How far did the Romans REALLY get in Scotland?
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- Опубликовано: 22 май 2024
- The history of the Romans in what would become Scotland is vague but what do we really know? How far did the Romans get in their attempt to conquer what would become Scotland?
Why did the Romans come to Britain? Why did Hadrian build a wall? Why did Antonine build his own wall further north? What do we really know about the Battle of Mons Grauphius? And which Emperor ordered the genocide of the Caledonians?
Follow my adventures as I travel through the landscapes and history of Scotland. I make quick, quirky and (hopefully) funny content about Scotland's past, people and scenery.
I look for the hidden stories, forgotten people and beautiful scenery of Scotland and try to find the funny in the darkness, obscurity and occasional absurdity of our history.
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I absolutely love listening to you narrate the history of your country. Your humor and deep diving give it such a sense of humanity. Another excellent video!
Thank you! I have to make it funny or I get bored 😂
@@scotlandunpluggedisn't that how history works?? 😅
@@scotlandunplugged You should do one about king Arthurs castle at Camelon, sits along the Antonine wall, somewhere like a "Dux Bellorum" might have captured. Cabridge have air photos of it from the 70's,80's, under a tesco carpark these days, was more finds fairly recently huge place, had all sorts of stuff being made, perfect strategic postion for the valley.
"That lot over there..." Brilliant! That's why your histories are so much fun to watch! Thanks! The amount of physical labor required to build all these walls, trenches, and forts is astounding! Wow! Good one!
Thank you! The level of building is insane. Even the marching camps with their trenches must have required some serious physical effort.
the "other lot over there" were the other half of Brigantes a Kingdom in Northern Britain. The Scottish border at that point is 60 miles north.
Wow! Awesome history! I just love listening to you talking about your country. You make history so interesting.
Thank you. I do enjoy waffling on about it 😂
You packed a lot into this one! I'll be surprised if you still have your voice! Great job once again, Robert!!! Hopefully, you didn't injure yourself around those holes!
Thank you! I made it out alive this time 😂
Another amazing history lesson, thank you very much. Love Scotland.
It’s not half bad. Thank you 🙂
@@scotlandunpluggedits shite being scottish, we all know it but only some of us can admit it.
The Roman time in Scotland is much clearer now! Thanks Robert! K.
Thank you! 🙂
This video should be shown in classrooms. You're an amazing speaker showing the history in an immersive way. I love the shot of the ancient fortifications with high tension wires running above it, juxtaposing ancient history to modern.
Came across this 6 months after your post, just commenting cos we share a name that's not that common.
I lived on the edge of the Durno camp , 144 acre near the hill fort of Benachie , it was fifteen miles north of the main camp at Kintore , it was surveyed by Prof St Joseph in the early 70s , they found some pottery from the period , he always reckoned it was the camp used before the battle of Mons Graupius which took place on the level ground at the foot of Benachie .
Fascinating history lesson. Love your captivating storytelling and humour. Thank you, Robert 🏴
Thank you! Definitely helps when you’ve got Romans to film. 😂 Conveniently, there are some Vikings in Largs on Sunday! 🙂
@@scotlandunplugged Braw! 😃💙
I love how you tell stories and history about Scotland. Thank you for sharing.
I knew a little about Hadrian's Wall and the history that surrounds it but now I know so much more! Great video! Loved the footage from above - besides just being beautiful, it really helps to show the scope of the incredible expenditure of time and effort for these structures. Thanks for another awesome post. ❤
Thank you! I love flying the drone when I can, and it’s quiet. It adds another dimension.
Wow, so much history. Good job explaining it!
Thanks, Barb! Hope you’re doing well!
I look forward to each new episode. Well done.
Thank you!
LOVE all the history! Really appreciate the slightly longer video, too.
Thank you!
Another great story 👏...I vaguely remember my parents taking my sister and I to the wall, I must have been only 7 or 8 way too young to appreciate the history behind it so thank you again 👌
Thank you!
Congrats - again. Best ever - a mosaic beautifully constructed, filmed, narrated, presented.
Thank you, Charles! Hope you’re doing well. 🙂
Actually touching Hadrian’s Wall is in the top three of my bucket list. ❤❤ thank you for this! Your production quality has always been good… But I can see it getting better. Good job!
Thank you. 🙂 The wall is well worth seeing (and touching). The camera can never quite do it justice.
