The greatest disaster in late Roman Britain. Three separate peoples — the Picts, the Scots (Irish Gaels), and the Attacotti (possibly from the western isles) — mounted a coordinated simultaneous attack that overwhelmed the Roman defences. The Saxons attacked by sea. The Count of the Saxon Shore (Nectaridus) was killed; the Duke of Britain (Fullofaudes) was ambushed and captured. Hadrian's Wall garrison melted away — the "arcani" (frontier intelligence agents) had apparently betrayed Roman dispositions to the enemy. The province descended into chaos.
Both senior commanders lost; widespread destruction
Picts/Scots/Attacotti/Saxons: c. 8,000–12,000. Romans: c. 2,000–4,000.
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