The ninth legion of the Roman arm

The ninth legion of the Roman army with the nickname Hispana (Spanish) was part of the Roman army which invaded Britain in 43 CE.  From ca. 50 CE to 71 CE its headquarters were in Lincoln, but after 71 the legion moved further north to York.  An inscription in honor of the emperor Trajan (98-117 CE) dated to 108 proves that the legion was still in York at the beginning of the first century CE.  This is the last time that the legion is mentioned in Britain.  This has led to speculation about the fate of the Spanish legion.  In 1954 Rosemary Sutcliff wrote a novel which followed the story of the ninth into Scotland.  The novel has sold more than a million copies since it appeared and is still in print.

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