BattlefieldsAttack on Birdoswald Fort
Roman Period

Attack on Birdoswald Fort

296–300
Cumbria, England
Also known as: Banna Fort Attack · Birdoswald Destruction Layer
Era
Roman Period
Battle Type
Siege
Location
Cumbria, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Rome
Forces
c. 200-400 Roman garrison.
VS
Victor
Varies
Forces
c. 300-600 attackers
Outcome
Fort shows destruction and rebuilding; possible attack during period of political instability
The Battle

History & Significance

Birdoswald (Banna) on Hadrian's Wall shows archaeological evidence of destruction and rebuilding, with the granaries falling into disrepair and later being converted for timber-framed structures by local people continuing to use the site after Roman authority faded. The fort is a key site for understanding the transition from Roman to post-Roman Britain — the "chieftain" period when Roman officers may have become local lords.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around Cumbria

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any location in Britain — drawing on Domesday records, scheduled monuments, Victorian OS maps, geological data and archaeological archives to tell the full story of a place.

Research a location near Cumbria