roman Fortresses and their legions."] In 60 or 61 AD it helped put down the revolt of queen Boudica; it is possible that the Twentieth legion was awarded its cognomen "Valeria Victrix" ("Valiant and Victorious") as a consequence of its contribution in this war.

The legion was then based at Chester.

In the year of the four emperors, the legion sided with Vitellius, some units going with him to Rome. In 78-84 AD, it was part of Gnaeus Julius Agricola's campaigns in northern Britain and Scotland, and built the base at Inchtuthil. In 88 AD the legion returned south and occupied Castra Devana (Chester), where it remained for at least two centuries.

The Twentieth was among the legions involved with the construction of Hadrians Wall, and the discovery of stone altars commemorating their work in Caledonia suggests that they had some role in building the Antonine Wall.

During the reign of the usurper emperors Carausius and Allectus (286-293 and 293-296 AD) the XX "Valeria Victrix" was still active. The entry of Alaric I with his Visigoths into Italy about 401 necessitated the recall of Legio XX Valeria Victrix from Britain to defend Rome itself. No further records are present in the 4th century.

This legion has been much studied; at least 250 members of the legion have been identified in surviving inscriptions.

Fiction

Legio XX "Valeria Victrix" was the legion featured in the novel "Eagle in the Snow"; author Wallace Breem postulates that they were annihilated by the Germanic invasion of 406.

Several of the main characters in the early novels of Jack Whyte's "A Dream of Eagles" series were former members of Legio XX "Valeria Victrix".

Gaius Petrius Ruso, protagonist of "Medicus" by Ruth Downie is a military doctor in Britannia attached to Legio XX.

Legio XX "Valeria Victrix" lends its name to the character Valeria Matuchek in Poul Anderson's "Operation Chaos".

External links

* [http://www.livius.org/le-lh/legio/xx_valeria_victrix.html livius.org account of XX "Valeria Victrix"]
* [http://www.larp.com/legioxx/index.html LEGIO XX] , Maryland (USA) re-enactment group