Topic 2: Consolidation and retrenchment Flashcards
Chnage of fronteir policy and Caledonia withdrawl
*TACITUS - Agricola defeated the Caledonian tribe at Mons Graupius and then established a fontier on the fourth clyde line.
* There are little written sources from 85 so we use archeological remains.
* INCHTUTHIL - Shows that the romans continued to try to occupy territoy in the north as it was built for the twentieth legion.
* There are many reasons as to why the ormans gave up northern scotland: 1.south eat was booming so north seemed less relevent. 2. It was only for glory for Agricola and Domitian so shortg lived. 3. SUETONIUS implies thatDomitian fell into financial difficulty. 4. Rome faced attack from Daci so had to use British troops.
* After wihtdrawl, they looked for new frontier so from 98 under Trajan they built new forts at Caerleon, York and Chester out of stone.
* CAERLEON STONE OF TRAJAN and COMMEMORASTIVE TABLET IN YORK.
* Overall, frontier policy from mons graupius to Trajan had been inconsistent . The first proper attempt came with the stanegate road system.
Stanegrate road system
- Before withdrawing the romans destroyed thei forts in scotalnd, in Newstead, Dalwinton and Corbridge, and retreated to a new frontier, the stanegate road system.
- It was built during Agricola to allow supplies to move north for the invasion of Caledonia, and the forts were days walk from eachother.
- VINDOLANDA TABLET - was a birthday invitation which shows the period of time was stable and the forts were abandoned willingly.
- Vindolanda was an important fort as it home to the first and later ninth cohort and manned by auxillary units. Made long after hadrians wall.
- Vindolanda was perfectly preserved as no oxygen was in the gorund and the tablets were preserved in a bin like a moden postcard.
- VINDOLANDA TABLET - Military strength report ehich shows the first cohort at Vindolanda and the issues people dealt with healh-wise.
- They suggest what the frontier policy under Trajan was like, he used the three legions to occupy and control england and wales, as well as using auxillary troops at the frontier.
Background to Hadrian’s wall
- SHA - At the start of Hadrians reign the tribes subdued under Hadrian were rebelling.
- Hadrian’s new policy was that he consentrated on maintaining peacedue to the rebellions.
- SHA - Suggests that in 117 Britain posed a serious threat to roman authority.
- ALTERS TO NEPTUNE AND OCEANUS - show us that the ninth legion was replaced by the sixth legion along the frontier. Shows they were in the north to built Hadrians wall.
- TOMBSTONE OF SABINUS - Shows he was prefect of first cohort, and that roman control was well established and wuite forceful.
- COIN As OF HADRIAN - Shows Hadrian stomping on Brittanica, asa threat or demonstrating control.
Construction and design of the wall
- SHA - The wall ran for 80 miles and seperated the barbarians from the Romans.
- MILECASTLE 38 - Shows secdond legion builtt he wall with Nepos as governor.
- MILECASTLE 38 INSCRIPTION - Shows it was built by Hadrian, not in honour of him.
- Started in 122 and took 6 yeas to complete and strenched from Newcastle to Solway.
- Four components of the wall: 1.ditch. 2. wall. 3. Militay way. 4.Vallum.
- Purposes include physical barrier, reinforces Rome’s confidence, romanisation, seperate chaos from order.
- The first design of the wall was 10 feet wide, known as the broad wall, and 15 feet high. It was marked by milecastloes which protected a gate at every mile, which contained 10 soldiers who would be look outs and report to forts.
Design of the wall
- Between each pair of milecastles there were two turrets for lookouts and to the north of the wall there was a ditch for defense.
- Narrow wall was 6-8 feet thick due to materials and speed, ston eevntually turned to turf.
- CHESTER DEDICATION - 125 saw significant changes such as adding forts like in Chester, Housesteads and Birdoswald, we know this due to inscriptions left by legionaries.
- Forts suggest a slight chnage in frontier policy to more defensive, and a vallum ditch was added ehich was 10 feet deep with spikes and thorn bushes along the south side.
- The western side of the wall was rebuilt from turf to stone, suggests the north needed more defense at the time.
- The military way was made from large stones, it was essentially a road but its size suggests not used for wheeled vehicles.
Purpose of the wall
- Meant to sperate civilised romans from barbaric celts of Caledonia.
- It was a controlled military zone that regualted movement across in both directions.
- The wall was the logical place to end the conquest of Britain which Hadrian beleived he had finished.
- The wall was a statements to brigantes to defer them from linking with the celtic tribes in Scotland.
- The wall started with an offensive purpose but became increasinly defensive.
- SESTERTIUS OF HADRIAN - Hadrrian father of the county (britain).
- MATTINGLY IN AN IMPERIAL POSSESION - Hadrians wall was a symbol of power, not initially defensive as the gates were weak points and at the first sign of trouble their tactic was to win victory in open battle.
