Bible Dictionaries
Legion
Holman Bible Dictionary
(lee' giohn) In the New Testament a collection of demons (Mark 5:9 ,Mark 5:9,5:15; Luke 8:30 ) and the host of angels (Matthew 26:53 ). Behind this usage was the Roman military designation. The legions were the best soldiers in the army. At different times in Rome's history, the legion numbered between 4,500,6,000 soldiers. It was composed of differently skilled men: spearmen, commandos, skirmish specialists, calvary, and reserves. Originally, one had to be a property owner and Roman citizen to belong, but these requirements were waived depending on the need for troops. Mike Mitchell
Copyright Statement
These dictionary topics are from the Holman Bible Dictionary, published by Broadman & Holman, 1991. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Broadman & Holman.
Bibliography Information
Butler, Trent C. Editor. Entry for 'Legion'. Holman Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hbd/l/legion.html. 1991.