Why Rome Couldn't Conquer Scotland | The Roman Conquest Of Britain (Part 4)

[@jefferyansani1923]

I'm about to start watching and I can't say enough about how much these videos have helped me cope during these difficult times. I know it's a labor of love but it means a lot to me as a disabled older person. Thank you.

[@Special_Observations_89]

I am a non disabled young person and you are correct, these are difficult times. What can we learn from the Romans?

[@jefferyansani1923]

@@Special_Observations_89 I've listened to a 36 part series of 2 hour videos on the history of Rome 3 times. We could learn something about actually investing in our people, for one. But it's the same old story, men thirst for wealth and power so they can get the girl, or whover. I think in The States we can learn more useful lessons by studying mid 20th Century Europe and Rwanda in 1993-94. Paticularly the role that media played in the devastation that occured in Rwanda.

[@ltw6888]

@@jefferyansani1923we’re still in the Roman Empire. Even Rwanda’s been affected.

[@richardjohnson6331]

God bless you Jeffery. I may never know you, but we bond through these videos. Good to know there are so many out there like us who love this kind of stuff and find that thinking about it and sharing about it helps us through life.

[@nickstone3113]

God bless. Me too

[@anvilbrunner.2013]

The Midges rule Scotland. Always have always will. No man has, can nor ever will defeat the temerous wee beastie. Midges defeated Rome.

[@neilcampbell2222]

And if there are no humans to eat the midges will survive on haggis. You will never be able to cull sufficient haggis (haggi?) to starve the midges to extinction

[@DonaldjohnMacInnes]

@@neilcampbell2222Hagges; I had a classical education.

[@redpilledpict2747]

Unfortunately midges used to drive me mad,especially cutting peat. Did not seem to effect people as much as me. They used to drive me crazy. They must like my blood !

[@irene3196]

@@DonaldjohnMacInnes You are both wrong. It is Haggii.

[@henrydale8783]

I thought that Haggii only eat midges...i may be wrong however as I have never eaten midges.. .

[@bennyk3799]

I love how Dominic just let's Tom talk, and then just asks the most insightful follow up question.... As much as loved the Custer series... This one is up there with it...

[@alangray6961]

The Custer series was excellent. I also really enjoyed the Fall of the Aztecs Series they did fairly recently.

[@davemcdave2169]

Not much has changed in Cumbernauld since the Romans left. The other week, when the Northern Lights were on display, folk were out sacrificing their pets and shouting at the moon. I miss the Romans.

[@jimmilne882]

As a Scot myself, the Romans probably got bored shitless being asked whether they supported the 'Gers or the 'Tic.

[@johncarroll772]

It's pretty obvious who Italian immigrants would support in Scotland 😉

[@Parker_Douglas]

@@johncarroll772 don’t generalise. I’m Scottish with Italian roots in my family & I’m rangers .

[@johncarroll772]

Parker Douglas you Gattuso traitor

[@ste2442]

@@Parker_Douglaswas in the army with Glasgow lad with an Italian name who was a massive Gers fan

[@stevenmclaren2730]

As a dafty.....

[@monkeywritingshakespeare9744]

You guys are pure champions.

[@matthewhansen2126]

My wife and I have been clambering up and down along Hadrian’s wall all morning so this is perfect

[@mikeyoung9810]

I would love to see that wall.

[@largesatsuma]

They're hard fighters in Scotland. If you live in a country where the thistles are waist high and nobody's invented trousers you're going to toughen up a bit aren't you.

[@GoBlueGirl78]

😂

[@Hesthedaddy]

😂

[@alicemilne1444]

Another misconception. We know that the Picts wore trousers because that is set in stone (look up the Pictish carvings).

[@S7Vmv]

@@alicemilne1444stone is impossible to carbon date, those carvings could have been done last week

[@stevenmclaren2730]

​@@S7Vmvyou can carbon date when they were set in the earth.

[@happyone2324]

Love when you all read the excerpts using voices. It adds so much life to the story. Please never stop. 🌟

[@alicemilne1444]

I disagree. Reading something in bad fake accents and making stereotypical mocking comments is completely unprofessional. It spoilt what was otherwise an interesting account.

