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TheVacomagi were a people ofancient Scotland, known only from a single mention of them by thegeographerClaudius Ptolemy (AD c.100–c.170).[a] Their principal places are known fromPtolemy's map c.150 ofAlbion island of Britannia – from theFirst Map of Europe.[1][Web 1]
The Vacomagi were aconfederacy of smaller tribes, each one a separatepolity with its ownhierarchy of leaders. According to the data collected by Ptolemy,[b] theVacomagi were spread over a wide area between theMoray Firth and theFirth of Forth; to the east of theCairngorms and north of theClyde–Forthisthmus.[c]
..."Warriors from Northern Briton
fought naked and used narrow shields,
a spear and a sword...[2]
The termVacomagi was used by the Romans to distinguish between thoseCaledonians whose territory was in the lower plains to the east of theGrampian Mountains, from theCaledonii whose territory was in the Highland glens further west. Ptolemy's map is the only classical source to mention theVacomagi by name; other classical sources generally used a generic term, for exampleBritons orCaledonians.[d]
Terminology — from 2nd century AD to 4th century AD:[e]
| Modern name | Ptolemy | Other sources[f] | Geographic area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caledonians | ? | Caledonians[g] Britannis ..."Britons" Picti ..."Picts"[h] | North of the Clyde–Forthisthmus. |
| Caledones | Caledonii | Caledones | Highland glens to the east of Loch Ness and theGreat Glen Fault. |
| Vacomagi | Vacomagi | Caledones[i] | Lower plains to the east of the Grampian Mountains. |
The name was probably a derisory insult to the enemy of the Roman army:[f][improper synthesis?]
ThePicts (descendants of theVacomagi)[j] are reported to have believed in themagi – people with supernatural powers; for example themagusBroichan, who was alleged to have the ability to influence the weather.[k][l]
..."below Caledonia are the Vacomagi, among whom are the following settlements:[m]
—Claudius Ptolemy (AD c.100–c.170)
The principal places of theVacomagi are known only from Ptolemy's map ofAlbion island of Britannia – from theFirst Map of Europe.[Web 1]
The historian Graham Robb has used scaling factors to compensate for the anomaly whereby Scotland appears to tip wildly into the North Sea, in order to determine the possible locations:[n][o] Robb has calculated that Tamia and Bannatia were further south than previously thought,[p] probably on the Tay and Forth respectively. It might be expected that those settlements were near maritime navigation routes, since most of Ptolemy's data originated from seafarer's travel records.
| Place name | Latitude N – S | Longitude E – W | Navigation | Possible location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinnata Castra | 27°15 | 59°20 | Moray Firth | ?Burghead Fort[n][q] |
| Tuesis | 26°45 | 59°10 | Moray Firth | ?Burnfield camp –River Deveron.[n] ? Mouth of theRiver Spey.[r][s] |
| Tamia | 25°00 | 59°20 | Firth of Tay | ?Perth –River Tay[n] |
| Bannatia | 24°00 | 59°30 | Firth of Forth | ?Camelon Roman fort –River Carron.[n] ?Bannock Burn – Forth confluence. |
It has in the past beenconjectured that Tuesis was the Romano-British name for theRiver Spey,[r][s] however historian Graham Robb has calculated that Tuesis was further east, possibly theBurnfield camp on theRiver Deveron.[n]
The name elementesis (orisis) may derive fromeíschusis (*eis-sis)[u] translated from Ptolemy’sancient Greek text.[s]
The name Tuesis (or Toúesis)[s] is possibly aconflation of theGaulishdeities Toutatis and Esus:[v][w][x]
Toutatis and Esus were famously associated with the deityTaranis in the poemPharsalia by the Roman poetLucan.[z][aa]
The cult of Esus was possibly introduced into North Britain by the movement oflegions andauxiliaries[ab] from RomanGaul (France) andHispania Tarraconensis (Spain).[ac] A bronze bowl (known as theAmiens Skillet) found atAmiens, France, has the inscription:
MAIS ABALLAVA VXELODVNVM CAMBOG...S BANNA ESICA
The inscription is a list of theRoman fort's onHadrian's Wall. The last fort on the list isÆsica (Great Chesters); the name derives from Esus (orÆsus).[ad]
A pottery mould that is believed to depict the Gaulish deityTaranis was found at theCoriaRoman fort nearHexham.[ae] Similar moulds were used to create relief decoration for fine pottery.[af]
The historian Graham Robb has calculated thatTamia was possibly near the city ofPerth.[n] It has been conjectured that theBertha Roman fort near theRiver Almond –Tay confluence was originally calledTamia, derived from a native name for the River Tay.[t]
Inchtuthil andCarpow were both Romanlegionary fortresses – based on the River Tay – the only legionary fortresses north ofHadrian's Wall, and therefore of strategic importance. However Inchtuthil was only occupied for a short while, and Carpow was occupied much later, from the late second century AD until the early third century AD. It is not known if there was a base at Carpow when data was collected for Ptolemy's map.
