In 79 Agricola advanced the Roman border northwards to a line that would serve as a natural frontier. He placed garrisons and forts up both sides of Britain along lines that would later be the routes of the two great roads from Newcastle/Pons Aelius (AD 122) to York and Mancunium/Manchester (AD 79) to Carlisle. A line of forts from the Solway Firth to the Tyne (where Hadrian’s Wall would be built) would surround the Brigantes and they would have no choice but to submit. Learning that there was a still shorter line ninety miles farther to the north, from Clyde to Forth, he decided to advance to it.
In 80 Agricola set out to subdue the lands north of the Tyne and Solway. The Roman earth fort at Trimontium/Newstead) east of Melrose (Scottish Borders), and the small fort at Cappuck near Jedburgh (Scottish Borders) on Dere Street (between York and the Roman camps in Scotland), are attributed to Agricola this year.
Advancing still further in 81, Agricola reached the northern isthmus on the line of the Clyde and Forth. In 82 he turned his attention to the southwest and toyed with the idea of crossing to Ireland, but decided to return to central Scotland in order to push on from Stirling to the River Tay and beyond. In 83 fought his famous battle at Mons Graupius and destroyed the assembled armies of Caledonia (=Scotland north of Hadrian’s Wall) under their chieftain, Calgacus.
Agricola’s fleet sailed northwards and found the Orkney Islands. It then rounded the north of Scotland to a place that was recognized as having been seen before thus confirming that Britain was an island. When news of Agricola’s victory reached Rome, the emperor Domitian (44; r.81-96) awarded him triumphal ornaments and ordered him home.
However, there was to be no Roman subjugation of Scotland. From now on Roman troops would be in almost constant demand in mainland Europe. The Romans gradually abandoned their forts and bases in Scotland until by 105 they had withdrawn to the line of the Stanegate road between Carlisle/Luguvallumon the Eden to Corbridge/Corstopitum (on the Tyne). This new frontier was augmented by forts such as that at Vindolanda (85) and additional forts at half-day marching intervals built at Newbrough, Magnis (near Carvoran) and Brampton Old Church. Carlisle was the seat of a centurio regionarius (district commissioner).
Over the remaining years of the first century and the beginning of the second, forts were reduced in size and structures such as fortlets and watchtowers began to appear, along with a ditch and palisade.
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