I doubt the new Pictish searchers would have gone much farther south from the fort, and not as far as Hadrian's Wall, by a long chalk. Do remember they hailed from the North, and once in the Lowlands of Caledonia, would have to dodge enemy tribes, much as the Romans had dodged them in turn. The Votadini of the east,(between the Lothians, Edinburgh and Northumberland) and Novantae in the south-west of Scotland and up to the edge of the Wall, were both allied to Rome, as possibly were the Dumnonii to the west, around what is now Greater Glasgow and Dumbartonshire. The Romans protected their allies, and the tribes would be happy to be able to resort to that extra protection when threatened by tribes to the North or from across the sea.
The tribes of southern Scotland continued to fiercely resist Pictish incursions decades and decades after the Romans fled from Britain to defend other borders of Empire.
Thus, based on the Picts' assumptions the Romans had all gone South and stayed there, and with the extreme risks of pursuing them over what is now the river Forth (Bodotria in the Roman Occupation)in Lowland Scotland, am as sure as can be, they would have turned and headed home to their families and steadings. Bear in mind also that there was a Roman fort (with possibly two cohorts and some cavalry)on the Forth, on the edges of what is now the Scottish capital, yet another risk to raiding Picts. Pursuit would have been pointless.
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MrRazorz
11 years ago
I suspect historical and geographical authenticity weren't high on Mr Marshall's list of considerations. He admitted himself that the "mysterious disappearance" of the Ninth Legion was almost certainly a mythical event, but the myth is more fun than the truth.
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ronfirv
11 years ago
You're right there, the enduring myth makes a better yarn.
Even the truth surrounding the 9th Legion is uncertain, but it does seem pretty clear that it was understrength (some historians estimate maybe 3000-3500) when it left Eboracum (York) to march North.
Some Roman roof tiles were found some years ago in the Netherlands with the stamp of the IXth Legio on one or two, and at that time, some jumped to the conclusion they transferred to the Continent. Not necessarily so because the Romans were not as we are,not a throw-away society, so it is highly likely these tiles might well have been re-used from an older construction in York and sailed over.
Consider that the red roof tiling you see on houses on the east coast of Scotland today, especially in Fife, Lothians areas, these were originally made in the Low Countries and shipped over, due the high level of trade between the east of the country and the near Continent. Similar in both directions surely happened in Roman times.
Anyhow, I think we can securely lay to rest this thread that the surviving Romans would NOT have been pursued farther south from the abandoned fort (Inchtuthil) in eastern Scotland, well, at least more than a very few miles, for reasons now established.
Once the Romans reached the Forth valley (roughly Stirling area today)they would be in safe country, with friendly tribes and perhaps Roman patrols.
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