The name elementTam is a common river name, there aremany examples in England; a famous example is theRiver Thame,[ag] one of the majortributaries of theRiver Thames (Roman:Tamesis – Tam..esis).[ah]
It has beenconjectured that the name elementTam may derive from aSanskrit word meaning "dark water".[ai][aj]
Another possibility is thatTam is the nickname of a Celtic god, goddess or deity. It is known that the Celts worshipped rivers, and gavevotive offerings.[ak][al][am][an]
In addition to theCeltic Britons, there was also a migration of Celts from RomanGaul (France) andHispania (Spain), during theRoman occupation, who brought with them their ownpantheon of deities with them.[ac]
TheLegio XX Valeria Victrix built and occupied the legionary fortress atInchtuthil on theRiver Tay 82–86 AD. A Roman altarfound in Chester may provide evidence that the Legio XX worshipped the Gaulish deityTaranis, but using the variant nameTanarus.
TheRomano-British name for the Tay –Taus – may derive fromTanarus (Ta---us) – god of thunder.[ao][ap]
The name variantTanarus (for the Gaulish deityTaranis) shows an interesting reversal of the letters 'R' and 'N' – a reconstruction that is possibly mirrored in several river names:[aq]
| Entity | Name | P-Celtic derivation |
|---|---|---|
| Taranis – god of thunder. | Taranis Tanarus | Brittonictaran ..."thunder" |
| RiverTanaro, north-west Italy.[ar] | Tanaro Tanarus | Brittonictaran ..."thunder" |
| Water of Tanar, north-east Scotland. | Tanar | Brittonictaran ..."thunder" |
| River Tamar, south-west England. | Tamar | Gaulishtaram[as] ..."thunder". |
The name elementTam is possibly a contraction ofGaulishtaram ("thunder").[as]
There is a natural association between thunder – rain – rivers.
Watery places – including rivers, lakes and wetlands – had a special significance for Celtic people in Western Europe during theIron Age. Many precious objects, found in watery places, are believed to have beenvotive offerings – to gods and goddesses.[at][au]
Votive offerings may have been symbolic; possibly a shout for help:[av]
TheBattersea Shield is possibly one of the most important examples ofIron Age art and craftsmanship ever found in Britain. It was found at an ancient crossing point of the Thames, and is believed to have been a votive offering.[aw][ax]
TheGundestrup cauldron, found in Denmark, is another outstanding example of Iron Age art and craftsmanship.
