Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (383 page)

The main unit of the Roman imperial army. In the early Republican period a legion comprised about 3000 troops, all with property qualifications, but this had increased to 5000–6000 soldiers together with a number of mounted men and officers by the mid 1st century
bc
. Later, from the time of Diocletian onwards, the number of legions was increased but the size of each decreased. Each legion was based in a legionary fortress, a larger and more permanent version of the
FORT
. Each was given a number and a standard in the form of an eagle. A legion was typically divided into ten cohorts, each cohort being divided into six centuries.

 
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A Roman soldier; a member of a
LEGION
.

 
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Distinctive types of pottery in use by the legions in Britain especially in the mid 1st century
ad
, when local products were found to be inadequate. These wares were peculiar to each legion and have been identified at Wroxeter, Lincoln, York, and Caerleon, but there has only been one production centre identified, at Holt, Chester, where there was a works depot for tile-making.

 
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The belief that a particular political order is just and valid.

 
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The failure of a political order to generate a sufficient level of commitment and involvement on the part of its citizens to be able properly to govern.

 
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Leisner , Georg
(1879–1957)
[Bi].

German archaeologist and prehistorian who, together with his wife
Vera Leisner
(1885–1972), devoted his life to making a comprehensive survey and analysis of the Neolithic chambered tombs of Iberia. Their massive undertaking was published in a series of volumes under the title
Die megalithgräber der Iberischen Halbinsel
(1942–65, Berlin).
[Obit.: (Georg)
Ampurias
, 19–20 (1957–8), 294–5 (Vera)
Madrider Mitteilungen
, 14 (1975)]

 
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