Legio IV Flavia Felix
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Legio IV Flavia Felix (serene Flavian legion), was a Roman legion levied by Vespasian in 70, from the ashes of the Legio IV Macedonica. The legion was active in Moesia Superior in the first half of the 4th century. The legion symbol was a lion.
During the Batavian rebellion, the IV Macedonica fought for Vespasian, but the emepror distrusted his men, probably because they had supported Vitellius two years before. Therefore the IV Macedonica was disbanded, and a new Fourth legion, called Flavian Felix was levied by the emperor, who gave the legio his nomen, Flavia. Since the symbol of the legion is a lion, it was probably levied in July/August 70.
IV Flavia Felix was camped in Burnum, Dalmatia (modern Kistanje), where it replaced XI Claudia. After the Dacian invasion of 86, Domitian moved the legion to Moesia Superior, in Singidunum, although there is some evidence of the presence of this legion, of one of its vexillationes in Viminacium, base of VII Claudia. In 88 the Fourth partecipated to the retaliation invasion of Dacia; it also partecipated to the Dacian Wars of Trajan, ended with the victory at the Battle of Tapae. It fought again across the Danube in 165, under emperor Lucius Verus campaign against the Parthian Empire.
After the death of Pertinax, the IV Flavia Felix supported Septimius Severus against usurpers Pescennius Niger and Clodius Albinus.
Even if the legion fought in one of the several wars against the Sassanids, it stayed in Moesia Superior until the first half of the 4th century.
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