The Romans

Unlike other parts of Europe Scotland was never a part of the Roman Empire, instead there were several incursions into the country and various parts of the land came under Roman rule at different times.

The first of the forays was by Agricola on behalf of the Emperor Vespasian in 79 or 80. His route took him from Carlisle to the Forth and he built defences on the way, major forts were built at Inveresk on the Forth and Newstead near Melrose. He also sent scouting parties as far as Perthshire. Agricola returned in 82, this time to Galloway and Ayrshire to subdue the Novantae tribe. In 83 he made it as far as Aberdeenshire by way of Stirlingshire and Angus and camps identified with his march have been found at Stracathro, Dunblane, Ardoch and into Moray. The building of a major fort at Inchtuthill suggests that Agricola was planning to hold on to his gains. It was in the following year that he had his victory over the Caledonii at Mons Graupius. By 87 Agricola had been recalled to Rome and Inchtuthill was dismantled, even the nails of the buildings were buried so as to be of no use to the Caledonians.

Hadrian's Wall

Fort on Hadrian's Wall

In 118 the Emperor Hadrian ordered the construction of the wall which still retains his name. The wall now stands in England between the Solway and the Tyne but in the second century it was used as a firebreak to separate the tribes of northern England and southern Scotland. The deep ditch on both sides of the wall shows that it was not there to keep out tribes from the north but to prevent tribes from both sides from combining against the Romans.

Despite Hadrian's Wall the Emperor Antoninus Pius ordered the governor Q Lollius Urbicus to subdue the lowlands in 138-9. Another wall was constructed between Old Kilpatrick on the Clyde and Bridgeness on the Forth. The Antonine Wall was built of turf but had a ditch, both wider and deeper than that of Hadrian's Wall, in front of the wall itself. The wall was built in the 140's abandoned in favour of Hadrian's Wall in 154-5 and then reoccupied again 160-3 before being abandoned. It is possible that it was reoccupied for a third time from 185 - 207.

Hadrian's Wall reconstruction

Hadrian's Wall

There was an uprising against the Romans in 208 - 211 and the Emperor Septimus Severus came in person with his sons Caracalla and Geta to deal with it. The Romans seem to have been based at Carpow on the Tay and may have reached Angus and beyond. It is reported that the Caledonii and Maeatae were forced to come to terms but Severus died in 211 and his sons returned to Rome with the frontier again reverting to Hadrian's Wall.

There were further invasions in early 4th century by the Emperor Constantius and his son Constantine, pottery from this period has been found at Cramond, near Edinburgh and at Carpow. Soon, however, it was the Picts and their allies who were on the offensive and by 367 they had overwhelmed Hadrian's Wall, which was finally abandoned around 400.

In 410 the last of the Roman army left the British Isles and the Romanised parts of the south were told to look to their own defences.

History Books on the Romans:

Author	Title	Published	Price	Order Now From:
Guy de la Bedoyere	Hadrian's Wall: History and Guide	1998	£9.99 or $16.99	Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
The first detailed guide to appear for many years on this most dramatic example of the Roman occupation of the British Isles. Also covers the outpost forts and the local museums which house artefacts discovered near the wall. Contains many sketches, drawings and photgraphs as well asmap locations routes and parking information.
Breeze, D. J.	Hadrian's Wall (4th ed)	2000	£9.99	Amazon.co.uk
A fully revised edition of this standard work which was first published in 1974. It has been updated with the results of recent research which has changed some of the author's conclusions on the building and manning of the wall.
Breeze, D. J.	Roman Scotland	1996	£15.99	Amazon.co.uk
Another addition to their excellent "Historic Scotland" Series, considers the background to the invasion and subsequently withdrawl from Scotland of the Roman army, and uses the latest archaeological evidence to paint a fascinating picture of life at the time.
Keppie, L. J. F.	Scotland's Roman Remains	1998	£9.95	Amazon.co.uk
This handbook, produced in collaboration with the Council for British Archaeology Scotland, is designed for the reader with little or no prior knowledge of things Roman who wishes to learn something about the action-packed period when the Romans tried to add the northern part of Britain to their Empire. The Roman army built forts and roads throughout lowland Scotland and constructed the Antonine Wall from Forth to Clyde. The book sets the various phases of Roman occupation in their historical context and shows how literary and archaeological evidence can be used to build up a picture of the Roman period. The itineraries provide a guide to what may be seen at individual sites and will help the reader to distinguish Roman sites from those of earlier or later epochs, even when no archaeological excavation has taken place. Overall, the book provides a fascinating picture of life in the frontier area of Rome's northernmost province.
Maxwell, G. S.	Gathering of Eagles: Romans in Scotland	1998	£5.99	Amazon.co.uk
In the Historic Scotland series. Provides an introduction to the key themes and periods in Scottish history and prehistory. Uses many different types of evidence from archaeology to environmental studies and takes account of recent developments. Uses imaginary personal commentary with accounts of the monuments which remain today.
Maxwell, G. S.	Romans in Scotland	1989	£16.99	Amazon.co.uk
A look at the history of the Roman army in North Britain with particular emphasis on the 1st and 2nd century.