Strageath: Excavations within the Roman Fort 1973-86

With contributions by Anne Anderson, S. Butler, C. Cartright, R. Clough, C. Dickson, N. Gale, A. Grant, F. Grew, B. R. Hartley, K. F. Hartley, M. Henig, J. Macdonald, A. J. Price, R. Reece, A. S. Robertson, F. Roe, R. Welander and Marion Wilson. This volume describes the exploration of three successive forts at Strageath, Scotland, and makes important contributions to the study of the Roman North and to Roman military archaeology. It reports on the excavations at the Roman fort of Strageath in Perthshire, focusing especially on elucidating the internal plan of the fort. Part II includes specialist reports on the finds from the site and environmental analysis. Excavation took place at the Roman fort at Strageath, Perthshire, annually between 1973 and 1986, and three periods of military occupation were distinguished. The first fort was built in the late first century (Flavian period) and is attributed to the governorship of Julius Agricola. The second (Antonine I) was built on the re-occupation of Scotland c. A.D. 142, and the third (Antonine II) after a short evacuation some sixteen years later. On each re-occupation the defences were completely remodelled and a quite different garrison installed: in the Antonine I period the fort seems to have been held by a quingenary cohors equitata, but in both the Flavian and Antonine II periods the garrison was more powerful, consisting of elements of two cohortes equitatae on each occasion. Apart from an Antonine bath-building partly constructed in masonry, all structures were half-timbered. The Flavian fort was provided with exceptionally large granaries. Although aerial photographs show a complicated system of fortified annexes outside the fort to the west, excavation was confined to the interior of the fort and to a partial examination of its defences with the aim of throwing as much light as possible on the internal buildings and on the character of the units in garrison. The results have shed new light on the archaeology of Roman forts and on the frontier problems of Roman Scotland.