The Troubled Century (Part 1)

Overview

The years 235 to 244 AD are notorious, generally considered to be the turning point in Imperial Rome’s history and are categorised as such in Gibbon’s antiquarian classic; “Decline and fall of the Roman Empire”.

Maximinus Thrax, a Thracian soldier from Moesia is notable as he is the first Emperor who came from humble origins. As such he typifies the tale of much of the 3rd C AD where control was endlessly wrestled from one Emperor by another would – be contender from within the Army. This is seen as a knee jerk reaction from within the military to the preceding Syrian dynasty which was considered at best weak, at worst degenerate.

However what is most intriguing about the early years of this period is that - in the main - the threats to Maximinius’s short reign came not from the military but from the Senate; the established Roman aristocracy railing against Maximinius on account of his low social origins.

Relations with Scotland

The chaos of these turbulent years has left scant record of Rome’s dealings with the tribes of Scotland at this time (link to the Timeline Post 211 AD)

It is generally considered that Rome’s remaining forts in Scotland had been long abandoned by this time, the first occasion Rome appears to have relinquished hold of land in Scotland other than in the face of tribal military resurgence.

Based on current evidence these abandoned posts were;

the legionary vexillation fortress at Carpow,
Cramond and possibly Carrriden,
And perhaps the suggested coastal posts from Boyndie to Easter Galcantray along the Moray coast in the far north.

Defence of the Roman province of Britannia by now had devolved to the line of Hadrian’s Wall and its northern outliers; Bewcastle and Netherby in the southern reaches of Selgovae territory, Risingham and High Rochester in the southern reaches of Votadini territory. From these posts mounted patrols monitored the activities of these tribes of southern and those of central Scotland beyond while Caracalla’s system of maintaining supervision of tribal gatherings at Loca seems to have continued successfully.

Indeed the relations, based on lack or reports of noteworthy strife appear to have been so good, especially given the chaotic nature of the Imperial court that cash subsidies and a degree of independence in decision making by the governor of Britannia Inferior must be inferred.

The southern Scottish federation: the Maetae are no longer mentioned, suggestive that Roman diplomacy, cash subsidies and the control exercised over tribal meetings and hostings was aimed to prevent the recurrence of such a coalescence of volatile tribes following the chaos the Maetae federation unleashed upon the Roman state in the late 2nd C AD.

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