Legio
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Legiowas a Romanmilitary campsouth ofTel Megiddoin theRoman provinceofGalilee.
History
[edit]Following theBar Kokhba revolt(132-136 CE),Legio VI Ferratawas stationed at Legio near Caparcotna.[1]The approximate location of the camp of the Legio VI Ferrata was known from the persistence of its name in the formLajjunby which aPalestinianvillage was known. It was close to the ancient town of Rimmon, perhaps theHadad-rimmonofZechariah 12:11,which in the3rd centurywas renamedMaximianopolisbyDiocletianin honor of his co-emperorMaximian.Both places were within a single episcopal see, generally called Maximianopolis, but in one list of such sees the nameLegionum(genitive plural of theLatinwordLegio) is used, where the Greek original has "Maximianopolis".[2]
Legio lies along Palestine'sVia Maris,an ancient trade route linking Egypt with the northern empires ofSyria,AnatoliaandMesopotamiain the earlyBronze Age.
Archaeological methods and results
[edit]In 2002–2003, an archaeological survey was conducted in the Legio region byYotam Tepperas part of his master's thesis. The survey located thelegionary campon the northern slope of El-Manach hill, thevillage of Ceparcotanion the adjacent hill, and thecity of Maximianopolison the site of the contemporary KibbutzMegiddo.[3]In 2013 Tepper and theJezreel Valley Regional Projectdug test trenches measuring approximately 295 ft (90 m) by 16.5 ft (5.0 m) feet that revealed clear evidence of the camp.[4]
Aerial photography, satellite images, and high-resolution lidar data hinted that the hill known as el-Manach contained traces of artificial, human produced objects and structures. After this, slight depressions in the earth revealed the borders of the military camp itself. Long, linear indents that met at 90 degree angles were found on the north, south, and west side of the hill.[5]The following evidence led to the use of archaeological techniques to further discover the uncovered items at Legio.
Ground-penetrating radar
[edit]Ground-penetrating radarwas the primary technique used to uncover the findings at Legio. The technique involves using antenna frequencies and data-acquisition parameters to analyze what lay beneath the surface of a variety of different types of soil. This technique allows the user to analyze a wide range of land in a relatively efficient amount of time.[5]
Findings
[edit]No military headquarters of this type for this particular period had yet been excavated in the entireEastern Roman Empire,and the 2013 excavations uncovered defensiveearthworks,a circumvolution rampart, barracks areas and artifacts including roof tiles stamped with the name of the Sixth Legion, and fragments of scale armor. Coins were found during the excavation process. The coins were found to have countermarks on them showing the length of time the coins were in circulation. Decorative fibulae were also discovered in the Jezreel Valley.
In 2017, a monumental gate to the camp's headquarters, a stone mark and a dedicatory inscription were discovered that may be a listing of camp commanders or celebrated heroes of the Sixth Legion. In the camp'slatrines,more than 200 Roman coins dating to the 2nd and 3rd centuries were found. Cremated human remains were discovered in a cooking pot.[6]
A study by Anastasia Shapiro was done on thePetrographic Examination of Tiles, Bricks and Mortar from Legio.[7]In Area B, ceramic tiles, tegulae roof tiles and square floor tiles, as well as bricks were uncovered. Eight tiles and two bricks were discovered bearing Roman legion stamps. Upon further analysis of these fragments, petrographic examinations indicate that all the sampled items are part of a homogeneous petrographic group. This matrix consists of calcareous fossiliferous clay containing some tiny, opaque stains of iron oxide and a small amount of silt, which comprises basalt-derived minerals. Some of the micro fossils have ferric or silica filling. Others being completely vitrified. Non-plastic material also makes up for about 2-18% of the volume of tegulae. This includes larger and smaller forms of basalt, quartz, chalk, fossil shells, and terra rosa.
