Legio XV Apollinaris

Creation Date:
- 40-41 BCE Levied by Octavian.
Reason for creation
- Raised to remove Sextus Pompeius from Sicily.
Dates:
- 40-41 BCE until c.400 CE.
Fortress Bases:
- Siscia or Emona, Illyricum (30 BCE-c.14 CE)
- Carnuntum, (Pannonia Superior) (14-115 CE)
- Satala (Sadak, Turkey) (117-c.400 CE)
Title:
- ‘Apollinaris’ meaning ‘The Fifteenth Legion dedicated to Apollo’.
- 175 CE Awarded ‘Pia Fedelis’ meaning ‘Faithful and Loyal’, for not rebelling against Marcus Aurelius.
Emblems:
- Portrait of Apollo.
Notable Commanders:
- Titus (Vespasian’s son)
Structure of the Legion:

Early Campaigns:

c.30 BCE The Legion was either based at either Siscia or Emona in Illyricum, or it sent to Hispania and campaigned in the Cantabrian Wars.
6 CE Based in Illyricum and campaigned under Tiberius and crushed a revolt in Pannonia.
9 CE The Legion was probably moved to Vienna (Vindobona).

14 CE Based in Carnuntum.
62-3 CE sent to Syria during the Parthian War and may have occupied Armenia.
After the Parthian War It was based in Alexandria in Egypt.
66-69 CE The Legion campaigned in Judaea in the First Jewish-Roman War where it captured the Jewish Commander Josephus, who later became a famous Roman Historian. The Legion was commanded by Titus, son of Vespasian.
71 CE Returned to Carnuntum.
88 CE Campaigned in the first of the Dacian Wars and was part of an army of eight other Legions which defeated the Dacians at the Battle of Tapae.
115 CE The Legion campaigned in the East in Trajan's Parthian War.

117 CE The Legion was permanently moved to Satala (Sadak, Turkey). After Hadrian became Emperor, he relinquished Trajan‘s conquests in the East as too difficult to hold. The Legion replaced the Legio VI Flavia at Satala (Sadak).
Units were also based permanently at Trabzon (Trapezus), on the Black Sea, and Ancyra (Ankara, Turkey).
Satala controlled the main road to Armenia and the main road to the Black Sea at Trabzon (Trapezus).
134 CE The Legion defeated the invasion of the Alans, together with the Legio XII Fulminata, commanded by the Governor of Cappadocia, Arrian of Nicomedia.
162-66 CE Campaigned in the Parthian War under Lucius Verus and occupied Artaxata (Yerevan) in Armenia with the Legio XII Fulminata.
175 CE The Legion refused to join the rebel General Avidius Cassius against Marcus Aurelius, for which it was awarded the title ‘Pia Fedelis’ meaning ‘Faithful and Loyal’.
194-8 CE Probably campaigned against the Parthian Empire under Septimius Severus and took the Parthian Capital Ctesiphon.

The Rise of the Sassanian Empire (224 CE-onwards)

230-244 CE Involved in defending against the Sassanian Invasion of 230 CE and subsequently campaigned into their territory under Severus Alexander and Gordian III.
256 CE The Fort at Satala and the Legio XV Apollinaris was captured by Shapur I.
258 CE Shapur I burnt Trabzon (Trapezus). When Valerian campaigned against him, he and his troops were captured.

Palmyrene Empire (260-274 CE)

261-7 CE Odeanathus of Palmyra, who controlled the Eastern Legions repulsed the Persians, and formed the Palmyrene Empire.
268 CE Odeanathus was assassinated, and his wife Queen Zenobia continued to Rule the Palmyrene Empire using the Eastern legions.
274 CE Queen Zenobia was defeated by Aurelian, but the XVth continued to be based at Satala until the fifth century CE.
298 CE Diocletian concluded a Peace Treaty with the Persians successfully reclaiming the territories Rome had lost in Mesopotamia during the previous decades.

The Notitia Dignitatum (c.400 CE) states the Legion is still at Satala and Ancyra, but at Trabzon (Trapezus) it had been replaced by the Legio I Pontica. Nothing is known of the Legion’s fate after this.