Explore the Roman presence in Scotland
Forts, frontiers, armies and people — brought together through archaeology, ancient sources, maps and places you can visit.
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Romans in 5 mins
A concise introduction to the Roman campaigns and occupation of Scotland.
Top 10 Roman Sites
Ten of the best places to see evidence of Roman Scotland
Watch Roman Scotland
Explore forts, frontiers and discoveries through films, site visits and expert talks.
For schools
Teaching topics, classroom activities and an editable pack for CfE Second Level, P5–P7.
Explore Roman Scotland in Maps
Discover Roman forts, camps, roads, frontiers and finds across Scotland using maps and place-by-place guides
Find Romans Near You
Discover Roman sites near you.
Forts, Camps & Roads
Explore the military landscape
Northern Frontiers
Follow Rome’s northern frontiers.
Popular on Romans in Scotland
Quick Guides
Short introductions to key aspects of Roman Scotland
Timeline of the Romans in Scotland
Follow the Roman campaigns, occupations and withdrawals from Scotland from the first century AD to the final military actions in the fourth century.
Before AD 79
Scotland Before Rome
The peoples, settlements and societies the Romans encountered when they advanced north.
AD 79–84
Agricola Invades Scotland
Roman armies advance deep into Scotland, culminating in Tacitus’ account of the Battle of Mons Graupius.
AD 120s
Hadrian and the Northern Frontier
Roman strategy changes and Hadrian’s Wall becomes the principal frontier in northern Britain.
AD 140s
The Antonine Wall
Rome moves its frontier north to the Forth–Clyde isthmus and constructs the Antonine Wall.
AD 160s
Rome Withdraws South
The Antonine frontier is abandoned, and the main military frontier returns to Hadrian’s Wall.
AD 208–211
Septimius Severus
The emperor leads a major Roman army into Scotland in the last great Roman attempt to subdue the north.
AD 306
Constantius Invasion
In the year 306, Britain was reconquered.
AD 367
Count Theodosius
The Scots, Picts and Attacotti invaded Roman England in 367 AD.
AD 433
After the Romans
The Roman Army in Scotland
Legions
Roman Legions
Discover the legions known to have served in Scotland, including II Augusta, VI Victrix, IX Hispana and XX Valeria Victrix.
Auxiliaries
Auxiliary Units
Cavalry and infantry units recruited across the Roman Empire served in Scotland, including Dutch, Germans, French and Spaniards.
Military Sites
Forts & Camps
Explore the forts, temporary camps, fortlets and other military installations created during Rome’s campaigns in Scotland.
People of Roman Scotland
Caledonian & Local peoples
Explore what Roman writers and archaeology tell us about the peoples living in Scotland before and during the Roman campaigns.
Women in Roman Scotland
Archaeology reveals women and children living within the communities associated with forts and the Roman frontier.
People We Can Name
Inscriptions and ancient texts preserve the names of soldiers, officers, civilians and individuals connected with Roman Scotland.
Latest from Romans in Scotland
- Roman marching camps with six gates
A Roman marching camp is often drawn with four gates,… Read more: Roman marching camps with six gates - Dunning Roman Camp: evidence of a second occupationExcavations at Dunning in Perthshire revealed substantial Roman defences and evidence that a large force returned to use the camp a second time.
- A Roman Brooch with a Scottish Story
A remarkable brooch from Pathhead, Midlothian, reveals how Roman influences and local artistic traditions could meet in Iron Age Scotland.
Life in Roman Scotland
Discover what archaeology can tell us about everyday life in Roman Scotland — from food and clothing to religion, technology and medicine.
Daily Life
Everyday Life
Explore food, clothing, homes, possessions and the everyday experiences of soldiers, families and communities.
Religion
Gods & Beliefs
Altars, inscriptions and objects reveal the gods worshipped by soldiers and civilians in Roman Scotland.
Technology
Technology & Medicine
Discover Roman engineering, building techniques, tools and medicine used by the Romans in Scotland.
Museums and Places to Visit
See Roman Scotland for yourself through museums, surviving monuments and archaeological sites across the country.
Museums
Discover museums with important collections from Roman Scotland, including inscriptions, sculpture, pottery, weapons and everyday objects.
Roman Sites
Visit forts, frontier remains, bathhouses, camps and other places where Roman Scotland can still be explored on the ground.
The Antonine Wall
Plan a visit to Scotland’s Roman frontier and discover its surviving earthworks, forts, museums and interpretation sites.
Research Library
Explore sources on Romans in Scotland, including ancient texts, inscriptions, archaeological reports, books, maps, and modern research.
Primary Sources
Read ancient accounts of Roman Scotland and explore inscriptions, altars, distance slabs and other surviving written evidence.
Books & Research
Find books, academic papers, excavation reports and open-access research on the Romans in Scotland.
Maps & Data
Explore maps, GIS material, site locations and other geographical resources for researching Roman Scotland.
About Romans in Scotland
Romans in Scotland brings together archaeological evidence, ancient sources, maps and modern research to make the Roman history of Scotland easier to explore.
