The Caledonians had committed a great error in giv ing Agricola battle at that late season of the year, when they might easily have starved him out of their country ; but this might proceed from their not being aware of the discipline of the Romans. Though unfortunate in this trial of their strength, they did not, however, tamely yield to their conquerors. Immediately after their de feat, they adopted the politic measure of laying waste their country, and burning their houses and effects, to deprive the Romans of all means of subsistence. It is even added, that they put to death those of their wives and children whom they could not carry away, to pre vent their falling into the enemy's hands. The probabi lity is that Roman vanity has greatly exaggerated the loss of the Caledonians. One thing, however, is certain, that Agricola retreated immediately after the battle, owing, according to Tacitus, to the lateness of the sea son, but more probably to the danger of wintering among these hostile and high spirited tribes. Agricola with d•ew his army by slow marches, intending by that means to display to the new nations the severe loss sustained by the Caledonians, as not being in a condition to molest his retreat ; and, having exacted hostages of the I loresti, supposed to be the inhabitants of Fife, he sent his army into winter quarters, probably in the dittricts to the south of the Forth and Clyde. It was (hir ng this campaign that Agricola ordered his lie( t to ciretinuravigan; the island, in order to terrify the tribes of the north with the greatness of the Roman power.
As a proof that the Romans had hitherto acquired but a momentary footing on the frontiers of Caledonia, NS e have only to consider the state of things in A. 1). 121, 36 years aft( r the haute of the Grampians, when we find Iladrian building a wall between the Tyne and the Sol way, to restrain the incursions of the Caledonians, and of their allies the I\ Ixatx, a new denomination of people, who seem to have inhabited the country near Agricola's lines. About 17 years thereafter, the Msatoe being van quished in several engagements, by Lollius Urbicus, their country was again occupied by the Romans, and the lines of Agricola were fortified anew, with a ram part and ditch. This defence, thenceforward called the wall of Antoninus, because built in his reign, was intend ed as the boundary of the empire ; but the Caledonians in 180 broke through it, and being joined by the 1\ carried fire and sword into the Roman province. ‘Nre find the same confederates again in 198 pursuing the same career of rapine and desolation ; when Lupus, the general of Severus, not being able to make head against them, had recourse to the dangerous expedient of bribing them to return, and ransoming their prisoners. This, as might be expected, was but a temporary remedy. The Caledonians renewed their ravages with more fury than ever, so that the presence of Severus himself became necessary. His arrival, in A. D. 207, with a powerful
force, so alarmed the confederates, that they sent ambas sadors to the emperor to propose an accommodation ; but their offers were rejected. Severus, with an im mense army, took the field in person, resolving to pene trate to the furthest extremity of the island, and put an effectual period to the power of the Caledonians. Our ancestors, taught by their former experience, adopted on this occasion a mode of defence peculiarly suitable to their circumstances, and allowed the enemy to waste his strength in contending with the natural difficulties of the country. Severus, we are told, employed in this expe dition a great part of his troops in cutting down the forests and draining the marshes, in which the natives suddenly disappeared when pursued by the Romans, and in constructing roads and bridges for the conveyance of supplies ; the remainder of his forces lie employed in protecting the workmen from the incessant attacks of the Caledonian skirmishers. These never appeared in a body, but contented themselves with hanging on his line of march, and intercepting his supplies, and with desul tory attacks and ambuscades, by which the enemy suf fered excessively. The emperor lost in this expedition no fewer than 50,000 men, without a single battle. and even without havilig seen the enemy in a body. Severus, however, by the most incredible perseverance, at last pe netrated into the heart of the country, which probably had never till then seen a foreign enemy ; and compelling the Caledonians to lay down their arms, deprived them and the Mantoc of a part of their territory. The dear bought success of this expedition was unquestionably not adequate to the original intention of Scverus, for upon withdrawing his army to the south, we find him employing his troops, for the space of two years, in con structing his famous wall ; a pretty strong symptom of that independence still maintained by the Caledonians ! An additional confirmation of their remaining vigour is furnished by another M a r, A. I). .2 I u, win II th%. M rata: and Caledonians, Li% o years after the last pa( Ification, availing themselves of the difficulties of Se% erns, Made 't attempt to Is rest the ceded territory from I i grasp. The old emperor, who was at York upon th( arrival of this intelligence, gave orders for the utter ex termination of the barbarians, without sparing the very infants in their mothers wombs. His death, lion cv prevented the ex( eution of this cruel determination, and Ca•aralla, anxious to quit Britain, concluded a peace with the devoted nations. r this period little more is heard of the Caledonians ; their name, in the pages of the Greek and Homan writers, falls gradually into dis use ; and the population of their country, during the third century, begins to be known under the two celebrated denominations of Scots and l'icts.