Legio XIX

Legio XIX (meaning Nineteenth Legion) was a Roman legion of the Roman Imperial army. It was founded by Octavian (later Emperor Augustus) around 41-40 BC, during the period of the Second Triumvirate. The legion was destroyed in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD, along with Legio XVII and Legio XVIII, resulting in the loss of its legionary eagle and effectively ending Roman aspirations of permanently conquering Germania east of the Rhine.

Little is definitively known about the legion's early activities prior to its deployment in Germania. It is believed to have participated in the Perusine War (41-40 BC), fighting on the side of Octavian against Lucius Antonius. Later, the legion was likely involved in campaigns in Gaul.

By the late 1st century BC, Legio XIX was stationed in Germania, likely at or near the Roman camp of Aliso (modern Haltern am See). Under the command of Publius Quinctilius Varus, the governor of Germania, Legio XIX, along with Legio XVII and Legio XVIII, was tasked with consolidating Roman control and Romanizing the region.

In 9 AD, Varus led the three legions, along with auxiliary troops, into the forests east of the Rhine. Ambushed by Germanic tribes led by Arminius (a Romanized Cherusci officer), the Roman forces were caught in a narrow defile near modern Kalkriese. The ensuing Battle of the Teutoburg Forest was a devastating defeat for Rome. All three legions were annihilated. Varus himself committed suicide.

The loss of Legio XIX and its two sister legions was a significant blow to Roman morale and prestige. Emperor Augustus is said to have repeatedly cried out, "Quintili Vare, legiones redde!" ("Quinctilius Varus, give me back my legions!"). The defeat led to a strategic shift in Roman policy towards Germania, halting further large-scale expansion east of the Rhine.

The legion's emblem is unknown, as is much of its internal organization and history due to its abrupt destruction. However, historical accounts and archaeological evidence offer a glimpse into its presence and ultimate demise in Germania.