VI Ferrata Fidelis Constans
Heavy Infantry(0.6.7)Side / Back
Short description
Founded by Caesar in 52 BC in Cisalpine Gaul. Its symbol the she-wolf and twins.
Description
One of the original 28 Augustan Legions
Legio VI Ferrata (Ironclad) was probably levied by Julius Caesar in 52 BC in Gallia Cisalpina, and it existed at least until middle-3rd century, under Emperor Philip the Arab. VI Ferrata briefly served in Africa under the emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161), where it built a road. Later, when a new war broke out between Rome and Parthia, the emperor Lucius Verus employed the Sixth in Mesopotamia (162-165) and it was probably involved in the capture of Ctesiphon, the capital of the Parthian empire.
During the civil war of 193 after the assassination of the emperor Publius Helvius Pertinax, the sixth legion sided with Lucius Septimius Severus and took up arms against Pescennius Niger, who was very close by. This brave act was rewarded with the title Fidelis Constans, 'loyal and constant'. What happened exactly is not known, but it is likely that behind the conflict between Jews and Samarians in 195 is in fact a civil war. The surname itself suggests that the legion withstood a siege under difficult circumstances, and perhaps its opponent was X Fretensis, but we can not be certain about this interpretation of the events.
The legion was still in Palestine in 215. It is possible that Severus Alexander (222-235) transferred it from Galilee to Phoenicia; however this may be, it is certain that the Sixth ironclad legion was still in existence during the reign of Philippus Arabs (244-249), who minted coins with the name of this unit. Its later history is not known but it seems likely that it disappeared during Valerian's defeat against the Sassanid Persians (260). Captive Roman soldiers were ordered to build a bridge at modern Shushtar and the city of Bishapur.
The emblem of this legion was the wolf-with-twins.