Legio VII Claudia (Latin for "The 7th Claudian Legion") was a legion of the Ancient Roman army.
History Legio VII was the first legion Julius Caesar raised for his campaigns in Cisalpine Gaul.Parker, The Roman Legions (1957), p. 51 In Caesar's account of the battle against the Nervians, it seems that it was employed during the expedition through western Gaul led by Caesar's deputy Crassus.Caesar, Bellum Gallicum 2.23 In 56 BC, the Seventh was present during the Venetic campaign. During the crisis caused by Vercingetorix, it fought in the neighbourhood of Lutetia; it must have been active at Alesia and it was certainly involved in the mopping-up operations among the Bellovaci. Legio VII was one of the two legions used in Caesar's invasions of Britain in 55-54 BC, and played a crucial role in the Battle of Pharsalus in 48 BC.
At one point Caesar's Legio VII was disbanded, and its veterans settled at Capua. However, Octavian had need of soldiers and recalled its members to service to fight in the Battle of Mutina.Parker, Roman Legions, p. 267 Its early nickname Macedonia attested in four inscriptions may reflect it was at the Battle of Philippi; otherwise, this attests that Legio VII was stationed in Macedonia before it was redeployed to Tilurium, Dalmatia.
The legion was present in Dalmatia when Lucius Arruntius Camillus Scribonianus rebelled against the emperor Claudius in AD 42, but refused to support Scribonianus. For this the legion received the honorary titles Claudia pia fidelis.Parker, Roman Legions, p. 94 Parker postulates that when Legio IV Scythica was transferred from Moesia to Syria between AD 55 and 62, Legio VII Claudia was moved to Moesia to replace it.Parker, Roman Legions, p. 135
During the Year of Four Emperors, the legion followed the lead of Legio III Gallica in revolting against Vitellius and declaring for Vespasian.Gwyn Morgan, 69 A.D. the Year of Four emperors (Oxford: University Press, 2006), p. 190 It was part of the army that Marcus Aponius Saturninus lead into northern Italy,Morgan, 69 A.D, p. 197 and when Saturninus fell out of favor with his troops followed Marcus Antonius Primus in the subsequent Second Battle of Bedriacum.Morgan, 69 A.D, p. 205
Following Vespasian's victory over Vitellius, Legio VII Claudia was ordered back to Moesia.Parker, Roman Legions, p. 144 An inscription from the reign of Antoninus Pius attests that it remained in this station, although Moesia had been divided into Moesia Superior (where the legion had its headquarters), and Moesia Inferior. = ILS 2288 The legion existed at least until the end of the 4th century, guarding the middle Danube.
Tiberius Claudius Maximus, the Roman soldier who brought the head of Decebalus to the emperor Trajan, served in Legio VII Claudia. An inscription in Pompeii revealed that a certain Floronius also served in the seventh legion. The inscription says: "Floronius, privileged soldier of the 7th legion, was here. The women did not know of his presence. Only six women came to know, too few for such a stallion."
Attested members Name Rank Time frame Province SourceCaius Iulius UrbanisPrincep c. 25 BCEHispaniaCarved into the wall at the Cova d Aigua, Montgo Massif, Denia, Spain. Tettius Julianus legatus 68-69 Moesia Tacitus, Histories, I.79 Plotius Grypus legatus 69-70 Moesia Tacitus, Histories, III.52; IV.39, 40 Veturius PaccianusGéza Alföldy, Konsulat und Senatorenstand unter der Antoninen (Bonn: Rudolf Habelt Verlag, 1977), p. 300 legatus c. 168 Moesia Superior Gaius Memmius Fidus Julius AlbiusPaul M. M. Leunissen, Konsuln und Konsulare in der Zeit von Commodus bis Severus Alexander (Amsterdam: J.C. Gieben, 1989), p. 340 legatus c. 180/182 Moesia Superior = ILS 1110 Gaius Caesonius Macer Rufinianus legatus c. 187/190 Moesia Superior = ILS 1182 Marcus Laelius MaximusLeunissen, Konsuln und Konsulare, p. 341 legatus 195 Moesia Superior Titus Terrasidiuspraefectus equitum56–55 BCGalliaCommentarii de Bello Gallico, 3.7 Publius Palpellius Clodius Quirinalis military tribune c. 50 Moesia Lucius Vipstanus Messalla military tribune 69 Moesia Tacitus, Histories, III.9 Galeo Tettienus Severus Marcus Eppuleius Proculus Tiberius Caepio Hispo military tribune between 85 and 90 Lucius Valerius Proculus military tribune 1st half 2nd century Moesia Superior Gaius Valerius Florinum military tribune 1st half 2nd century Moesia Superior Gaius Vettius Gratus SabinianusInge Mennen, Power and Status in the Roman Empire, AD 193-284 (2011) p. 127 military tribune c.205 Moesia Superior Tiberius Claudius Maximus vexillarius between 85 and 90
See also List of Roman legions
References
External links livius.org
Further reading M. Mirkowic, "The Roster of the VII Claudia legion", Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 146 (2004), pp. 211–20. D. Toncinić, Monuments of Legio VII in the Roman Province of Dalmatia. Split, 2011.