BattlefieldsRoman Evacuation of Inchtuthil
Roman Period

Roman Evacuation of Inchtuthil

86–87
Perthshire, Scotland
Also known as: Abandonment of Pinnata Castra · Roman Withdrawal to Tyne-Solway
Era
Roman Period
Battle Type
Skirmish
Location
Perthshire, Scotland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Rome (strategic withdrawal)
Forces
Caledonians: c.3,000-5,000 harassers.
VS
Victor
Caledonian tribes (strategic result)
Forces
Rome: c.5,500 (Legio II Adiutrix)
Outcome
Romans abandoned Inchtuthil fortress and all Highland Scotland; withdrawal to Forth-Clyde line; further withdrawal to Tyne-Solway
The Battle

History & Significance

Domitian withdrew the Second Adiutrix Legion from Britain to fight the Dacians — immediately reducing Agricola's successor's forces. Inchtuthil — a vast legionary fortress in Perthshire barely completed — was systematically demolished and abandoned. One million nails were buried to deny them to the enemy. The archaeology of Inchtuthil's organised demolition shows this was not a retreat under fire but a painful strategic withdrawal. Further raids by the Maeatae and Caledonians forced a further pullback to the Tyne-Solway line.

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