Off Duty at the Marching Camp - 'Archaeolink', Aberdeenshire
The Original Legio VI Victrix We have adopted Legio VI Victrix as our 'parent' legion. This legion has a long and exciting pedigree. It served with Julius Caesar in Egypt and fought at the battle of Actium (against Antony and Cleopatra). Later it served in Spain and after this in Germany. Its association with Britain began when it was drafted in by the Emperor Hadrian in about 120 AD to assist in building is famous wall. Originally stationed at Newcastle, its main HQ was York. The building of the wall was a joint venture alongside Legio XX Valeria Victrix and Legio II Augusta. Twenty years later their joint building skills were again employed in building the Antonine Wall in central Scotland. From this time onwards Legio VI Victrix were directly involved in British war campaigns and in internecine warfare within the Roman Empire. This included rebuilding Hadrian's Wall in the early third century and re-establishing control after the 'Great Barbarian War' of 367 AD. The withdrawal of Roman forces from Britain in 410 AD left a shadowy VI Victrix at York, but its illustrious career had come to an end.