Legio II Italica

Originally having the cognomen Pia, the legion was raised alongside III Italica by emperor Marcus Aurelius when legions sent from the Danube frontier to the East to take part in the Parthian War could not be quickly recalled.

[1] The legion's main theatre of operations was the Roman province of Noricum, in the southern margin of the Danube, where Germanic incursions were frequent.

Later Septimius Severus would use II Italica against the rebellions of Pescennius Niger and Clodius Albinus, as well as in his Parthian campaigns.

[citation needed] There are still records of the II Italica in Noricum in the beginning of the 5th century.

[citation needed] The legion symbol is a she-wolf and the twins Romulus and Remus, a reference to the rule of Marcus Aurelius and his colleague Lucius Verus.

The symbol of II Italica , the she-wolf with twins, on this antoninianus mint by Gallienus . The reverse has LEG II ITAL VII P VII F, "Legio II Italica seven times faithful and loyal".