[@badcarlos551]

Fascinating. So much of this account resonates with events we see today. It's true: wherever there is power, there is resistance.

[@buddyschreizerden3611]

Glad I found this podcast. Excellent themes, engaging storytelling and impressive depth of scholarship in a perfect episode length!

[@deedeemegadoodoo70]

You guys are simply the BEST. 👏

[@LeonieMart]

Brilliant! Thankyou Tom and Dominic. A feast of rich history!

[@BernardoTorres-w5e]

I have watched many of the history channels on KZbin and yours is the most serious of them all and the one I most enjoy .

[@artanguxho3532]

thank you very much, indeed .... it is great to spent free time qualitatively and enjoy your podcast

[@Victoria-wd6kr]

I had to look up "simulacrum" 🤣so I am learning vocabulary as well as history. Brilliant series, thanks guys ❤

[@johnstuart7244]

I like the moon-shot analogy. A bit like the why climb Everest question to George Mallory. Because its there.

[@ethanstrong]

I’d just like to say, this podcast could be next level with the display of images, source writings, maps, aerial imagery, modern photos etc. (as needed) Nonetheless, awesome podcast

[@ulietudie]

More MORE Please!!! Love these accounts stories and how you both tell it!! ❤❤❤❤❤

[@CalledTurnAGundam]

“The problem with Scotland… is that it’s full of Picts!” -Julius “Longshanks” Caesar

[@Ammeeeeeeer]

So in that movie, a Pictish chieftain played by Mel Gibson in a crappy wig has an affair with Octavian Caesar's wife 🤣

[@Hrossey]

“Wits wae aww these illegal German immigrants flying a Turkish flag like 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿? Who’s #latin them aww in?” - Rab C Nesbitine, 1690 AD.

[@eshaibraheem4218]

​@Hrossey Why, hello Rab!

[@redpilledpict2747]

According to my DNA i am a of the Celtic branch which they said was most likely Pict. Some of us are still here !

[@peterrobinson8588]

Occurs to me that Caledonia may well have been pretty much one big forest at this time, long before the widespread destruction of the original forest for sheep racing on the hills.

[@rossstewart9475]

In parts, this is likely true: At least everything northwest of Perthshire. Rome eventually retreated and built it's walls, but it it's greatest reach they extended all the way up the east coast of modern Scotland, and as far north as Inverness.

[@wzywg]

I'm a Kiwi of Cameron descent. My Kiwi ancestors were tough, but their Scottish ancestors even more so. Ewen Cameron of Lochiel famously tore out an English officer's windpipe with his teeth in unarmed combat, describing it as "'the sweetest bite ever he had". It also gives you an idea how bad haggis is.

[@brettmeikle]

You, bro, have clearly never tasted a great chieftain o' the puddin' race!

[@jasamkrafen]

Cameron here too. From Alaska. We have a pipe band up here, so don’t worry, there are still some tough ones left!

[@SlowLane-pv3nf]

​@@jasamkrafenIs it a windpipe band?😜

[@jasamkrafen]

@@SlowLane-pv3nf very funny

[@daveboxg3926]

Only people who have not eaten haggis would say that

[@Wee_Langside]

Ardoch Roman Fort is worth a visit. The ramparts are well preserved and there are the remains of at least three camps.

[@yeahnaaa292]

I conquered Scotland. The Scots love me. My Scotland Rallies are the best & biggest!

[@williamf4544]

Well you never conquered me

[@DonaldjohnMacInnes]

@@yeahnaaa292 I got the best words.

[@tomsmith3269]

thank you guys! amazing

[@tartanbessy436]

Living in the Scottish Borders im surrounded by lots of amazing history, im very lucky that i can be at a Romsn road in ten minutes, a Roman fort in 20 and the museum in Melrose is great.

[@MarkMeier-v2p]

As often happens, I mashed the like button ten seconds into Dominic’s theatrical opening.

