Roman Britain / by R.G. Collingwood.

  • R. G. Collingwood
Date:
1924
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Roman Britain / by R.G. Collingwood. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    for about 155 there was a general rising of the tribes in the Low¬ lands and the north of England, and it seems that most of the Roman forts were destroyed. Certainly the turf wall and its forts were lost, and when three years later the governor Julius Verus repaired the damage he had to rebuild forts not only on both walls and between them but as far south as Derbyshire. The same thing happened on an even larger scale in the year 181. Both walls were destroyed, and not only were the buildings of almost all the Roman forts in Scotland and the north of England burnt, but even their walls were deliberately thrown dowrn. This again was not a mere invasion; it was not wholly the work of foreign enemies. Foreign tribes were concerned in it, but essenti¬ ally it was a general rising of natives behind the Roman frontiers rather than a successful assault on those frontiers from outside. A great part of Britain was overrun by the insurgents, and the governor himself appears to have fallen in battle; but the south and south-east were probably not affected. In the north the disaster was complete, and it was many years before the Roman frontier system was set on its feet again. The legions at York and Chester in the meantime seem to have held their ground, and about 195 we find forts in Yorkshire being rebuilt, which seems to be the first symptom of a recovery. For the third time Britain was visited by an Emperor. Severus came over in 208 and undertook a series of great campaigns in Scotland. Returning to the policy of Agricola he designed a complete conquest, and disembarking his forces at Cramond close to Edinburgh he pressed northward through Stirling and Perth as vigorously as Agricola himself. The difficulties of the campaign, especially in the swamps of the Forth, were immense, and Severus, unlike Agricola, had not the satisfaction of bringing the Caledonians to battle ; for they re¬ fused to fight and merely harassed his march, cut off stragglers, and raided his communications. Severus, a man of indomitable will, pushed forward to Aberdeen and beyond; but his health broke
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