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The End of the Ninth Legion, War in Britain and the Building of Hadrian's Wall

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 April 2021

Nick Hodgson
Nick Hodgson*
Affiliation:
Wallsend Nick.Hodgson@Durham.ac.uk
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Abstract

It is often stated that the Ninth Legion was transferred from Britain and continued to exist until the 130s or beyond. The evidence is reviewed, and it is concluded that: (1) no more than a detachment of the legion went abroad, and that only for the period c. 105 to c. 120; (2) there is no prosopographical or other evidence which proves that the legion existed after the early 120s. Given that war, heavy Roman losses and an interruption in the building of Hadrian's Wall are directly attested in Britain, probably occurring in 122 or shortly after, it is argued that it is most likely that the legion was defeated and disbanded in connection with those events.

Keywords

Ninth LegionBritainNijmegenHadrian's WallHadrianexpeditio Britannicavexillatio Britannica

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Type
Articles
Information
Britannia , Volume 52 , November 2021 , pp. 97 - 118
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies

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References

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