Northwest Europe, Britain, 05A SCOTLAND (Caledonia): Roman Period, Celtic Tribes of Scotland 

Roman Period (71-407)

The earliest record of a connection between Scotland and Rome is the ‘King of Orkney’, one of the eleven British kings who submitted to Claudius-I (63; r.41-54) at Camulodunum (Colchester) after the invasion by his general Aulus ⁰¹Plautius (fl.24-48) three months earlier. Over the next three decades the Romans moved steadily northwards, and by the time ²⁶Julius Agricola (53; fl.58-93), governor of Britain (78-84), arrived, Romans had control of Britain as far as York.

Gask Ridge (named after a ridge north of the River Earn in Perth and Kinross) was a Roman fortified frontier built in the 70’s between Drumquhassle (Stirlingshire) and Stracathro (Angus), whose watchtowers would have been used to observe and control the movements of peoples across it. It is unclear whether Petillius, governor (71-74), or Agricola was responsible for the first phase of its construction.

In 77/8 a timber auxiliary fort was built at Elginhaugh, Midlothian, southeast of Edinburgh. Its primary use was probably to guard Dere Street, a strategically important north-south Roman route, where it crossed the North Esk River, Lothian. Excavation revealed that it was the norm to house horses and men together in stable-barracks.

● Celtic Tribes of Scotland (Ptolemy)