Omg, me too! Set to go there in June
As always Robert, a fantastic history lesson 👍🏆❤ I only found out a few months back about the roman ruins and museum being there, although I knew about Hadrian Wall and told "Hadrian didn't build it high enough to keep us Scots out"😂 I was 😂 when you said "they tried to big him up" I haven't heard that expression for yonks😂❤
Excellent job!
The drone footage was fantastic.
Thank you. I do love to break out the drone!
Great video. You make history so interesting.
Thanks, Alice! Hope you’re doing well 🙂
Robbie you have done it again great video ,and the views from your drone are amazing where you can see the lines of defence are clear to keep us out.
Thanks, Cameron! It’s amazing what you can see from the air.
You should add that when the Romans left the Southern Picts came south, the descendants of Coel to the Pennines, of Cunedda to Wales. They spoke common Brythonnic and the greater part of Wales until the 12th century was the North of England and southern Scotland
I walked Hadrian's wall in 1973 with a couple of school chums from Surrey. Starting from Newcastle to Carlisle. An ambition accomplished. We took our time with plenty of great pub stops on the way for beer and sandwiches.
I would like to do it again, this time on my older aching limbs, expecting to see what has changed. Any tips, anyone?
Yeah, don't slip like l did...twice!
another great one Robert! thanks!
Thank you! 🙂
Thanks for another great lesson! Awesome story Robert… 👏🏻💙
Thank you! 🙂
What a great video! I always enjoy watching anything to do with the history of Scotland. I'm from the States but my grandparents were from Scotland and instilled a great sense of pride in my heritage. It's always funny to me to learn how much the Romans stole from the Celts (Insular Celts and Continental Celts) yet pretended was their own. The Picts were the only distinct collection of people the Romans tried to conquer and utterly failed. And that is cool as hell.
P.S. I just want to say that we Celts taught the Romans how to use soap.
At the peak of the Roman empire over half the people in the entire world lived under Roman rule.
I love your channel! Thanks for another fun lesson!
Thank you 🙂
Excellent!!! Looking forward to the next video!!
Thank you!
Brilliant, fascinating and well-researched. Thank you
Wow! That was a great history lesson. There was so much information given you really did your research and it was awesome! You did an absolute tremendous job on this one!! Loved it!❤❤❤
Thank you Thank you Thank you from the states....great job!!!
Thank you! I feel like I know a bit more about the Romans now 😂
Groovy. Carry on.
Throughly enjoyed your vid. Couple of points though, firstly there certainly are Roman marching camps in Scotland more than able to hold 45 to 50 thousand men, never mind 20 thousand (Logie Durno 145 acres, St Leonard's Hill 173 acres). The marching camp furthest north may have been at Portmahomak, Dornock Firth, despite what Canmore says about two Roman signal stations near Durness 🙂 Once again, really enjoyed the vid, thank you.
Great, I loved this. However, I'm English and born north of the wall. Lots of people still think its the border.
Another great video, Robert. Thank you for the history lesson. 🙂❤️
Thank you 🙂
😊😊 very interesting in such a casual way, makes one listen more as with Culloden video. Many thanks
Exellant clip! very informative.
Thank you!
I love your knowledge. When I win the big lottery, I’d like to make the trip to Scotland and hire you as our guide for however long you could do it!!!
Haha. Thank you! I don’t actually have as much knowledge as I’d like. I know a rough story and then go on a research binge 😂
@@scotlandunplugged you know much more than I and can take me to the places you e already researched. Watching on video and being in person are two totally different experiences!!
Fascinating vid - thanks!
Scotland unplugged 👍😎🇺🇸 !
Great story Robert. Love listening to you. 😊👍👍
Thank you 🙂
love this channel! I think it is the distinct lack of hooves that makes it special.
😂😂 (I equally love the hooves)
😂
I love hearing about the history of the country I was born in. I was in primary 6 when we immigrated to the USA for my dad's job. While I had some history of the place it has always interested me in knowing more and you have a fantastic way of tell a story. Any chance you can do a story on Arthur 's Seat? Keep up the good work.
Well told! ❤
Thank you!
Brilliant brogh
Nice, thanks!
Outstanding! Now I want to record a version of this with a farm fence between me and my plethora of cousins (whom I love) while I refer to "that lot over there". Alas, I cannae pull off the accent... :)
Haha. It’s easy. Just watch Shrek on repeat for a while.
😂@@scotlandunplugged
I’m from the northeast and yeah, Hadrians wall is amazing... great video and thanks for sharing our history.
