Roman Houses

Many forts had small settlements next to them and there is evidence that women and children lived inside forts. Serving soldiers were not allowed to officially marry until Septimus Severus changed the law in 197AD but many had common-law wives and children. House in Scotland would have been simple and there are no recorded towns or villas as in England. No mosaic floors or plaster walls have been found in Scotland as this was a military occupation. Red roof tiles would not have been common.

The biggest settlements for which we have evidence appear to be Trimontium near Melrose, Musselburgh/Inveresk and Camelon near Falkirk. Cramond may also have had a number of houses.

Houses in Scotland were likely to have been built using intertwined branches and then caked with mud and a plaster white surface.

More expensive and longer-term buildings used concrete and flat red bricks but these were all found in England.