323 Years of Military Attacks

The Roman period in Scotland was a series of military attacks and brief occupation to reduce attacks in Roman England. No towns were built, and the occupation was to protect the frontier. As in Germany and North Africa, the Romans built barriers and watchtowers to protect and control who entered the empire. A series of walls or fort lines were built – The Gask Ridge from Dunblane to Perth during Agricola’s invasion in 79 to 84AD, Hadrian’s Wall in 122 AD, The Antonine Wall in 142 AD, and then back again to Hadrian’s Wall in 165AD

Large forts with squadrons of cavalry 500 to 1000 strong were briefly established and then abandoned. Auxiliary troops from many areas, including Syria, Romania, Spain and northern Belgium, were deployed to Scotland. Many forts were rebuilt during each phase of the invasion. There were many military responses to incursions from the Caledonians, but only a few were recorded in Roman history books.

No fort in Scotland was continuously occupied.

72 AD Carlisle

Carlisle Roman Fort was built along with some fortlets in the area.

79 AD Agricola Invades

The French general Julius Agricola launched his campaign in the north in the late AD 70’s. By both land and sea, it took only five years for him to take control of much of lowland Scotland. Some forts were built along what would later become the line of the Antonine Wall, while others were constructed along the Gask Ridge in Perthshire. He supported the emperor Vespasian in AD 69 when there were 4 emperors challenging each other for dominance and gained his military command through that support.

79 AD Julius Agricola invades Northern Scotland. Pompeii was destroyed in a Volcanic eruption.
84 AD Battle of Mons Graupius.
88 AD Inchtuthil fortress west of Blairgowrie is abandoned, as are many Agricola forts.
90 AD all forts in Scotland were abandoned as military forces were needed elsewhere
98 AD Cornelius Tacitus first writes down his account of the Roman invasion by his father-in-law Agricola.
100 AD, the Remainder of Roman Forts in Scotland were abandoned
117 AD Disturbances from Scotland
117AD Disturbances from Scotland require 3000 troops to be deployed from Germany and Spain. This includes elements of Legio VII Gemina, VIII Augusta, XXII Primigenia

Troops were needed for wars in Eastern Europe and withdrawn from Scotland ( see Romans in Scotland 100 AD)

This map shows the distribution of Roman Coins around 117 AD when disturbances took place. Click the map to get an interactive version.

122 AD Start of the construction of Hadrian’s Wall

The emperor Hadrian with permission of Daniel Voshart

Hadrian ordered a wall to be built to stop the invasions from Scotland.

He visited Britain in 122 AD to inspect the work

Hadrian’s wall and coinage from the time found in Scotland, Click the map for the interactive version.

142 AD Antoninus Pius orders the Antonine Wall to be Constructed

The emperor Antoninus Pius with permission of Daniel Voshart

142 AD Antonine Wall was constructed on orders of the emperor Antoninus Pius. The governor of Britain at that time, Quintus Lollius Urbicus, duly invaded with the 6th, 20th and 2nd Legions as well as many auxiliary troops, quickly subjugating southern Scotland. Cramond Fort was built.
German, French, Spanish, Bulgarian, Dutch and Belgian troops were part of the occupation force.
In 155 AD, there was a period of rebuilding, and there are considered to be early and later Antonine periods when discussing the archaeology of this time.

An inscription found in Newcastle states

“For the Emperor Antoninus Augustus Pius, father of his country, the detachment (of men) contributed from the two Germanies for the Second Legion Augusta and the Sixth Legion Victrix and the Twentieth Legion Valeria Victrix, under Julius Verus, emperor’s pro-praetorian legate,” ( see RIB 1322. Building dedication to Antoninus Pius)

which implies all three legions received reinforcements which allowed rebuilding work.

See a detailed story and maps of the various forts at The Antonine Wall 142 AD

Coinage found from the Antonine Period, Click the map for the interactive version.

152 AD Coins minted in 154 that show Britannia in mourning or at peace (opinions differ). See British Museum narrative
165 AD Antonine Plague erupts across the empire and lasts until 180 AD. Smallpox perhaps.
165 AD Antonine Wall was abandoned four years after the death of Antoninus Pius. Most troops return to Hadrian’s Wall.
175 AD Sarmatian heavy cavalry deployed to Ribchester in Lancashire.
179 AD Ulpius Marcellus was appointed Governor and sent to fight Scots who came over the wall.
179 AD Disturbances from Scotland
182 AD Maetae and Caledonians attack England, moving south along Dere Street and burning down Rudchester, Halton Chester and Corbridge. Attack repulsed by 184 AD.

Maetae and Caledonian Attack – click the map for the interactive version

193 AD Roman Civil War

Decimus Albinus was declared emperor by all the legions in Britain and one from Spain. The British legions were II Augusta, VI Victrix, and XX Valeria Victrix; the Spanish legion was the VII Gemina. Three people claimed the title of emperor, and Albinus took the legions into France, fighting and losing a major battle in Lyon in France in 197 AD, defeated by Septimius Severus. This severely weakened security in Britain.

208 AD Septimius Severus Invades

Septimius Severus *with permission of* Daniel Voshart

An African conquers Scotland is the headline for this invasion. Septimius Severus was born in Libya, and his sons Geta and Caracalla were born in Lyon, France.

208 AD African Roman Emperor Septimius Severus launched the last campaign intended to conquer Scotland. He died in York
211 AD Scotland was abandoned again by the Romans after Septimius Severus died in York.
See more in Septimus Severus 208 AD Invasion

This was more a punitive campaign where troops occupied five forts and campaigned using camps. Supplies would come by sea from the new granaries at South Shields and from High Rochester by road.

Septimus Severus Forts. Click the image for an interactive map

286 AD Roman Civil War

286 to 296 The Carausian Revolt was an episode in Roman history, during which a Roman naval commander, Carausius, declared himself emperor over Britain and northern Gaul. His Gallic territories were retaken by the western Caesar Constantius Chlorus in 293, after which Carausius was assassinated by his subordinate Allectus. Britain was regained by Constantius and his subordinate Asclepiodotus in 296.
286 to 318 AD – barracks block in South Shields, near Hadrian’s Wall, destroyed by fire.

305 AD Constantius Campaigns in Scotland

305 AD New Roman campaigns against the Caledonians by the Bulgarian emperor, Constantius, who leads a military campaign in Scotland, reaching “the end of the land”. Constantius dies at York and his son, Constantine, is declared Emperor. Staying in York seemed to be bad luck for the emperors as Septimus Severus also died there.

360 AD Picts and Scots attack

360 AD Lupicinius despatched to Britain because of attacks by Picts and Scots
367 AD revolt by Picts, Attacotti and Scots put down by Count Theodosius over the course of a year.
383 AD Magnus Maximus wins a victory over the Scots and Picts and proclaims himself emperor of the west of the Empire.