The Numismatic Evidence for the Post-Agricolan Abandonment of the Roman Frontier in Northern Scotland

Abstract

Agricola were abandoned before their construction had been completed.2 The latest coins found on these sites are bronze dupondii and asses of Domitian in mint or nearly mint condition, marked COS.XII (A.D. 86). It seems that as the coins were almost mint when lost these forts were abandoned in either late A.D. 86 or early A.D. 873 (see FIG. I). There is now new numismatic evidence to support this and to cast further light on this period of Romano-British history. Recent work on the Roman coins from the Sacred Spring at Bath4 by David Walker has shown that the distribution by date of the bronze coins of Domitian follows a common and distinctive pattern throughout the province. The finds from the Spring have a period of low supply of coins dated COS.VII to COS.XI (A.D. 81-85), a period of high supply for coins dated COS.XII and COS.XIII (A.D. 86 and 87) and then another period of low supply until the end of the reign, COS.XIIII to COX.XVII (A.D. 88-96). Examination of finds from other sites demonstrated that the same distribution pattern was shown by them. As part of my own research5 I have examined material from I I major sites in Britain and found that all of them show the same trend6 (FIG. 2). Continental finds show a quite different pattern. If this is the usual distribution of coins of Domitian in Britain it follows that any late Flavian site lacking coins of either A.D. 86 and/or 87 is deserving of closer examination. One such group is the northern forts mentioned above. They only have coins of A.D. 86 and none