Legio de Septimus

The Legio de Septimus was a Reman legion between the 3rd and 7th Centuries. It is famously known as the first Reman legion to defect to a foreign power during the Vardano-Reman Religious Wars.

## History

### Foundation

The Legio de Septimus was raised in 238CE as part of a general enlargement of the Reman military due to the growing threat of the Kingdom of Kharos to the south. The Septimus was raised at the same time as the Legio de Marcellus and the Legio de Titrus, and trained in the city of Atuaticarum.

For decades, the Septimus worked alongside the Legio de Titrus as a garrison legion based in the fort of Tegetha.

### Vardano-Reman Religious Wars

By the 7th Century, the Legio de Septimus had found its way into garrison duty somewhere more exotic - Thergium, on the Vardanid border. When a revolt broke out in the nearby city of Corrinum in June 644, Legate Titus Ennareus acted before governmental orders could be given. He marched east to confront the threat, and was defeated decisively by the rebels at the Battle of Antina in July of the same year. Legate Ennareus saw this defeat as entirely his own fault, and fell on his own sword after the battle.

Praefectus Julius Podolius took command of the shattered legion, and led it to the friendly town of Londia. Here the senior officers took the official vote to make Podolius the new Legate, pending approval from central command. The legion spent more than half a year recuperating, drawing several local auxiliary units to its camp to create a stronger force with which to repel the encroaching Corrinean rebels.

In October 644, official approval arrived to make Podolius the new Legate. This approval came along with orders to 'terrorise the local populace, to take whatever means may be necessary to suppress them lest they rebel'. Podolius being a kind-hearted man, he did not reveal the existence of this order to his subordinates. Instead he chose to ignore the order and wait - it would only be another two months before his legion was back up to strength and could again challenge the Corrineans.

By the end of December 644, the Legio de Septimus was back to full strength, and Podolius attempted to lead his legion out to battle in late January. He was met with fierce resistance from the ranks, however - most of the new recruits he had taken to fill the legion were from the area, and sympathised with the rebels. Podolius chose to remain in his camp at Londia and attempt to win over these new troops.

Podolius was unable to win them over, and news arriving in February struck his resolve harshly. There had been a new revolt in the town of Alentus, effectively trapping the Legio de Septimus against the Oenia River. This news arrived shortly before another order from central command, threatening to remove Podolius from power if he did not 'suppress the populace'.

In early March, Podolius made his decision. He called his entire legion out to parade one morning and revealed all to them, before putting the matter to a vote. The overwhelming sentiment was to defect and abandon the central command which had advocated for the oppression of many of the soldiers' families. However, Podolius and the veterans were loath to defect to the Corrineans who had defeated them before - there was no love lost between the Septimus and the Corrineans.

Podolius compromised by agreeing to defect to the new rebels in Alentia, on the condition that these rebels did not work together with the Corrineans. This rebellion was still small and naive enough to accept these conditions, and so the Legio de Septimus became the first legion to defect from Reman service.