The Flavian Dynasty : Domitian

Imperator Caesar Domitianus Augustus 81 – 96 AD

Born: 24th October 51 AD at Rome
Date of Accession: 14th September 81 AD
Died: Murdered, 18th September 96 AD – Rome

Governors of Britannia during his reign:

Gnaeus Iulius Agricola 81 – 83 AD
Sallustius Lucullus (*) 83 – 89 AD
Unknown 89 – 96 AD
Publius Metilius Nepos(*) 96 AD

* : Probable

Domitian has had a bad write up in history, principally as he failed to appease Senatorial pretensions of power sharing, and ultimately - in fits of paranoia - instructed several murderous “terrors”. Most Roman historians came from the senatorial class such as Tacitus so these are not impartial sources.

Domitian acceded to power the day following his brother’s death, scurrilous rumours put about much later suggested he poisoned or attempted to speed along his death but there is probably no truth in it.
He reigned for fifteen years, longer than his father and elder brother combined so had plenty of time to make mistakes which could be recorded for posterity, a fate his brother did not share.

Suetonius recorded that he at first “administered justice scrupulously and conscientiously” but his regression into the role of despot and tyrant seems to have spiralled out of a sense of personal inadequacy – his father had never given him the posts like his brother that would help train him up for the big job.

Domitian

He maintained Agricola – a proven friend of the Flavian dynasty – in the role of governor of Britain. The jury is still out as to whether he ordered the continuation of northwards expansion in Britain as Domitian immediately gathered troops from all corners – including the British garrison - for service in his planned Chatti campaign in Germania in 82 AD.

This campaign was mocked by later Senatorial critics as a parody however archaeology shows the Agri Decumante frontier of his father was considerably improved and further flattened between Koblenz and Eining, effectively linking the Rhine and Danube frontiers.

Agricola however in 82 AD campaigned north of the Forth Clyde line “enveloping the tribes” in a harrying campaign aimed to force Caledonian resolve one way or the other. His eulogist – and in this respect apologist – the Senator (and son in law) Tacitus makes the unlikely claim that he did this to counter threatening tribal movements to the north. The chance exists that Agricola, who by now realised his extraordinary lengthy governorship was in its last phase sought glory in northern Scotland, the last remaining unconquered land in Britain.

It is however difficult at this time to see the Emperor sitting back and allowing such Governor inspired military initiatives to proceed unchecked. The Emperor decided Imperial policy, the Governor implemented this.

In all likelihood the probability is that Agricola secured Imperial mandate for the venture but that the spectacular reverses suffered to Caledonian action in 82 AD cooled the Emperors ardour for this Scottish campaign, particularly as his own German campaign appears to have got off to a similarly rocky start.

Agricola renewed hostilities with the tribes above the Forth in 83 AD, using his fleet to harry northern coasts and sting the tribes into retaliatory action. He caught up with them when they mustered at Mons Graupius – located at Dunning in Strathearn. The resultant Roman victory earned Agricola Triumphal Ornamenta.

Agricola was replaced as governor at the end of the year by Sallustius Lucullus and the act of consolidating Rome’s hold over the lands Agricola campaigned and fought over fell to him, as well as seeking the submission from the northern tribes beyond the Mounth.

Forts in Strathearn, Perthshire and Angus, including the legionary fortress at Inchtuthil - named “Victoria” in celebration of the victory the preceding year - were all put in hand by Lucullus.
Further, the Roman road network was extended north from Strathallan and a network of signal towers placed along it to provide ready communications north – south, again all under Lucullus.

Domitian’s early reign however, in marked contrast to his fathers policy of focussing the Empires military muscle where possible in conflict in only one location at a time was marked by near continual unrest and military misadventure, particularly on the Danube frontier.

After the loss of a legion to Dacian aggression in 87 AD and Saturninus revolt of the same year manpower shortages became critical. The II Adiutrix legion had been seconded from the British garrison (its base was at Chester) for service on the continent in 86 AD and it is probably at this point (87 AD) that it became certain the move was to remain a permanent one.

It is probable that a matching contingent of auxiliaries from the British garrison had accompanied the IInd legion and would not return either. Overstretch invited rationalisation and numismatic evidence suggests that work on the near complete fortress at Inchtuthil was abandoned and the garrison - the XX Valeria Victrix – marched south to take up garrison duty at the IInds old base at Chester around 87 AD.

Rebuilding work at Cargill fort near Inchtuthil suggests the main line of auxiliary posts may have soldiered on without the Inchtuthil lynch pin for a short period afterwards, but by about 90 AD Roman retrenchment had slipped south past not only the Tay but the Earn.

Rebuilding at Loudoun Hill suggests a short lived attempt by the British garrison under an unknown Governor to stave off the corrosive retrenchment and hold a southern line - probably between Irvine, Castledykes and Elginhaugh (or perhaps Inveresk) - in the early 90`s.
They must however have felt abandoned by Domitian who, attempting to emulate his father consolidated his forces for the Pannonian wars against Germans and Sarmatians, apparently ignoring the Roman plight in Scotland.

The pressure on the retreat however stepped up, with a new generation of Caledonians eager for revenge and southern Scottish tribes left increasingly to their own devices and actively seeking retribution. By the time of Domitian’s murder in 96 AD only powerful bases at Dalswinton and Newstead in the south of Scotland remained.

Tacitus writing at this time laments that Scotland – his father in laws conquests – was “conquered then immediately forgotten”.

Dalswinton and Newstead went up in flames soon after.

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