Legio XIX

Aquila (reconstruction)

Legio undevigesima ("Nineteenth Legion") was a legion of the Imperial Roman army. It was founded in 41 or 40 BC by Octavian, the future emperor Augustus. It was destroyed in 9 AD in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. The emblem of the XIXth legion is unknown, but probably was the Capricorn like other legions levied by Augustus.

Their first assignment was in Sicily where Sextus Pompey, son of Pompey, was leading a revolt. This revolt put Rome's grain supply in peril and it needed a harsh response.

In 30 BC, veterans of the XIX legion were settled near Pisa, and after that, the rest of the legion was allocated in the Rhine frontier with base camp at Cologne. The XIX legion participated in the German campaigns of Drusus (13–9 BC) and Tiberius (8–5 BC). By the year 5 BC Germania was a Roman province and Publius Quinctilius Varus was assigned as governor.

In September 9, Arminius, leader of the Cherusci and a Roman ally, set a trap. He had reported a major revolt of one of the western tribes and suggested the return of both governor and his legions to the Rhine. Varus accepted the suggestion and went with the XVII, XVIII and XIX legions. The army was trapped near Osnabrück and was completely destroyed in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. Between 16 and 18, Germanicus, the leader of the Rhine armies, looked for the remains of the legions.

After its destruction, the Romans never used this legion number again.

See also

• List of Roman legions

External links

• livius.org account

Roman legions
Legio I Adiutrix Legio I Armeniaca Legio I Germanica Legio I Iovia Legio I Isaura Sagittaria Legio I Italica Legio I Macriana liberatrix Legio I Maximiana Legio I Minervia Legio I Parthica Legio II Adiutrix Legio II Armeniaca Legio II Augusta Legio II Flavia Constantia Legio II Flavia Virtutis Legio II Gallica Legio II Herculia Legio II Isaura Legio II Italica Legio II Parthica Legio II Traiana Fortis Legio III Augusta Legio III Cyrenaica Legio III Diocletiana Legio III Gallica Legio III Isaura Legio III Italica Legio III Parthica Legio IV Flavia Felix Legio IV Macedonica Legio IV Scythica Legio V Alaudae Legio V Iovia Legio V Macedonica Legio VI Ferrata Legio VI Herculia Legio VI Hispana Legio VI Victrix Legio VII Claudia Legio VII Gemina Legio VIII Augusta Legio IX Hispana Legio X Equestris Legio X Fretensis Legio X Gemina Legio XI Legio XI Claudia Legio XII Fulminata Legio XIII Gemina Legio XIV Gemina Legio XV Apollinaris Legio XV Primigenia Legio XVI Flavia Firma Legio XVI Gallica Legio XVII Legio XVIII Legio XIX Legio XX Valeria Victrix Legio XXI Rapax Legio XXII Deiotariana Legio XXII Primigenia Legio XXX Ulpia Victrix