Mons Graupius Contender: Peterculter
Introduction
Roman Scotland identified Newmillhill at the edge of Peterculter in Aberdeenshire - and located opposite the large Roman marching camp of Normandykes – as a contender in 2008.
Crawford had dismissed the site while promoting Kempstone Hill in 1949 on account of the fact that the River Dee lay behind the marching camp.
The River Dee is indeed a formidable obstacle here, and while this does not automatically rule the site out, the exposed position it will have placed the Romans in prior to an action is something we would naturally have expected Tacitus to have mentioned.
Notwithstanding this, the relationship of Normandykes across a low valley to Newmillhill is salutary, the camp and hill squaring up to each other like metaphorical prize fighters in a most convincing manner.
Also, with warfare in this era being an up close and personal affair, there is no need as suggested elsewhere for the Roman camp and the Caledonians position on the hill to be far removed from each other.
Legionaries, left deployed in front of the marching camp here are ideally located to come to the auxiliaries aid on Newmillhill if required, as the activities taking place there are clearly observable from Normandykes.
Yet further interest attaches to the size of the marching camp, its capacity close to holding the size of force we have calculated Agricola fielded at Mons Graupius.
A: Campaigning
Is the site located in an area of known Flavian campaigning?
Yes
Is the Flavian activity in the area likely to be Agricolan?
No, the circa 30 acre string of camps arcing through Aberdeenshire to Moray do not hold sufficient capacity and post date 82 and 83 AD.
B: Marching Camps
Is there a marching camp in the vicinity of the site?
Yes, Normandykes.
Is the marching camp located close to the site?
Yes, adjacent.
Does the marching camps position and orientation "address" the site?
Yes, notably well.
Does the marching camp display Flavian characteristics?
No, it displays late Roman marching camp morphology.
Is the size of the marching camp reasonably close to the 117 acre criteria required to accommodate 26,000 men?
Close, at 106.5 acres it can accommodate 23,600 men.
C: Site topography
Is the site of an appropriate size to accommodate the forces engaged?
No, a Caledonian position between Woodside and the Gormack Burn centred on Newmillhill has a frontage of only 2 km.
Does the critical area of the engagement include terrain or features which are specifically inconsistent with Tacitus account?
No
Does the site have a "plain" at the foot of the hill suitable for the recorded chariot action?
Yes
Is the hill of an appropriate gradient for:
- The Caledonians to be marshalled and advance down and around? Yes, ideal.
- A realistic Roman assault up? As above.
Does the countryside behind the Caledonian position have terrain consistent with the actions recorded in the immediate aftermath of the battle?
No, the landscape behind is a fairly flat lowland one.
Can reasonably ready access to the fleet (approx a day or twos march) be achieved from the sites location?
Yes, either at Aberdeen or Stonehaven.
Is the likely point of contact with the fleet consistent with the broad strategy and location of the Roman fleet on the east coast?
Yes
Can the "Boresti" be identified locally?
No
Are there known marching camps which hint at Agricola’s movements after leaving the site of battle?
No
Is the sites location consistent with the position chosen the following year for the siting of the legionary fortress of Inchtuthil?
No, siting Inchtuthil so far to the south of the scene of victory on the field does not sit convincingly.
D: The Sites Name
Is there evidence in the locality for names from which Mons "Graupius" could be derived?
No
Summary
At 11 appropriate answers out of a possible 19, the site achieves a rating of "interesting".
Clearly the camp displays late Roman marching camp morphology, and while the nature of the site it sits upon could be used to explain the proportions adopted in-extremis, the recognisable group of camps carrying on north in similar proportion and size appears to suggest that this was not the terminal point of the northward thrust of the expedition that bivouacked at Peterculter (as Tacitus suggests it was for Agricola’s force).
Also, we could be forgiven for wondering why the Caledonians themselves did not occupy the ground on which Normandykes sits and defend the crossing of the River Dee?
Notwithstanding this, Peterculter is an interesting site that repays a visit.
If Mons Graupius did not take place here, then like Tillymorgan we ask ourselves; what did?
NEXT PAGE: The Contenders: Stormontfield
©2009 Roman Scotland. All Rights Reserved
First Published February 2009