Love this episode. Love the roman history of Scotland and mainly because part of it was out the back of my parent's house in the Antonine wall.
Cheers! Have you seen Scotland Uncovered on TikTok? He did a video on Kirky.
@@scotlandunplugged I'm not down with the kids Mr P. I am not on tick tock. I do what sensible people do and wait for it to appear on Insta
@@scotlandunplugged I just watched it now. Don't think I have ever heard Kirky spoken so well of in all my life
@@andrewmiller4582 I'm sold. Moving there 😂
Wow this was a great history video
Thank you!
There is a location that matches the description of the battle of Mons Graupius. Grant Park and the Cluny hills at Forres.
I lived on the edge of the largest marching camp in Scotland , The Durno camp near the Pictish hill fort of Benachie , it covered 144 acres , fifteen miles north of a main camp at Kintore , it was surveyed by Pro St Joseph , didn’t find much , but it was most likely the camp prior to the battle of Mons Graupius at the foot of Benachie .
I look at Bennachie from my lounge window and am familiar with it being a proposed site for the battle, probably the most popular one, but if you read Tacitus' account of the battle carefully you'll see that the Cluny hills are a much better fit. Bennachie is basically too big. There is not a clear break between slope and plain, which is required for the description of the battle to work. The Caledonian charge would have been over a couple of hundred meters at most, and nowhere at Bennachie fits this. Furthermore, Bennachie is not at the furthest point of the line of marching camps whilst Forres is. This might be important because although it is not explicitly stated, the account suggests that the battle took place at the furthest point that the Romans got to. This would be Forres, going on current archaeological knowledge. I strongly recommend visiting both sites and try running down from hill to plain as the Caledonian warriors would have done. It soon becomes clear which site fits best. Finally, the Cluny hills are a superb tactical site, forming a pinch point between hill and coastal marsh, controlling the road to what is now Inverness.
It's such a generic description it could be applied to a huge array of places. Even Nechtansmere's location is debated and that's 600 years closer to our time. Is there any indicator of what the vegetation was like back then? Pollen samples from soil can suggest areas that were forested or farmed, has such work been done where you suggest?
@@damionkeeling3103 It is a pretty vague description but you can narrow the location down a bit to somewhere in the region of one of the Agricolan camps, the line of which is pretty easy to trace. Even so, yes it does leave a wide range of possibilities and my assessment that it's the Cluny Hills is of course far from certain. I don't know of any pollen analysis in the area but even if there was I don't think it can give you precise knowledge of the ground cover in any specific location of that size. As for Nechtansmere, I think academic opinion is now swaying towards it being what is now Loch Insch and the marshy ground south of it. Personally, I think Nechtan's fort was likely where Ruthven Barracks is now and the battle would have occurred near there. Again, it's just an assessment based on the description of the battle, the tactical nature of the locations, and some circumstantial evidence such as Nechtan -> Nachton -> Naughton (The seat of Clan McNaughtons is there).
I have seen all of this in my dreams ! Wow ! Magnificent!
Great video. Really well explained. One thing that was missed was a mention of Stenhousemuir and the origin of that name being ‘stone house’ which was a Roman triumphal monument (typically cited on or near to a battlefield victory). Lasted until the 1700’s when it was sadly pulled down. So I do believe there was a decisive Roman battlefield victory in this area north of the Antonine Wall. This is likely why the native tribes adapted to guerrilla tactics. In the end there was not enough mineral or societal wealth or a large enough settled population (in order to levy taxes) in the north of Britannia. This is the main reason Rome only ever halfheartedly approached this area. There were always bigger fish to fry. Hadrian’s Wall ended up being as much of a tax border than anything else.
Robert, can you do something on Edinburgh as my hubby and myself are thinking of going there next July for our Ruby (40th) wedding anniversary.
Ooft! There’s time yet for a few videos on Edinburgh 🙂
great video ]
I remember being marched along the road and stopping at a point where our teacher told us this is as far North the Romans marched and turned back. The place is just outside Stepps on the old Cumbernauld road once known as the busiest road in Scotland. Where did our teacher get this information?
Out their butt most likely. Unfortunately many teachers don't fact check things before blurting them out to their class. Then again maybe it was as far north as the Romans got in that part of Scotland but given the famous battle of Mons Graupius is considered to be in the Grampians somewhere they obviously got further north. The actual campaign in the 80s is thought to have followed the east coast north and then along the top almost as far as the Great Glen. The army was kept supplied by the navy. When the army was done some of the ships continued around the coast and proved to the Romans that Britain/Alba was actually an island.
