[Teaser] Roman Invasion of Scotland episode 1

Here's a draft of the script for our upcoming multi-part series on the Roman invasion of Scotland. Enjoy!

Intro

The Romans had first set foot upon the isle of Britannia with Caesar’s expeditions in 55 and 54 BC. Yet it would be almost a century before Emperor Claudius launched a proper invasion to conquer southern England and Wales. The Britons would resist them staunchly over the years with raids, pitched battles, and full scale revolts. Ultimately however, they would find themselves crushed by the weight of the inexorable legions. Unsated by this conquest, the Romans now sought new foes in yet uncharted regions, pushing the bounds of the Empire to its most northern extent in history. Today let us bring to life Agricola’s famous invasion of ancient Scotland.

Rome and Britannia

For context, it is worth briefly summarizing the political landscape of ancient Britain. Celtic culture had arrived in Britain around the 2nd millennium BC, and gradually spread to become the dominant culture across what is now England, Wales, and Scotland. The Britons were divided into several tribes, such as Iceni and Brigantes, who regularly competed with one another for supremacy over the span of centuries. By the time our story takes place the Romans had been fighting in Britain for four decades. The famous Roman conquest of Britain began in 43 AD under the emperor Claudius, who ordered a campaign against hostile tribes in the south under the pretext of protecting Rome’s allies and trade interests in the region. Over the following years, the Romans steadily ground their way through any tribe that opposed them, creating the province of Britannia. However, they faced stern resistance across their many campaigns, and in 60 AD all of their efforts came under serious threat when a large uprising broke out led by Boudicca, queen of the Iceni. The Briton rebels caused significant damage throughout the province, razing its three key settlements to the ground, but were quickly and bloodily brought to heel by the Roman general Suetonius Paulinus. Nevertheless, Boudicca’s rebellion had caused considerable damage across Roman Britain, and it would take time to rebuild. In the meanwhile, the empire continued to face resistance from unconquered tribes to the north. Nevertheless, a succession of governors were able to continue Roman expansion and consolidate what gains had been made over the years, while also continuing the steady process of Romanization in the province; however, in 77 AD these efforts were about to be redoubled by a new, more energetic general.

Who Was Agricola?

Britain’s new governor was Gnaeus Julius Agricola, a man who had already made a name for himself in the province long before his appointment. Agricola hailed from a politically well-connected family of senatorial background, with both his mother’s and father’s side having a distinguished history. He is traditionally said to have been born in the old Roman colony of Forum Julii in Gaul in 40 AD, however some more recent scholarship has argued that he was actually born in Rome itself. Nevertheless, it is clear that Agricola’s formative years at least were spent in Gaul, though we unfortunately know very little about this early stage of his life. According to the Roman historian Tacitus, who notably was also his son-in-law, Agricola showed an early interest in philosophy while studying at Massilia, reportedly pursuing it with such enthusiasm that his mother felt it necessary to restrain his studies out of fear it would impede the rest of his career.

Agricola formally began his career in public life in 58 AD, at the age of eighteen, by following the traditional Roman path of serving as a military Tribune. He was appointed to one of the four Legions stationed in Britain, and served under the famous governor Suetonius Paulinus. He thus likely saw action during the Roman assault on the island of Mona in 60 AD, where Paulinus defeated the ancient Druids. However, news of the uprising of Boudicca forced the Romans to divert their forces back to the south before they could properly consolidate their gains, allowing Mona to eventually fall back into the hands of the Britons. Agricola would have then been present at the final battle against Boudicca which saw her rebellion crushed, as well as during Paulinus’ brutal reprisals against the Britons who had backed the insurgency. Agricola returned to Rome in 62 AD, continuing his political career and also marrying his wife Domitia Decidiana. He then served as a Quaestor in the province of Asia in 64 AD, a Tribune of the Plebs in Rome in 66 AD, and finally a Praetor in 68 AD. Agricola was then swept up into the tumultuous Year of the Four Emperors in 69 AD, which saw a succession of Roman generals compete for control of the Imperial purple following the death of Nero, during which his mother was tragically killed by Roman sailors loyal to the usurper Otho.

Agricola decided to back the general Vespasian in his bid for the throne, a choice which proved to be well timed, as Vespasian’s forces were able to secure Rome for him by the end of the year. Perhaps as a reward for this show of loyalty, Vespasian supported Agricola’s political and military advancement by appointing him as the Legate of the Legio XX Valeria Victrix around 70 AD, which saw Agricola return to Britain, where his career had begun. Agricola served with distinction there, reimposing discipline on his Legion, which had grown lax over the past months of civil war and a recent mutiny, then leading it on campaigns against hostile tribes to the north alongside the governor Quintus Petillius Cerealis. Agricola remained in Britain until 73 AD, when he returned to Rome and was made governor of Gallia Aquitania. Three years later he was recalled to Rome and made a Suffect Consul to replace the previous Consul, who had recently died of natural causes. Yet the peak of Agricola’s career was just approaching, for in 77 AD Vespasian decided to appoint him as Britain’s next governor, probably inspired by Agricola’s loyalty to his regime as well as his extensive experience in the region.