Two thousand years ago the Roman army, one of the world’s most successful fighting machines, set out to conquer Scotland. Three invasions were attempted and each ended in withdrawal. These forays have left their mark on today’s landscape in the form of impressive earthworks - the remains of forts and frontiers constructed by the army, including the famous and spectacular Antonine Wall. Using the latest archaeological evidence and contemporary Roman documents, including the uniquely informative Vindolanda writing tablets, Dr Breeze assesses these three periods of occupation and the effect they had on Scotland and its people. He asks: why the Romans chose to invade and why they failed what was the strength and nature of the invasion force how strong was the opposition what was daily life like for civilians and soldiers what was the relationship between Rome and the northern tribes after the Roman withdrawal Copiously illustrated with photographs and drawings, this informative and lively guide is enhanced by specially commissioned reconstruction drawings of military installations.
Professor David Breeze prepared the bid for World Heritage Site status for the Antonine Wall and now leads the team implementing the management plan for the frontier. He was formerly Chief Inspector of Ancient Monuments for Scotland. He has written books on both the Antonine Wall and Hadrian's Wall as well as Roman Scotland and the Roman army. David Breeze is an honorary professor at the universities of Durham, Edinburgh and Newcastle, and is chairman of the International Congress of Roman Frontier Studies. He lives in Edinburgh and is married with two sons.
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