Amphitheater
[edit]In 2023, researchers fromUSC Dornsifeannounced the discovery of Legio's amphitheater following clues left behind byGottlieb Schumacher.The team described it as "It’s the first Roman military amphitheater ever uncovered in theSouthern Levant,which encompassesIsrael,JordanandPalestine."Among the findings was a raregoldcoin of EmperorDiocletian.[8][9]
Aqueduct
[edit]The aqueduct was found on the southeast side of the hill, and drew its water from springs at Ain Kubbih. The aqueduct would then split in two directions heading towards Daher ed-Dar and flour mills in the Queni stream. The water provided by the aqueduct supplied the soldiers and legionnaires at Legio with a lasting supply of water. The structure allowed water from 124 meters above sea level to be sent to camps and cities. Without the aqueduct, the water would not be funneled to its desired locations in such an efficient time and process. Parts of the aqueduct remained exposed while a majority was covered in a layer of mud and other dumped pieces of earth.[10]
Fibulae
[edit]A number of fibulae were discovered in the Jezreel Valley, dating back to the second century AD.[11]
See also
[edit]- Megiddo church,possibly dating to the 3rd century and located at Legio
- Lajjun
References
[edit]- ^Kennedy, D. L. (1980). "Legio VI Ferrata: The Annexation and Early Garrison of Arabia".Harvard Studies in Classical Philology.84:283–309.doi:10.2307/311054.ISSN0073-0688.JSTOR311054.
- ^Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913).Catholic Encyclopedia.New York: Robert Appleton Company. .
- ^Tepper, Y. 2003. Survey of the Legio Area near Megiddo: Historical and Geographical Research. MA thesis, Tel Aviv University. Tel Aviv.
- ^Matthew J. Adams, Jonathan David and Yotam Tepper,Legio: Excavations at the Camp of the Roman Sixth Ferrata Legion in Israel,Bible History Daily, Biblical Archaeology Society, 2013.
- ^abPincus, Jessie A.; Smet, Timothy S. de; Tepper, Yotam; Adams, Matthew J. (2013)."Ground-penetrating Radar and Electromagnetic Archaeogeophysical Investigations at the Roman Legionary Camp at Legio, Israel".Archaeological Prospection.20(3): 175–188.Bibcode:2013ArchP..20..175P.doi:10.1002/arp.1455.ISSN1099-0763.
- ^Evidence of Roman Army Camp Uncovered in Israel
- ^Shapiro, Anastasia (2017). "Petrographic Examination of Tiles, Bricks and Mortaria from Legio".Atiqot.89:41–47.
- ^Liu, Michael (2022-08-04)."First Roman military amphitheater discovered in Israel's Armageddon".News and Events.Retrieved2023-09-16.
- ^"First Roman military amphitheater in Southern Levant".The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com.31 May 2022.Retrieved2023-09-16.
- ^Tsuk, Tsvika (1988-03-01). "The Aqueduct to Legio and the Location of the Camp of the VIth Roman Legion".Tel Aviv.15(1): 92–97.doi:10.1179/tav.1988.1988.1.92.ISSN0334-4355.
- ^Homsher, R.S.; Tepper, Y.; Drake, B.L.; Adams, M.J.; David, J. (2016)."FROM THE BRONZE AGE TO THE" LEAD AGE ": OBSERVATIONS ON SEDIMENT ANALYSES AT TWO ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES IN THE JEZREEL VALLEY, ISRAEL".Mediterranean Archaeology and Archeometry.16(1).doi:10.5281/zenodo.35533.
External links
[edit]- Tepper, Yotam (2006)."Legio, Kefar 'Otnay".Hadashot Arkheologiyot: Excavations and Surveys in Israel.118.ISSN1565-5334.
- Tepper, Yotam (2003-01-01). "Survey of the Legio Region".Hadashot Arkheologiyot: Excavations and Surveys in Israel / חדשות ארכיאולוגיות: חפירות וסקרים בישראל.115:29–31*.ISSN1565-043X.JSTOR23485339.
- Legio/Caporcotani/Maximianopolis,at Pleiades
- Bibliography about LegioArchived2014-09-03 at theWayback Machine,fromÉcole Biblique