[@richardcutt727]

I often wonder if Tacitus turned a minor skirmish into a major battle. I find it hard to believe that there were 40,000 Caledonians running about with swords and chariots on the slopes of Ben Achie in 84 AD. Its hard to run a Defender 110 over that ground let alone a chariot. Great discussion. Interesting that the Jewish and Boudiccan revolts started in the same year.

[@Hrossey]

Couple a jars of nectar, that’s Irn Bru and you’ll be flying about that mountain never mind driving a poor man’s Range Rover ❤ Ask Red Bull if it gives us wings Ken like haha x

[@graemecampbell2604]

Is there any evidence at all that Mons Graupius happened. I feel a lot is made out of an account written by the son in law.

[@LlywelynapGruffydd]

The Welsh tribes are always ignored. I believe the Welsh are hated by most historians. They just ignore Welsh history.

[@johnpurcell7525]

Do like the Irish Write your own history where you are most wonderful country in World and everyone loves you except a few other Irish

[@RobbyHouseIV]

*OH MY GOD!* You're the guy that wrote Rubicon!!! You are him or he!!! You are that Tom Holland! I got your book back in the mid-2000s as a gift from someone who knew I was a history nut with a special affinity for the Roman Empire, it's one of the few books that I literally read cover to cover! Wow! I never would have figured that one out until just now listening to a reference made by either you or the other fellow whose name I can't quite remember. Sorry I'm kind of new to the podcast but have become an avid listener on KZbin the past few weeks. Anyway, thanks for writing that book. It's an amazing read!

[@karalynemccormack5812]

Thanks for uploading. I enjoyed that. I've just subscribed , so I look forward to watching more.

[@Mr19411979]

This was brilliant. I can`t believe the Romans made it so far North. It really was a remarkable achievement. I only recently found out that the Romans made it to MussellBurgh and founded the original fishing village in East Lothian, which is now a famous Scottish town. - We were always brought up on the false understanding that the Romans never really penetrated Scotland , and that Hadrians wall was the cut off point. Beyond that there were only small forts at best. It's utterly fascinating and breaks my heart .

[@stephenparry6811]

Made it as far north as the grampians much further north than Musselburgh... many remains of roman csmps/forts in the north east... more than likely over extended themselves & their line of supply

[@YautjaPrime-gw1on]

The Antonine wall was probably the last wall they built, not as grand as Hadrian's naturally but as it stretched all the way from West to East between what is now Glasgow to Edinburgh they must've had a good reason for it. However it doesn't really get as much of a mention in the history books which is why most people in Scotland believe that Hadrian's wall was a cut off point in those days.

[@bkohatl]

The Romans applied cost/benefit analysis, Wales had tin, gold and copper, England had lead, iron, copper, gold, silver and pearls. There was no easily accessible resource from Scotland. Hardscrapple farmers and shepherds could not produce huge surpluses like Egypt, France and the Po Valley. Would you fight a guerilla war to win almost nothing in return?

[@bob_the_bomb4508]

You’re forgetting the potential for olive oil exports - the markets of Hibernia would always need the means to deep-fry food :)

[@2msvalkyrie529]

Haggis...??

[@GoBlueGirl78]

@@2msvalkyrie529The Roman mind couldn’t comprehend the fortune that wild haggis would have earned them.

[@KeithWilliamMacHendry]

England didn't exist when the Romans were in Britain, ya fanny! The Angles/Saxons were still Germans living in Germania & the island of Britain was Celtic. Steamer!

[@KeithWilliamMacHendry]

@@GoBlueGirl78 Since it was the Romans who introduced what is now called haggis, the free range wild haggi must have been imported from Rome itself.

[@faescotland4174]

This was really well done, I'm impressed. I would definitely like to hear more of your take on Roman Britain and particularly scotland. Severus' wholesale slaughter maybe the most brutal? And indeed, for very little gain except some kind of prestige, why such investment from Rome. The Scottish accent could do with a bit of polish mind you.

[@MichaelLaFrance1]

The Romans built a network of towns and cities that were each specialized to a particular need of the economy. They were cogs in the wheel of the economy as a whole. When the Romans left, and the cogs were disconnected from the machine, they failed quickly. They depended on their connection to the Roman economy and could not exist on their own when disconnected.

