The Archaeology of Britain: An introduction from ... - waughfamily.ca
The Archaeology of Britain: An introduction from ... - waughfamily.ca
The Archaeology of Britain: An introduction from ... - waughfamily.ca
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Roman <strong>Britain</strong>: military dimension<br />
• 149 •<br />
CURRENT PERCEPTIONS AND OUTSTANDING PROBLEMS<br />
<strong>The</strong> search for a frontier<br />
Whether it was the original intention to conquer the whole <strong>of</strong> the island <strong>of</strong> <strong>Britain</strong> is uncertain.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Romans were most familiar with the south-east be<strong>ca</strong>use <strong>of</strong> Caesar’s two expeditions in 55<br />
and 54 BC and continued diplomatic and trading contacts thereafter, the latter manifested<br />
archaeologi<strong>ca</strong>lly in the distribution <strong>of</strong> Roman artefacts, particularly Italian Dressel 1B wine<br />
amphorae (Peacock 1984; and see Chapter 7). Such contacts also ensured that the conquest <strong>of</strong><br />
AD 43 was achieved and maintained with relative ease in the south and east, since it was supported<br />
by certain factions within native society. <strong>The</strong> creation <strong>of</strong> three client or friendly kingdoms, those<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Iceni, the Regnenses and the Brigantes, is an important feature <strong>of</strong> this early period. It<br />
underpinned Roman control <strong>of</strong> the Province and freed troops to concentrate on areas <strong>of</strong> greater<br />
resistance.<br />
It has been argued that the initial plan was to occupy only the south and east <strong>of</strong> England; the<br />
identifi<strong>ca</strong>tion <strong>of</strong> an early frontier along the Fosse Way, the Roman road <strong>from</strong> Exeter to Lincoln,<br />
is misconceived, however, and not supported by the chronology <strong>of</strong> the sites involved (Jones and<br />
Mattingly 1991). Moreover, troop deployments, particularly the presence <strong>of</strong> legionary and<br />
vexillation fortresses along the periphery <strong>of</strong> the area under direct Roman control, indi<strong>ca</strong>te the<br />
intention to continue to advance, rather than simply to police the area already overrun. In the<br />
context <strong>of</strong> the early consolidation <strong>of</strong> the Roman conquest, the idea <strong>of</strong> a frontier would have<br />
been psychologi<strong>ca</strong>lly unacceptable since it would, in effect, have implied that there was a definable<br />
limit to Roman expansion.<br />
Continued conquest was slowed by less favourable terrain and increasing hostility <strong>from</strong> the<br />
indigenous tribes who had had no previous contact with Rome. It was further delayed by the<br />
Boudi<strong>ca</strong>n rebellion <strong>of</strong> AD 60 and its aftermath, and a lo<strong>ca</strong>l uprising amongst the Brigantes in AD<br />
69. Several <strong>of</strong> the limited number <strong>of</strong> forts known in south-eastern England seem to have been<br />
established as a direct consequence <strong>of</strong> the Boudi<strong>ca</strong>n rebellion, indi<strong>ca</strong>ting the need to re-establish<br />
Roman control.<br />
When conquest and concomitant expansion was resumed in AD 71 under a new imperial<br />
house, the Flavians, it progressed rapidly over the next 15 years under successive governors.<br />
Roman military occupation was extended north and west across northern England, Wales and<br />
Scotland (Figure 8.3), and the conquest <strong>of</strong> the whole British mainland be<strong>ca</strong>me a feasible proposition<br />
for Roman forces. However, the possibility that they might fail to achieve such a goal may already<br />
have begun to be considered. Tacitus indi<strong>ca</strong>tes (Agricola 23) that a halt was made in the <strong>ca</strong>mpaigns<br />
<strong>of</strong> conquest <strong>of</strong> his father-in-law, Agricola, and the line drawn across the most obvious geographi<strong>ca</strong>l<br />
point, the Forth-Clyde isthmus. Supporting archaeologi<strong>ca</strong>l evidence remains problematic. It was<br />
once thought, for example, that Agricolan forts lay beneath many <strong>of</strong> the later fortifi<strong>ca</strong>tions along<br />
the <strong>An</strong>tonine Wall, but this belief <strong>ca</strong>n no longer be substantiated in most <strong>ca</strong>ses. Though several<br />
first-century forts are known across the isthmus, such as Mollins (Lanarkshire) and Camelon<br />
(Stirlingshire), both lying away <strong>from</strong> the later Wall line, not enough have been identified legitimately<br />
to confirm a first-century frontier line.<br />
However, following the road north <strong>of</strong> the isthmus as far as the River Tay at Bertha (Perthshire),<br />
a series <strong>of</strong> forts, fortlets and timber watchtowers has been discovered that have all the hallmarks<br />
<strong>of</strong> such a frontier. When the Romans were imposing close military control over an area, forts and<br />
fortlets tend to occur at regular intervals <strong>of</strong> 25–32 km, usually referred to as a day’s march apart.<br />
When frontier lines begin to emerge, this spacing is reduced to half or less, <strong>of</strong>ten with fortlets<br />
interspersed between the forts, and closer supervision provided by the construction <strong>of</strong> watchtowers.<br />
<strong>The</strong> unusual survival <strong>of</strong> a number <strong>of</strong> these towers along the Gask Ridge in Perthshire was noted