Legio II Flavia Constantia
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The Legio II Flavia Constantia (reliable Flavian legion) was a comitatensis Roman legion
, created by Diocletian
, probably in the year 296 or 297.
II Flavia Constantia was formed together with I Maximiana
to garrison the newly created province Thebaidos, Aegyptus. The name of the legion is related to Constantius Chlorus
, who reigned over the eastern part of the empire. II Flavia Constantia had its headquarter in Cusas
(Not. Or. XXXI) until the time of the Notitia Dignitatum
. In the course of time, probably under Constantine I
, when the troops of the Egyptian provinces were united under the command of a dux
(CIL II 12073), the legionary troops of the province were increased with units from both legions of Aegyptus I Iovia
, II Traiana
, and III Diocletiana
, the latter gradually being divided into three garrisons (Not. or. XXXI 31. 33. 38).
II Flavia Constantia Thebaeorum, which belonged at the time of the Notitia to the comitatus
of the magister militum
per Orientem (Not. or. VII 10 = 45), was certainly spilt off from II Flavia Constantia, which was for more than a century established as border-legion. The impulse for this split was probably given by a measure of Theodosius I
, to mix a part of the Barbarians, which were passed over to him, with the troops in Egypt. These barbarians were added to the Egyptian troops and their accompanying commander in Macedonia (Zosimus IV 30 and 31), who resided at that time in Thessalonica. A part of II Flavia Constantia belonged to these Aiguptioi (Egyptians). It is fitting that at this time the legion II Flavia Valentis Thebaeorum (Not or. VII 11 = 46), which accompanied the troops in the Notitia and was named after and probably raised by Emperor Valens, was no longer mentioned with the garrison of Thebaidos (Not. or. XXXI), because of the short time it stayed in the province.
Roman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
, created by Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
, probably in the year 296 or 297.
II Flavia Constantia was formed together with I Maximiana
Legio I Maximiana
The Legio I Maximiana was a comitatensis Roman legion, probably created in the year 296 or 297 by the Emperor Diocletian....
to garrison the newly created province Thebaidos, Aegyptus. The name of the legion is related to Constantius Chlorus
Constantius Chlorus
Constantius I , commonly known as Constantius Chlorus, was Roman Emperor from 293 to 306. He was the father of Constantine the Great and founder of the Constantinian dynasty. As Caesar he defeated the usurper Allectus in Britain and campaigned extensively along the Rhine frontier, defeating the...
, who reigned over the eastern part of the empire. II Flavia Constantia had its headquarter in Cusas
Cusae
Cusae or Kusai is the Greek name of a city in Upper Egypt, known to the Egyptians as Qis or Kis. Today, the city is known as el-Qusiya and is located on the west bank of the Nile, in the Asyut Governorate....
(Not. Or. XXXI) until the time of the Notitia Dignitatum
Notitia Dignitatum
The Notitia Dignitatum is a unique document of the Roman imperial chanceries. One of the very few surviving documents of Roman government, it details the administrative organisation of the eastern and western empires, listing several thousand offices from the imperial court down to the provincial...
. In the course of time, probably under Constantine I
Constantine I
Constantine the Great , also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all...
, when the troops of the Egyptian provinces were united under the command of a dux
Dux
Dux is Latin for leader and later for Duke and its variant forms ....
(CIL II 12073), the legionary troops of the province were increased with units from both legions of Aegyptus I Iovia
Legio I Iovia
Legio I Iovia was a Roman legion, levied by Emperor Diocletian , possibly together with II Herculia, to guard the newly created province of Scythia Minor...
, II Traiana
Legio II Traiana Fortis
Legio secunda Traiana Fortis, , was a Roman legion levied by emperor Trajan in 105, along with XXX Ulpia Victrix, for the campaigns in Dacia. There are still records of the II Traiana Fortis in Egypt in the middle of the 5th century...
, and III Diocletiana
Legio III Diocletiana
Legio III Diocletiana was a comitatensis Roman legion, levied in 296 by Diocletian, from whom the legion took its name.The aim of this legion was to guard the newly re-organized province of Aegyptus, being based in Alexandria...
, the latter gradually being divided into three garrisons (Not. or. XXXI 31. 33. 38).
II Flavia Constantia Thebaeorum, which belonged at the time of the Notitia to the comitatus
Comitatenses
Comitatenses is the Latin plural of comitatensis, originally the adjective derived from comitatus , itself rooting in Comes .However, historically it became the accepted name for...
of the magister militum
Magister militum
Magister militum was a top-level military command used in the later Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine. Used alone, the term referred to the senior military officer of the Empire...
per Orientem (Not. or. VII 10 = 45), was certainly spilt off from II Flavia Constantia, which was for more than a century established as border-legion. The impulse for this split was probably given by a measure of Theodosius I
Theodosius I
Theodosius I , also known as Theodosius the Great, was Roman Emperor from 379 to 395. Theodosius was the last emperor to rule over both the eastern and the western halves of the Roman Empire. During his reign, the Goths secured control of Illyricum after the Gothic War, establishing their homeland...
, to mix a part of the Barbarians, which were passed over to him, with the troops in Egypt. These barbarians were added to the Egyptian troops and their accompanying commander in Macedonia (Zosimus IV 30 and 31), who resided at that time in Thessalonica. A part of II Flavia Constantia belonged to these Aiguptioi (Egyptians). It is fitting that at this time the legion II Flavia Valentis Thebaeorum (Not or. VII 11 = 46), which accompanied the troops in the Notitia and was named after and probably raised by Emperor Valens, was no longer mentioned with the garrison of Thebaidos (Not. or. XXXI), because of the short time it stayed in the province.