BattlefieldsMaeatae Raids before Hadrian Wall Construction 117 AD
Roman Period

Maeatae Raids before Hadrian Wall Construction 117 AD

117–118
Perthshire, Scotland
Also known as: Northern incursion provoking Hadrian Wall 117 AD · Pre-Wall frontier crisis 117 AD
Era
Roman Period
Battle Type
Skirmish
Location
Perthshire, Scotland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Rome
VS
Victor
Maeatae / northern tribes
Outcome
Roman general and force lost; crisis severe enough to prompt Hadrian personal visit; Wall construction ordered as direct response
The Battle

History & Significance

The Historia Augusta records that at the start of Hadrian reign the Britons could not be kept under Roman control and that there were serious losses of Roman soldiers. This crisis was severe enough that Hadrian came to Britain in 122 AD and ordered construction of the wall that bears his name. An emergency relief force was sent from the Rhine. The Maeatae — the confederacy immediately north of the Forth-Tyne line — are the most likely perpetrators.

Forces Involved

Northern tribal confederation versus undermanned frontier garrison

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around Perthshire

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 Perthshire