07-24-2006, 09:16 PM
Leg II Apf is the Legion my lot are building things for since we are all former Marines and the legion's honorific is rather similar to that of the US Marines. Emotional stuff ya know. 
I have read that the pegasus may have been awarded to them by Vespasian, along with the honorifics, for their siding with him during the civil wars. Apparently II Aug also has a pegasus and that one was commanded by Vespasian in Britain. The idea seems to come from the action where Vespasian was first hailed as Imperator in Alexandria in 69 AD, and the pegasus is thought to be the horse of the East. The commonalities between to the two legions where Vespasian are concerned seem to be the driving force here.
The theory that goes with this is that the II Apf has a deis natalis of December 69 AD..when they became an iustae legionis. If that is so, the Capricornis might also be a symbol for them.
Other symbols could have been the dolphin and trident..there is a grave stelae with an upright trident and a pair of dolphins flanking it. One reason the shield design with the twined dolphins seems easy to attach to this legion.
OTOH, there is another stelae from II Apf with a clipeus on it and an interesting arrangement of thunderbolts and spirals on it. I've read it also has the gorgon medusa head on the boss, but the explanation given for that was that it might have been carved to honor the individual's auxilliary status before becoming a legionary.
A lot of supposition perhaps, but it's there to be considered. This bit comes from H.M.D. Parker's The Roman Legions, pages 104 - 107.
Our lot has one with the pegasus on it and one with just the letters and numbers...we even have one in blue instead of red. But that is what we have done thus far.
Rutilia
I have read that the pegasus may have been awarded to them by Vespasian, along with the honorifics, for their siding with him during the civil wars. Apparently II Aug also has a pegasus and that one was commanded by Vespasian in Britain. The idea seems to come from the action where Vespasian was first hailed as Imperator in Alexandria in 69 AD, and the pegasus is thought to be the horse of the East. The commonalities between to the two legions where Vespasian are concerned seem to be the driving force here.
The theory that goes with this is that the II Apf has a deis natalis of December 69 AD..when they became an iustae legionis. If that is so, the Capricornis might also be a symbol for them.
Other symbols could have been the dolphin and trident..there is a grave stelae with an upright trident and a pair of dolphins flanking it. One reason the shield design with the twined dolphins seems easy to attach to this legion.
OTOH, there is another stelae from II Apf with a clipeus on it and an interesting arrangement of thunderbolts and spirals on it. I've read it also has the gorgon medusa head on the boss, but the explanation given for that was that it might have been carved to honor the individual's auxilliary status before becoming a legionary.
A lot of supposition perhaps, but it's there to be considered. This bit comes from H.M.D. Parker's The Roman Legions, pages 104 - 107.
Our lot has one with the pegasus on it and one with just the letters and numbers...we even have one in blue instead of red. But that is what we have done thus far.
Rutilia
If you have peace in your land,
You will have health in your hand.
mka Siani Overstreet
You will have health in your hand.
mka Siani Overstreet
