Moray contains some of the northernmost Roman forts known in Britain. Around Elgin, the sites at Thomshill and Balnageith demonstrate that Roman forces established more than temporary marching camps in this distant landscape.
Amazing fact
The forts at Thomshill and Balnageith lie remarkably far north, showing that Roman activity reached well beyond the better-known frontier zones of central Scotland.
Why this area mattered
The fertile coastal plain and routes around the Moray Firth offered supplies and communications. Establishing forts here extended Roman military reach far beyond the Tay and the north-east camps.
Roman places near you
Thomshill
A timber fort whose excavated structures and finds illuminate its short occupation.
Balnageith
A nearby fort forming part of the same broad northern military landscape.
Moray routes
Camps and finds connect the forts with campaigning movement through the region.
What can you see today?
Little is visible above ground, so museum collections, excavation plans and the surrounding geography are essential. These sites should not be described as evidence of a permanent Roman conquest of Moray.