Given the title I'd have thought you'd mention exactly how far north the northern most marching camps or other evidence is. But othewrise a good overview.
Really enjoyed your video done great info. Have you ever been to the tappoch broch near torwood castle?
Not yet. That looks interesting though!
@@scotlandunplugged you should visit it's very interesting. Also if you go speak to Gary at the castle he's very welcoming. There's a Roman well at the castle.
Good to know. Thanks for that!@@81bozzaboy
@@scotlandunplugged there's a day booked up this month to go help clear the bushes and dig around the tappoch broch with an archaeologist. I think it's the 17th. Might be worth getting involved. We've volunteered to help.
O you take the high woad an' I'll take the low woad... (I'll get my pallium...)
you imply 'over there' is Scotland and the border when it is actually Northumberland, the Scottish border is approx 60 mile north for most of its length
He knows that. The average YTuber from abroad doesn't. Later on even where I live was variously in Northumbria/Danelaw/Mercia. R. Mersey, boundary river. Liverpool
There is evidence that Roman troops based on the Antonine Wall had either spent some time in North Africa or were in fact North African. When excavations were carried out on the wall five out of the twelve forts had pottery evidence that the soldiers there was eating cuscus and cuscus is eaten in North Africa.
Romans basically didn’t see an economic reason to expand / remain in Scotland. No mineral wealth, no excess farm goods to tax, lack of large populations to raid for slaves, etc. Wall just made it more efficient to hold the existing lands for Roman colonists.
Rubbish! Scotland was and is full of mineral wealth.and great fertile farmlands .English historians hate to admit that the Picts/Caledonian tribes fought the Romans to a standstill. You don't build two walls and abandon the shortest and most northern one because it's the most 'efficient'. The Romans practised genocide everywhere they met resistance. They attempted it everywhere but failed with the ancestors of present Scotland. Present day Northumbria was a no-man's land. Like the Afghanistan war, the Caledonian tribes waged guerrilla war. Roman gold has been discovered in N.East Scotland indicating Romans trying to bribe the tribes not to keep attacking them. BTW the great 'British' queen Boacedia was a red haired Celt not an anglo saxon.
Boudicca also committed genocide.
Excellent as always. However "over there" was the other half of Northumberland (Scotland is 60 miles north of Housesteads and Vindolanda) and in Roman times the "over there" lot was the other half of the Brigantes Kingdom! It might also be worth saying the Wall has never been a border between England and Scotland.
But the Romans tried to split what is now Scotland with Antonine's wall and were driven back by the Picts back to Hadrian's wall. BTW there was no 'England 'until the Anglo Saxons invaded after the Romans left. Scottish kings also subsequently ruled over Northumberland for a period, those events took place much later than the Roman occupation.
I saw a Roman bath house in Strathclyde Country Park near Motherwell.
There is "Roman Well" in Burghead (Torfnes)
'Maybe they were depressed and didn't keep up on the maintenance'... said every homeowner.
😂😂😂😂😂
Getting back to the death.. I'm in!!😂😂😂😂
Haha. It’s a feeling I know well! 😂
Antonine wall is just a minute up the hill from me in Falkirk, the books say that they came up here, ordered the legions to dig a big ditch across the country for 20 years and then decided it wasn't worth the bother and went back to Hadrians, Can you imagine being a legion soldier who had spent 20 years digging a ditch along cold hills and your boss says "Right lads, that's enough, no need to dig all that, nothing up there, lets go south" No wonder a legion went missing up here if that actually happened.
Truth is they never got to finish their wall, its literally in my front garden, just a ditch remains for the most part, they dug the big ditch then packed the earth they removed on their side of the wall as a base, later would add wood, then stone like Hadrians, 20 years is all they lasted here and you don't go to the trouble of building a giant wall across the island and trying to build another to keep "nothing" out.
Nothing up here, spent about 300 years or so trying to come up and get it. Funny that eh?
. Great stuff mate, a question, did Antoninus actually visit or reside in Britain?
I don’t think so. It was his governor, Quintus Lollius Urbicus who oversaw the construction of the Antonine Wall.
@@scotlandunpluggedrighto, thanks mate, bloody interesting stuff..I'm enjoying your work and style over here in Australia. Salutations..
Before watching, I'd say 1) Antonine's Wall, and 2) Mountains. Now let's see how close I was... 🤔
Midges was their downfall
your bits about rough castle is the top/ side of high bonnybridge. the water aswell is called st hellens loch. we hate falkirk
Great video! Caesar was never an emperor, though. Augustus was the first.
