Mons Graupius Identified
The Plain
Tacitus tells us that between the foot of the hill and the marching camp lay a plain and it was across this relatively smooth area that the Caledonian chariots engaged the Romans as they deployed and started to advance.
Clearly this plain had to be fairly level and sufficiently free of obstructions to allow the passage of wheeled vehicles. It is only as the Romans start climbing the higher more difficult ground of the hill that we are told the unevenness of the ground affected the progress of their cavalry on the wings of the infantry line.
Tacitus makes no mention of the Romans being divided from the Caledonians by a noteworthy watercourse, something he will have done if it materially affected the manner in which the battle developed.
Watercourses are common features near and around Scottish hills and in general either run down the slope or run across its foot. Hills and the ground at their base not affected by watercourses like this are rare and this is a point of particular interest in the viability of contending sites.
The Land Beyond
Tacitus account also mentions the difficult nature of the terrain behind the Caledonian position across which they withdrew, and in some instances, turned on their pursuers to good effect.
The position of woods can change dramatically over the intervening centuries however the inference is of very broken and difficult ground, with limited line of sight which required the Romans to adopt a huntsman’s approach to flush out any Caledonians seeking shelter there or waiting in ambush.
This is a classic description of wooded uplands and is also a compelling feature of the landscape to help our search. The trees however may be long gone though.
Contact with the Fleet
After the battle, Agricola withdrew -“deducit” - the army to a location where he made contact with the fleet. He will have done this on the day following the battle as local water supplies will have become unavoidably fouled.
In marching to the sea, Tacitus does not suggest it was a great journey, a day or two at the most is the implication. During this march Agricola will have been burdened with both his own wounded as well as any prisoners taken.
The point of contact with the fleet would be a sheltered anchorage if this was the location where the entire fleet was stationed – Trucculensis Portus (Wilderness Haven) - or a navigable waterway cruised by small vessels detached from the main fleet and tasked with maintaining links with the Governor and the land forces.
Tacitus makes it clear that the fleet was busily engaged harassing the northern tribes, ranging up and down the east and probably also the west coasts. Either Agricola knew in advance where the fleet was using as a night-time anchorage or he relied on making contact with the small vessels patrolling estuaries.
©2009 Roman Scotland. All Rights Reserved
First Published February 2009