[@RobertPaterson]

This is an area of history that I am deeply involved with - THANK you both so much for this comprehensive and enlightened piece.

[@chrisk9613]

Wow! Didn't know you guys do live streams. I've always just listened to the podcast. (I'm also a premium member 😁Will be seeing you two live in November in Los Angeles!)

[@jorge9285]

50:54 it's also worth mentioning that at the time of writing (98AD) Domitian has been assassinated and a new dynasty has begun. When an emperor is assassinated, whoever ends up on the throne, if they are not a close relative of the assassinated emperor they have to endorse the assassination in order to justify their rule. They do this by damning their memory and not formally deifying them which was a norm for deceased emperors. So Tacitus, who is deeply entrenched in Roman political life during the dynasty that followed Domitian is just doing his job as an obedient propagandist when he criticises Domitian.

[@johnpurcell7525]

Voice from future 2024 Scottish Woman's son elected Leader of most powerful country on earth you don't even know exists

[@richardcutt727]

Excellent. I loved the Glaswegian (weegie) accent too.

[@peteratkinson1492]

Artificial in the way that a Mc Donald’s in an American camp in Afghanistan is artificial.” You have an amazing ability to bring history to life…

[@johnpurcell7525]

Whazzat

[@temmellese6730]

Interesting perspective of truth and blindness in Tacitus understanding of imperialism.

[@charlescawley9923]

You really are good at this stuff.

[@damienconnor2370]

Thank you. I visited Hard Knott fort last year and would recommend it, especially as part of a ramble. Then you appreciate it in full context

[@judithparker4608]

Thankyou, very intimately understood history

[@garymacdonald7165]

If any of you smart arses think the Romans couldnt be bothered conquering Scotland,just remember they wouldnt have built the Antonine wall,but stayed at Hadrians!

[@markberesford7107]

i have come across this channel, and i love the format, clearly similar to the various political duo discussion formats that are on youtube.. and really makes sense and for those who like the format but need a break from current politics it is refreshing. My question i would ask the channel to consider is what audience you are after? i love the format because of the move from the present political chat, but sometimes find the content a bit too detailed and overwhelming for my limited knowledge of these historical subject. Not a criticism as the presenters are engaging and clearly passionate and knowledgeable.

[@Scotsman1969]

What’s the Shrek impersonation about at the beginning?

[@saltmerchant749]

"A unitary Britain with access to continental markets is going to boom". Romans, Romano-Britains and cooperating Britons understood this simple concept in antiquity, but by 2016, British understanding of simple concepts had declined such that this fact was no longer widely known.

[@garymacdonald7165]

The Scots just battered the Romans with their golf clubs! No contest!

[@TransoceanicOutreach]

Scotland didnt exist in roman times, as the scots were in ireland.

[@keegan773]

They had a good look and said “Nah”.

[@buidseach]

North of the wall the accent would have been Old Welsh, The Scot's accent came from old Northumbrian English lol.

[@rossstewart9475]

The other way around: Both old northumbrian and modern lowland scots share their germanic roots.

[@dilladinbutler5811]

I finally made it to one of these!!!

[@rossmcfarlane6687]

Almost 200 years later, the roman emperor himself leads one of the largest marching armies in roman history north. Why?

[@HughSmith-r1g]

I would love to see a series on the Russian civil war as it is such an unrepresented part of European history.

[@colincampbell4261]

Romans didn't like the midgies.

[@liam_fulton]

Right, enough. both bloody brilliant

[@trevorclarey3336]

Romans went to Scotland but there was nowhere to park.

[@dereklamb2552]

Because of the Midge

[@ktom5262]

Why did the Romans it was necessary to build the Hadrian's wall? Were they so afraid of the Northern shepherds and peasants?

[@Parker_Douglas]

My thoughts exactly English people can mock all they like saying things like Scotland wasn’t worth invading just because the romans took the south what utter rubbish if the Picts were no threat they wouldn’t have built the wall . Those Picts & Gaels latter uniting creating Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@dianastevenson131]

Some historians think it was a symbolic boundary of the limit of empire rather than anything else.