The internal plates depict imagery possibly associated with gods and deities:[ay]
The horned godCernunnos is known primarily fromPillar of the Boatmen, which also includes a dedication to the Gaulish deityEsus – god of the river. Taranis and Esus were famously associated with the deityToutatis in the poemPharsalia by the Roman poetLucan.[bc]
Graham Robb has calculated thatBannatia might have beenCamelon Roman fort atFalkirk, south of theRiver Carron. The nameBannatia may derive from Welsh (Welsh-Brittonic) <bannau> ..."peaks".[bd] This might relate to the breathtaking views of theMunro peaks, to the north ofStirling, for exampleStùc a' Chroin andBen Vorlich. Theetymology suggests thatBannatia was between theFirth of Forth and theFirth of Tay,[be][bf] and validates Graham Robb's methodology for re-evaluating Ptolemy's co-ordinates.[bg]
The area around Stirling was historically known asManau (orManaw Gododdin).[bh] This area has always been strategically important because of its location just north of theClyde–Forthisthmus.[bi]
TheBattle of Mons Graupius took place in 83 or 84 AD between the Roman army and a coalition of Vacomagi,Caledonii and other native tribes.[bj] The combined might of the Roman army resulted in a decisive victory for the Roman generalAgricola.[bk]
The location of the battle ("Graupius mountain") has never been convincingly identified, however most historians agree that it was somewhere east of the Highlands and north of the Forth (in other words – Vacomagi territory – or thereabouts). Some historians believe thatBennachie, nearInverurie inAberdeenshire, might have been a possible location.[bl]
The Roman army consisted of:[bm]
| Roman legion | Infantry | Cavalry | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| IX Hispana XX Valeria Victrix | ? | ? | 11,000 |
| Auxiliaries | 8,000 | 3,000 | 11,000 |
| 22,000 |
During the previous years the Roman advance had destroyed farms and crops;[bn] this had probably been worse for the Vacomagi, whose territory was in the lower plains to the east – than for the Caledonii, whose territory in the Highland glens was more protected.[bo]
| Tribe | Territory | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Vacomagi | East of the Highlands North of the Forth | ? |
| Caledonii | Highland glens | ? |
| Other tribes | Coastal regions | ? |
| 30,000[bp] |
..."More than 30,000 armed men were now to be seen,
and still there were pressing in all the youth of the country,
with all whose old age was yet hale and vigorous,
men renowned in war and bearing each decorations of his own.
—Tacitus (AD c.56–c.120)[bq]
Translated from theoriginal Latin:
trigintamilia ...30,000
armatorum ..."armed men"
aspiciebantur..."to be seen"
The Roman historianTacitus gave us this account:[br]
..."Having sent on a fleet, which by its ravages at various points might cause a vague and wide-spread alarm, he advanced with a lightly equipped force,[bs] including in its ranks someBritons of remarkable bravery, whose fidelity had been tried through years of peace, as far asMons Graupius,[bt] which the enemy had already occupied.
..."For theBritons, indeed, in no way cowed by the result of the late engagement, had made up their minds to be either avenged or enslaved, and convinced at length that a common danger must be averted by union, had, by embassies and treaties, summoned forth the whole strength of all their states.[bj]
..."More than 30,000 armed men...
..."Meanwhile, among the many leaders, one superior to the rest in valour and in birth,Calgacus by name, is said to have thus harangued the multitude gathered around him and clamouring for battle...
—Tacitus (AD c.56–c.120)
TheLegio XX Valeria Victrix from Clunia inHispania Tarraconensis (Spain) took part in theBattle of Mons Graupius AD c.83 and built and occupied thecastra atInchtuthil on the River Tay AD 82–86. They evacuated Inchtuthill c.87 and arrived atDeva Victrix (Chester) AD 88 where they were based for another two centuries.
