Legio X Equestris

Tenth Legion *Equestris*
Tenth Legion Equestris
Legio X Equestris; Legio Decima Equestris
	Denarius issued by Mark Antony celebrating Legio X
Active	61 BC to after 31 BC
Country	Roman Republic
Type	Roman legion (Marian)
Role	Infantry assault (some cavalry support)
Size	Varied over unit lifetime. Approx. 5,000 soldiers, 6,000 men including support, at the time of creation.
Nickname(s)	Equestris, "mounted"; Veneria, "devoted to Venus"
Mascot(s)	Bull
Engagements	Gallic Wars (58–51 BC); Battle against the Nervians (57 BC); Battle against Ariovistus (58 BC); First invasion of Britain (55 BC); Battle of Gergovia (52 BC); Battle of Alesia (52 BC); Caesar's Civil War; Battle of Ilerda (49 BC); Battle of Dyrrhachium (48 BC); Battle of Pharsalus (48 BC); Battle of Thapsus (46 BC); Battle of Munda (45 BC); Antony's Parthian War; Final War of the Roman Republic; Battle of Actium (31 BC);
Commanders
Notable; commanders	Julius Caesar (Campaign); Mark Antony (Campaign); Gaius Crastinus (Centurion)

Legio X Equestris, a Roman legion, was levied by Julius Caesar in 61 BC when he was the Governor of Hispania Ulterior. The Tenth was the first legion levied personally by Caesar and was consistently his most trusted. Legio X was famous in its day and throughout history, because of its portrayal in Caesar's Commentaries and the prominent role the Tenth played in his Gallic campaigns.^[1]^[2] Its soldiers were discharged in 45 BC. Its remnants were reconstituted, fought for Mark Antony and Octavian, disbanded, and later merged into X Gemina.^[3]

History

Founding

When

Legio XI, Legio XII Victrix, and Legio XIII Gemina

.

The campaign in the summer of 61 BC was very successful, and the 10th Legion showed itself to be brave and loyal to Julius Caesar.[5]

Gallic Wars and the invasion of Britain

The Tenth played a crucial part in the Gallic Wars, fighting under Caesar in virtually every battle.

At the beginning of the Gallic campaign, Caesar brought the 10th legion from Spain (with the 7th, 8th, and 9th legions). Almost immediately, in the summer of 58 BC, the legion fought in two major actions, the battles of Arar and Bibracte. They played a central part in Caesar's defeat of the Helvetii tribes, preventing their migration from present day Switzerland to western France.

Following the defeat of the Helvetii, the leaders of the Gallic tribes petitioned Caesar for his aid against

equestrians.^[6]

Legio X saved the day in the

Battle against the Nervians in 57 BC. Together with the IXth, the Xth defeated the Atrebates, moved against the Belgae on the other side of the river and captured the enemy camp. From that position, the Tenth could see how desperate the situation was for the XII Victrix and the VII, so it quickly charged downhill, crossed the river, and attacked the Nervii

from the rear, trapping them so that there was little hope of survival.

In 55 BC Legio X was one of the two legions (together with the VII) which took part in Caesar's first

invasion of Britain

. It is probable that it also participated in the second invasion in 54 BC.

Caesar's Civil War

During

decimated for cowardice but Caesar was reluctant and demoted Legio X's standard bearers instead.^[7]

Legio X only had one more battle to restore their reputation before they returned to Rome and mutinied for being unpaid.

End of the legion

In 45 BC the legion was disbanded, and the veterans obtained lands in Narbonne, southern Gaul.

During the

gens Julia.^[8]

The Tenth later followed

Antony's civil war, the legion fought for Mark Antony until the defeat in the Battle of Actium, after which the legion moved into Octavian's army. The veterans settled in Patras. When the legion rebelled under Augustus, it was disbanded,^[9] stripped of its Equestris title, and, being populated with soldiers from other legions, renamed X Gemina.^[3]

Notes

^ Dando-Collins.
^ Julius Caesar, I.42.
^ ^a ^b See, for example, Keppie.
^ Dando-Collins, p. 9.
^ Dando-Collins, p. 12.
^ Dando-Collins, p. 22.
^ Phang, p. 126
^ CIL V 4191, C. Lanius / C. f(ilius) Ani(ensi) de / leg(ione) X Vener(ia) C. Lanius C. l(ibertus) / Eros filius / de suo. Inscription from Bagnolo Mella in Regio X. Cited in Ritterling.
^ Suetonius, De Vita Caesarum—Divus Augustus, xxiv.

References

Primary sources

De Bello Gallico

Secondary sources

Dando-Collins, Stephen (2002), Caesar's Legion: The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome, Wiley.
Keppie, Lawrence (1984), The Making of the Roman Army. From Republic to Empire, University of Oklahoma Press, pp. 132–149.
Lendering, Jona, "Legio X Gemina", livius.org
Phang, Sara Elise (2008). Roman Military Service: ideologies of discipline in the Late Republic and early Principate, Cambridge University Press.
Soden, Ben (2015). 10th Legion: Battle Born. Bellum Books.
Ritterling's "Legio" "Legio X Veneria"

[1] Dando-Collins.

[dbg142-2] Julius Caesar, I.42.

[gemina-3] See, for example, Keppie.

[4] Dando-Collins, p. 9.

[5] Dando-Collins, p. 12.

[6] Dando-Collins, p. 22.

[7] Phang, p. 126

[8] CIL V 4191, C. Lanius / C. f(ilius) Ani(ensi) de / leg(ione) X Vener(ia) C. Lanius C. l(ibertus) / Eros filius / de suo. Inscription from Bagnolo Mella in Regio X. Cited in Ritterling.

[9] Suetonius, De Vita Caesarum—Divus Augustus, xxiv.

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