[@danielferguson3784]

The so called speech of Calgacus, leader of the northern Britons before the Mons Graupius battle, was nothing of the sort. It is no more than a forensic exercise by Tacitus, imagining the situation faced by the Britons, the sort of exercise the Roman upper classes were trained in from childhood. This presents the Britons as brave & noble opponents. His criticism is of the Roman Senate, subservient to tyrants like Domitian. He is pointing out the great victory of Agricola scored by this battle, with very little spilling of Roman citizen blood; though of course this is a bit disingenuous as it discounts Auxiliary losses who were not citizens. Tacitus felt that Agricola had been ill used by Domitian in being retired with little acclaim, in order to not outshine the Emperor. Tacitus says that Domitian then negated the achievement of Agricola by almost immediately having the army retreat to the south, giving up most of the lands taken by Agricola. In the long run the Highlands were to be too difficult for the Romans to hold, not because they couldn't be conquered, but that the continued cost in manpower etc to hold onto them was just not worth it, as there were few benefits to be gained. It was probably seen as sufficient to control the north by long range patrolling from a strong series of defence works to the south. Ultimately this became settled on the Hadrianic Wall line. A brilliant series. Thank you.

[@kaloarepo288]

Neil Oliver pronounced "Calgacus" differently -with the accent on the middle syllable

[@GordonHouston-Smith]

I understand that the first wall the Romans built got nicked by the Jocks. It is said that one can still purchase the stone in the G51 area.

[@janetmackinnon3411]

The many references to "the Lowlands" are confusing, since this is a term which normally covers tScotland south of the Great Glen. And the term""Britons" sems to cover both Britons and Picts, without distinction although these were two different peoples.

[@yewtube3503]

South of the highland boundary fault,not the great glen.

[@georgegebbie8431]

Hmm, I sense some 'British' coloured specs at use here. Britannia was never a province that included Caledonia. Britannia is Britannia it doesn't include Caledonia any more than Gaul included Hispania. Don't be so 'English' chaps! Just accept that fact that the Southerners got conquered and the Caledonians didn''t. Recent aerial surveys of Roman military structures in Scotland have shown that the Romans by area used something like 3 times the number of them that they used anywhere else in their Empire. Doesn't seem to be much of a 'conquest'. Also, if you are withdrawing troops you pick the ones least necessary in their current deployment. In other words, the Britons of what is now England were broken and bowed by Rome but you don't pull out troops from there? Seriously? Pulling out from one legionary fortress in Caledonia means you get to hold what you already have and can defend i.e. what's now England and Wales (against Caledonians perhaps?) whilst conceding what you do not and cannot hope to hold in Caledonia. Brave Caledonia! Dear are thy mountains! Meanwhile England thy beauties are tame and domestic; seems to just about sum the situation up don't you think? 😎

[@alicemilne1444]

An interesting take on that period of history. However, it was marred for me by several things: The fake Scottish accent when reading out the speech Tacitus put in Calgacus's mouth was both grating (a mangled mock-Scots-Irish mix) and linguistically anachronistic. Nobody knows exactly what the Pictish language was like, but the people certainly wouldn't have sounded like that. The pronunciation of Roman names was all over the place. Either stick to the Anglicised versions or use the original Latin pronunciation, but don't mix the two. The Batavians were not "Germans". That gives an entirely wrong impression of where they came from. They came from around the Rhine delta in what is now the southwest Netherlands. If at all, they could be called Germanic, but not German. These two adjectives are commonly mixed up. If you've been to Inchtuthil you should know that it is not pronounced "Inch-tut-hill". The correct Scottish pronunciation is more like "Inch-tooth-ull". Finally, I was disappointed that two presumably serious historians would stoop to petty stereotypical comments like those about midges and "orange" hair.

[@yewtube3503]

Casual racism and cherry picking pathetic and offensive at the same.

