Legion

A Roman legion, of six thousand men. If the poor man possessed of a legion of devils was thus numbered, what a state to contemplate! (See Mar 5:9.) I rather think the expression is of the figurative kind, or, as the poor man himself saith, a legion meant many. Our Lord meant the expression, no doubt, exactly as it is, when he said "twelve legions of angels." (Matt. 26. 53.)

The Roman legions were composed each of ten cohorts; a cohort, of fifty maniples; a maniple, of fifteen men; consequently, a full legion contained six thousand soldiers. Jesus cured one who called himself “legion,” as if possessed by a legion of devils, Mar 5:9. He also said to Peter, who drew his sword to defend him in the olive garden: “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, who shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” Mat 26:53.

Legion, a division of the Roman army. It always comprised a large body of men; but the number varied so much at different times, that there is considerable discrepancy in the statements with reference to it. The legion appears to have originally contained about 3000 men, and to have risen gradually to twice that number, or even more. In and about the time of Christ it seems to have consisted of 6000 men; but this was exclusive of horsemen, who usually formed an additional body amounting to one-tenth of the infantry. As all the divisions of the Roman army are noticed in Scripture, we may add that each legion was divided into ten cohorts or regiments, each cohort into three maniples or bands, and each maniple into three centuries or companies of 100 each. This smaller division into centuries or hundreds, from the form in which it is exhibited as a constituent of the larger divisions, clearly shows that 6000 had become at least the formal number of a legion.

The word legion came to be used to express a great number or multitude. Thus, the unclean spirit (Mar 5:9), when asked his name, answers, ’My name is Legion, for we are many.’

The number in a Roman legion varied at different periods, from three thousand to more than twice that number. In the time of Christ a legion contained six thousand, besides the cavalry. There were ten cohorts in each legion; which were divided each into three maniples or bands, and these into two centuries containing one hundred men each. In the Bible a legion means a number indefinitely large. The Savior cured a demoniac who called himself "Legion" as if possessed my myriads of demons, Mar 5:9 . The expression, "twelve legions of angels," Mat 26:53, illustrate the immensity of the heavenly host, and their zealous devotion to Christ.\par

Legion. The chief subdivision of the Roman army, containing about 6000 infantry, with a contingent of cavalry. The term does not occur in the Bible in its primary sense, but appears to have been adopted in order to express any large number, with the accessory ideas of order and subordination. Mat 26:53; Mar 5:9.

The largest division of the Roman army, of which it was, in order and armament, the miniature; 6,000 foot, with a body of horse. Mat 26:53, "thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels," against this band from the Roman "legion"; not merely My twelve apostles, but twelve "legions," and these "angels?" (compare 2Ki 6:17; Dan 7:10.) In Mar 5:9 the demon-possessed says, "my name is legion, for we are many," "because many demons (Greek) were entered into him."

Legion. A division of the Roman army. The number of men in it differed at various times. Originally a legion consisted of about 3000; but in the time of Augustus it contained about 6000: there were also cavalry attached, to the amount of one-tenth of the infantry. Each legion was divided into ten cohorts, each cohort into three maniples, and each maniple into two centuries, which, according to the name, should comprise 100 men. The word legion came in the course of time to express indefinitely a large number; so it is used in Mat 26:53; Mar 5:9; Mar 5:15; Luk 8:30; and so we frequently now use it.

In the Roman army a body of troops consisting of from three to five thousand; but the term is also used for an indefinite number. The Lord said that His Father on His request would send Him more than twelve legions of angels. Mat 26:53. The demons who possessed the man among the Gadarenes said, "My name is Legion; for we are many." Mar 5:9; Mar 5:15; Luk 8:30.

LEGION (λεγιών [λεγεών], a loan-word from the Latin legio, which meant originally a ‘gathering’ of the citizen army of Rome).—The word ‘legion’ occurs in two contexts in the Gospels. One is in the scene at Gethsemane, when Peter cut off the ear of the high priest’s slave (Mat 26:53); the other occurs in the narrative about the man with the unclean spirit in the country of the Gerasenes (Mar 5:9; Mar 5:15, Luk 8:30; but not in Matthew’s account, which gives two men). In both cases the reference is to the large number of persons who compose a legion: in the one case the legions of angels are at the disposal of Jesus, if He asks for them; in the other the great number of evil spirits can be described only by the name ‘legion.’ The present writer cannot recall any such use of the word ‘legion’ in non-Christian authors. It seems certain also that in the NT the word is not a translation of any Aramaic word. The conclusion is that, if Aramaic is behind the passages where the word occurs, the expression was imported into that language from Greek, and reveals the great impression made on the minds of Orientals by the vast organized unity of the Roman army, with which they had become acquainted since the Roman occupation of Syria by Pompey (b.c. 64–63). At least three and often more (see Hardy’s Studies in Roman History, 181 ff.) legions were quartered in that province during the whole of the 1st cent. a.d., and the sight of these magnificent troops, as they marched in column along the great roads of the country, must have powerfully impressed the natives with the numbers and power of the Roman people. An innumerable number of persons came to be spoken of as a legion.

The full strength of a Roman legion was about 6000 men, or about that of a modern infantry division, but the subdivision was different. Instead of brigades, battalions, companies, and sections, there were 10 cohortes, each commanded by a tribunus militum, 3 manipuli in each cohors, and 2 centuriœ in each manipulus. The uniform of all ordinary legionaries was the same. The legion was commanded by a legatus legionis (lieutenant-general). See also Band.

Literature.—W. Ramsay, A Manual of Roman Antiquities, revised and partly rewritten by R. Lanciani, 15th ed. (London, 1894) ch. xii. (on p. 459 f. there are references to other literature).

Alex. Souter.

LEGION.—This term, which means literally ‘a gathering,’ looks back to the early days of the Roman citizen army. In the time of the Empire it indicated a force of about 6000 infantry, together with complements of other arms. The infantry proper were divided into ten cohorts (the word is tr. [Note: translate or translation.] ‘band’ [wh. see] in Mat 27:27, Mar 15:16, Joh 18:3; Joh 18:12, Act 10:1; Act 21:31; Act 27:1), each containing about 600 men, and each commanded on occasion by a military tribune. Of these tribunes there were six to a legion. A cohort was itself subdivided into ten centuries, each commanded by a centurion. It is not necessary to remember all these facts in studying the NT use of the word ‘legion’ (Mat 26:53, Mar 5:9; Mar 5:15, Luk 8:30). What chiefly impressed Semites was apparently the size of the legion, and ‘legion’ appears to have become a proverb among them for a large number of persons in orderly combination.

A. Souter.

lē´jun. See ARMY; ARMY, ROMAN.