 The Legion was disbanded before any recruitment drive could take place after pro-Republican incidents in Portugal had convinced the government that direct intervention on the side of the Nationalists could cause further unrest.The widespread publicity given to the Viriatos Legion made all Portuguese volunteers who later enlisted directly in the Spanish Foreign Legion, Carlist militias, the Falange or regular army units were known as "Viriatos".According to the historian Antony Beevor, 12,000 Portuguese participated.