[@unbabunga229]

Fun fact: Romans did conquer Scotland, but they wouldn’t stop talking about legal tender, so left and erased it from their records because of how annoying they were

[@mithrandirthegrey7644]

Idk, why were we in Afghanistan for 20 years for no reason?

[@unbabunga229]

@@mithrandirthegrey7644 umm, I don’t think you understood my comment 😅

[@ryanmcmullen5758]

@@mithrandirthegrey7644tradition!

[@mithrandirthegrey7644]

@@unbabunga229 I didn't but I fat-fingered my reply and pressed the wrong comment.

[@bob_the_bomb4508]

The Caledonians insisted on minting their own denarii…

[@christina-sandrasoorumaa8279]

Would love to see you guys do a video on Íñigo Arista/Umayyad caliphate of Cordovain or the Risorgimento!

[@stevo728822]

I get the impression Tacitus liked the British Isles.

[@F6blue]

The Romans didn't conquer Scotland because it didn't exist. The Scots were still in Dal Riada, their Irish homeland.

[@anthonymullen6300]

At last someone who knows history... modern Scots are such hypocrites, we all know what they done to the Highland Gaels. Original Scots are Irish.

[@tikaanipippin]

Kilt vs. the subligaculum. In battle, under the cold, wet skies of Scotland and the borders there's no comparison which is more comfortable, or quicker, whether it's a No.1 or No. 2, the Kilt wins!

[@jacobtracy7847]

Quote of a Pict who spoke Brythonic, in English, written by a Roman in Latin.

[@babscabs1987]

The real reason the Romans left was disgust, after a Caledonian deep fried a slice of pizza.

[@garyprice6504]

And the Caledonians had better kilts.

[@jemsnowdon]

😂❤ from Scotland

[@philmoore97]

"It was very Mel Gibson, in that... the accent was terrible"

[@yewtube3503]

Just read the comments disappointing to see so much racism and stereotyping on display but guess they follow yours. Uncouth indeed.

[@daigreatcoat44]

It's my belief that the Romans were repulsed by hordes of wild haggis.

[@batcollins3714]

They couldn't conquer Ireland either. The celts don't bow before kings. The English are conditioned to serve those who consider themselves as unelected royals. It continues to this day.

[@terminusest9083]

Both the scots and irish had our own kings until the normans arrived. Who promptly became our kings. Exactly when was this monarch free period? Eire is now a republic following the 20th century, but the north isn't and neither is alba.

[@j0nnyism]

A question that I’ve always wanted answered. An impression I never wanted to hear.

[@philipoakley5498]

Need to include the map (or link in description) that is behind the presenters on the video title page, that's never shown (as best I can see) during the discussion (Inchtuthill is only a short distance down stream from me, having just moved from adjacent to the Antonine wall)

[@carveraugustus3840]

Is that 4 legions plus auxiliaries? Christ That's so many troops on that island

[@matthewvoyles7031]

Caledonian Bear is a great name for a band

[@jamiesanchez8063]

The Gaelic Scots calling themselves Brythonic Caledonians is like Saxons calling themselves Welsh.

[@TheManGadoosh]

But no Gael does.

[@philipbrackpool-bk1bm]

The Romans were pragmatic they probably thought they had enough mountains and lakes already.

[@Andrew-hv2xx]

Absolutely love the show but I beg you not to do accent impressions again😅

[@sewgood568]

In fairness it was a bad impression of a bad impression. I couldn't decide if it was supposed to be Scottish, Irish or he had a sore throat 😉🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@Saunajallu]

It's a recurring feature with them. Usually to my regret

[@ropeburnsrussell]

Wait for Tom's Brando.

[@BenjaminNavillus]

Agreed. A profound and recurring weakness in an otherwise brilliant show/podcast. I always skip ahead.

[@karnas123]

LOL... Czechia/Bohemia which sits few hundreds kilometres north from Italy was ALSO never conquer by Romans even though they've also tried...and just like in Scotland case the Roman legion send in Bohemia/Czech never returned

[@JohnConnor-jh4xp]

As a scot it is important to point out, there was no scotland they could not conquer pictland they took the south and held ground upto the antoine wall and were the fought in aberdeenshire it was picts not caladons they were further north as above loch ness!