Was it the legendary weather of Scotland that prevented Roman conquest?
I love the Scottish history.
Thank you! There’s plenty to choose from.
I see you’re up the bar hill fort near the village I live in
Antonius returned to Scotland and played for Celtic & Scotland in the 70s & 80s 😂
Sounds a lot like how the Pheonecians, never having called themselves that became known as that after. Granted it was the Greeks who named them thus for their Purple Dye and clothing but all the same. The Roman's styled themselves after and thought quite alike to the Greeks. It is likely that the Picti did either paint themselves or were tattooed with blue pigment. And if so they could have fascinating connections to other people who did the same. Though they could have just as likely, independently chosen to do the same things. It's likely however that the Picti were some of the last descendants of the Pre-Indo European Populatuon of Britain which was decimated by Disease and Encroachment and Ethnic Cleansing. Like the Native American "Indian". That is the most likely given their various traditions which not only resemble those of the Pre Indo-European, Anatolia Farmers. But are clearly a growth of. You can see their reflection everywhere else those people's descendants went. From the Tumuli and Standing Stones to any other number of things later given credit to the mixed populations which they then gave rise to, but which had lost or rejected the knowledge and practices of their ancestors. But in some small enclaves.
I worked on an oil rig out of Aberdeen one young American boy with 50 scots. I learned to understand
Did I hear the narrator call Julius Caesar "Emperor"?
Very true, but that's not what the title says, but I take your point
Aren't there two walls, the one at the border and another further up toward Glasgow-Edinburgh??
Marching camp of strathcathro is not in the right place you have it on the north esk river where in fact its closer to the south esk river . at the end of montrose basin where the romans had a port and harbour and a massive camp on the Brechin road about 3 miles outside montrose .. also there were two other marching champs one at KAIR just outside of laurencekirk AND Balmakewan MARYKIRK just out side montrose .. the last two camps are about 5 miles apart are were occupied at the same time ..
They Probably got all the way up to the North Sea but found few resources.
All they found was a 'sore face' as we call it in Scotland.
@@lochside7647So you've bought into the myth then? 😂
Wasn't Boudica the leader of the Triavantes(sp?)?
She was the leader of the Iceni but led a revolt that included neighbouring tribes 🙂
@@scotlandunplugged ok. Got that one confused. She fought with them, then. It's been a really long time since I read about her. I wish I could find that book again. She was one incredible woman.
also we call them the beef pits. passed doom fae grandparents fae high jig
Antonine wall in cumbernald was built by the romans 😊
4:47; or "government..."
🙄
True 😂
Och the Romans kept coming into Scotland for Greggs steak bakes pastries and hot drinks.🏴
I love the barbarians. Didn't play by the rules. Must be my relatives😊
😂
It wasn't Scotland then, it was North Britain. The Scotti didn't invade until the 4th century AD (I believe).
Nice try! North Britain is a Victorian era , colonial re-designation by English/British ruling elite of Scotland. Interestingly, they never called England by the logical definition of South Britain.!
@@lochside7647 So the Scotti where always there?
In Northern Britain?
@@seanjoseph8637 Yes. The genetic record shows that the Scots of the West Coast were in Ireland, before becoming named as such. The people of both Scotland and Ireland were all linked by blood before the Romans gave them daft names. The names changed as tribes merged and they became all 'Scots' united as the English and Welsh did also. As I said Northern Britain is a Victorian invented name for a political state which will one day dissolve back into its natural constituent parts of Scotland, Wales and maybe...North and South England.
The Caledonii were well provisioned and as fighters fought with combined arms in guerilla asymmetrical warfare.
Julias ceaser was not an emperor his nephew was
The word barbarian simply refers to those peoples outwith the Roman Empire and does not mean uneducated , ignorant bampots as per the modern use of the word.
Caesar wasn’t an emperor. But I enjoyed your video .
Bloody Romans! 😛🤣
😂
Anytime someone builds a wall, someone else builds a tunnel. A hole in the ground isn’t always visible even from 50 feet.
Asterisk the Gaul😂😂
If only I could understand him
Does it get hot there
The Romans " what in the name of Jupiter is all this bloody rain coming from, lets head back south"🌧🌧🌧🌧🌧🌧🌧🌧🌧🌧
Calgacus is a fictional name. It certainly wasn't a Pictish name.