The Romans in Southern Scotland: Future Discoveries*

Keppie, Lawrence

doi:10.3366/gas.1989.16.16.1

Cited by 5 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…While most publications follow Curle's conclusions about Rubers Law, Keppie (1990) is more sceptical of the Roman stones and their association with a signal station. He concludes that the stones more likely originated from a nearby Roman structure (yet to be located) that the medieval occupants of Rubers Law decided to use as a source of material for their fort.…”

Section: Purpose Of Rubers Lawmentioning

confidence: 99%

Visibility analysis of the Roman communication network in southern Scotland

Murphy

Gittings

Crow

2018

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

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This paper uses GIS and visibility analysis to examine if Rubers Law fits into the known Roman communication and infrastructure network of towers, forts, camps and roadways in southern Scotland. Rubers Law is a prominent hill in the Scottish Borders with an extensive archaeological history, and the discovery of approximately 30 Roman building stones on the summit in the early 20th century led to the conclusion that it had been the site of a Roman signal station, despite a lack of concrete evidence for a Roman occupation. Visibility and intervisibility from the Roman towers was analysed using four types of viewshed analysis: regular, cumulative, fuzzy, and probable. The results were analysed to determine what would be visible from Rubers Law from a tower between 7m and 10m high. The various viewshed methods were also compared; it was determined that regular and cumulative viewsheds over predict visibility, while fuzzy and probable methods are more robust. Based on this analysis, a tower on Rubers Law could have been a major relay station, passing messages from Brownhart Law and Craik Cross Hill to Eildon Hill North and

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Section: Purpose Of Rubers Lawmentioning

confidence: 99%

Visibility analysis of the Roman communication network in southern Scotland

Murphy

Gittings

Crow

2018

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

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“…Breeze et al 1997). Nonetheless there are obvious gaps in the pattern, not least in SW Scotland where further forts might be anticipated, potentially at strategic coastal locations such as Irvine or Ayr, or in the E at the crossing of the Tweed near Berwick (see section 3; Keppie 1990). The recent identification of a fortlet at Kirwaugh, on the south side of the river Bladnoch near Wigtown (Britannia 42 (2011), 336, fig 9) necessitates reconsideration of the likely pattern of occupation in Wigtownshire.…”

Section: 2mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Aerial survey should be used to continue to enhance the known distribution of forts, with particular focus on 'gap areas' such as the SW, and making best use of relevant dry summers, or on locations where stray finds may hint at missing sites (c.f. Keppie 1990). Vertical air photographs taken in summer months should continue to be analysed.…”

Section: 2mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is a great potential value in using stray finds to suggest site locations (e.g. Keppie 1990); here, metaldetecting finds should be exploited, as should fieldwalking. There is also great potential in engaging local community groups, with knowledge of the local area, in such fieldwork.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…SW Scotland remains a large gap in the distribution of sites and would benefit from more sustained aerial survey, fieldwalking, and pursuit of stray / metal-detecting finds. Keppie (1990) notes other areas worthy of attention; for instance, finds or road lines indicate that installations may be expected around Crichton (Midlothian) and Ruberslaw (Borders). Bishop (2004, 175-6, fig 116) suggests a road line in East Lothian, E of Inveresk, the evidence for which is unpublished.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Scotland: The Roman Presence

Hunter¹,

Carruthers²,

Breeze³

et al. 2012

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The main recommendations of the panel report can be summarised under five key headings:  Scotland in the Roman world: Research into Roman Scotland requires an appreciation of the wider frontier and Empire-wide perspectives, and Scottish projects must be integrated into these wider, international debates. The rich data set and chronological control that Scotland has to offer can be used to inform broader understandings of the impact of Rome.  Changing worlds: Roman Scotland’s rich data set should be employed to contribute to wider theoretical perspectives on topics such as identity and ethnicity, and how these changed over time. What was the experience of daily life for the various peoples in Roman Scotland and how did interactions between incomers and local communities develop and change over the period in question, and, indeed, at and after its end?  Frontier Life: Questions still remain regarding the disposition and chronology of forts and forces, as well as the logistics of sustaining and supplying an army of conquest and occupation. Sites must be viewed as part of a wider, interlocking set of landscapes, and the study of movement over land and by sea incorporated within this. The Antonine Wall provides a continuing focus of research which would benefit from more comparison with frontier structures and regimes in other areas.  Multiple landscapes: Roman sites need to be seen in a broader landscape context, ‘looking beyond the fort’ and explored as nested and interlocking landscapes. This will allow exploration of frontier life and the changing worlds of the Roman period. To do justice to this resource requires two elements: o Development-control archaeology should look as standard at the hinterland of forts (up to c.1 km from the ‘core’), as sensitive areas and worthy of evaluation; examples such as Inveresk show the density of activity around such nodes. The interiors of camps should be extensively excavated as standard. o Integrated approaches to military landscapes are required, bringing in where appropriate topographical and aerial survey, LIDAR, geophysics, the use of stray and metal-detected finds, as well as fieldwalking and ultimately, excavation.  The Legacy of Rome: How did the longer term influence of the Romans, and their legacy, influence the formation, nature and organisation of the Pictish and other emergent kingdoms?

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The Ravenna Cosmography and North Britain between the Walls

Frere¹

2001

Britannia

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The Romans in Southern Scotland: Future Discoveries*

Cited by 5 publications

References 5 publications

Visibility analysis of the Roman communication network in southern Scotland

Visibility analysis of the Roman communication network in southern Scotland

Scotland: The Roman Presence

The Ravenna Cosmography and North Britain between the Walls

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