[@justjohnsmith7330]

The fearsome midgie chased the Romans out

[@ThomasOneill-ru6et]

They did conquer and left the north, like everyone. Great country too look at but a nightmare to live in. If it isn't raining it's about to and there is nothing there.

[@matthewashman1406]

It couldn't conquer Scotland because it didn't exist 😊

[@Parker_Douglas]

The landmass is still the same & the people who were different tribes the Gaels & the Picts united creating Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@Squarepeg57]

@@Parker_Douglasooft that is quite a stretch 😂

[@johnpurcell7525]

They were Italians Fried Mars Bars and Haggis with no wine to even wash it down You figure it out.

[@jamesMartinelli-x2t]

Why would they want to ? Trade glass beads or bad wine for meat on the hoof.

[@Parker_Douglas]

And yet today it’s Scotland with all the resources. We are a self sufficient nation regarding fuel meanwhile England enjoys Scottish electricity supply

[@subcitizen2012]

Interesting to me to hear about this sort of Roman inferiority complex, where in their time they were yearning for the heroic era perhaps 1000-2000 years prior where the men were "wild," and regarded their civilizing empire as perhaps effete or corrupting etc. Today, with some irony, there are similar appeals, but back to especially Romans and Roman times, an inferiority complex about empire and civilization itself. That we are effete and corrupt compared to the Romans. Something deep, strange, and a little sinister at times. Across the classical era there were barbarians in the frontiers and the domesticated civilized people behind walls tending fields etc. But this dynamic between the pastoralists and the agriculturalists goes way back as well into proto indo European times. Then the ebbs and flows of civilizing conquest (just as barbaric?) over barbarians, and then the integration and civilizing of the barbarian outsiders. Today, now that the world is more or less conquered by civilization, the barbarians are inside the walls with this resentment and inferiority complex, wanting to recapture the fabled past instead of embracing the realities of our time; yearning for collapse and fire on the fields. What utter nonsense. Be "real men" today, now, stand for what we have inherited and achieved, and march forward. Slitting proverbial throats and bathing in blood won't achieve anything, these aren't Roman times and these aren't heroic times. Man up and seize our day and uphold our values that it took millennia to forge. Equality, egality, fraternity; liberty, justice for ALL. Imagine in a thousand years whatever becomes of our descendants, what will they aspire and yearn for that we have today? Will they be right to do so? Or will they have their own worries and civilizational complexes that haunt them like the past?

[@richardgilbert5339]

Putting the dodgy Scottish accent aside, this has put to rest an often misguided belief that the Romans didn't venture very far from Hadrians Wall,and when they did they returned bloodied and with their tail between their legs. I was aware of the battle Mons Grampus which is believed by some to be Benachie in Aberdeenshire. There are remnants of a fort on top of a hill called the Mither Tap ,and it's the slopes of this hill where the battle took place.

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

"Why Rome Couldn't Conquer Scotland?" they ask. The Romans did. They totally did what they set out to do. Then they walked away.

[@paulkeenan8517]

Great work. Leave out the ‘Carry On’ accent… avoid offence. Etc., etc. Thanks 😊

[@commandermcnuggets1860]

Ach people need to stop getting offended over such trivial nonsense. Its a bit of fun. Its quite funny though you illustrate exactly what they were on about, how society has become soft haha.

[@RickPop85]

I stay in Lanarkshire there is roman roads and forts

[@johnanderson3412]

Not even a sniff of Serverus

[@richardhallyburton]

Want to know where Mons Graupius was? Here's a few clues: 1. Read the account carefully. Pay special attention to the order of events. 2. The 'fort' near Culloden isn't Roman. They didn't get quite that far. 3. 'Mons Graupius' actually translates as 'Lumpy Hills'. Pay attention to scale. Enjoy the search ;)

[@janethompson4019]

They could have, they just couldn't be bothered because it's freezing.

[@tommonk7651]

Simon Turney has recently released a historical fiction novel of Agricola....