Chronology:[bu]
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| AD 78–84 | Legio XX took part inAgricola's campaigns in northern Britannia. |
| AD 82–83 | Legio XX built the base atInchtuthill. |
| AD c.83 | Legio XX took part in theBattle of Mons Graupius. |
| AD 84–86 | Legio XX occupied the base at Inchtuthill. |
| AD 86-87 | Legio XX evacuated Inchtuthill. |
| AD 88 | Legio XX occupiedDeva Victrix (Chester) for another two centuries. |
| AD 154 | Altar dedicated to Jupiter—Tanarus.[RIB 1] |
| AD 1653 | Altar found in Chester. |
| AD 1675 | Altar given to Oxford University. |
| AD 2024 | Altar is part of theArundel Marbles collection. |
A Roman altarfound in Chester, AD 1653, may provide evidence that theLegio XX worshipped the Gaulish deityTaranis, but using the variant nameTanarus. There is a natural association between Tanarus – God of thunder – rain and rivers.[bv]
It is possible that theWater of Tanar – inGlen Tanar – derives its name from the Gaulish deityTanarus. At the entrance to Glen Tanar is theBridge o' Ess, suggesting that this part of the river was previously known as theEss (orEsk, a common river name) possibly derived from the Gaulish deity Esus – God of the river.[aa] The Tanar rises on the north side ofMount Keen, the most easterly of the ScottishMunro's.
Mount Keen is in a geographic area known asThe Mounth, an expanse of high plateau that extends west to east from theCairngorms across to theNorth Sea coast. It forms a physical barrier to north-south travel – historians sometimes refer toThe Mounth in the context of it being ageo-political border that historically separated the north and south ofPictland.[bw][bx]
Mount Keen is also part of a range of hills that defined the west to east boundary between the former regions ofGrampian andTayside.
TheMounth Road is a high level track that connectsGlen Esk (south of theMounth) withAboyne on theRiver Dee (north of theMounth). The track traverses the west flank of Mount Keen before descending down into Glen Tanar. Historically theMounth Road connected the north and south of Pictland.
It is possible that the people who gave Mount Keen itsScottish Gaelic name ("Monadh Caoin") had a good understanding of its human history. Important historic events were rarely recorded in written form but wereregaled over and over in the form of stories or poems passed down from generation to generation.[by][bz]
See also Wiktionary:
The Vacomagi were a confederacy of smaller tribes, each one a separatepolity with its own hierarchy of leaders. According to the data collected by Ptolemy, the Vacomagi were spread out over a wide area between theMoray Firth and theFirth of Forth; to the east of theCairngorms and north of theClyde–Forthisthmus. This area was also occupied by neighbouring tribes:
They were probablyhunter-gatherer's who also kept animals and grew crops – it was reported that during the Roman advance, prior to the Battle of Mons Graupius, there had beendestruction to farm land. They probably lived in traditionalroundhouse dwellings.
By the late 2nd century – early 3rd century, only two tribes are known (from classical sources) to have occupied the original territory of the Vacomagi:[ca]
It has beenconjectured that the Vacomagi and other tribes realigned their allegiances towards two mainpolities, those of the Caledones andMaeatae, in order to better coordinate their defence against the Romans.[cc]
It was only by about the late 7th century that the descendants of theVacomagi andCaledones became thecontiguous group that we now know as thePicts, with a unique language, culture and identity, and ruled by a singlePictish king.[cd] The termPicti (first recorded AD c.297) was used in classical sources to distinguish between thoseCeltic Tribes in Northern Britain who wereRomanised[ce] – from those who were outside the Roman rule of law.[cf]
I · O · M · TANARO
T · ELVPIVS · GALER
PRAESENS · GVNTA
PRI · LEG · XX V V
COMMODO · ET
LATERANO
COS ·
V · S · L · M[RIB 1]
— Inscription from altar
..."jovi Optimo Maximo Tanaro
T Elypius Galerius
præfens Gumia
Primcipibus Legionis Vicefimæ Veteramus
votum folvit libens merito B...[cg]
— Gerard Langbaine (1608–1658)
A red sandstone altar dedicated to Jupiter—Tanarus by theLegio XX Valeria Victrix was found in Foregate Street, Chester, 1653 AD.[RIB 1]
The inscription on the altar was in poor condition when it was found in 1653 and deteriorated further while being used as a garden feature before it was given to Oxford University in 1675.[Web 3]
ToJupiterTanarus, Best and Greatest,
Lucius Elufrius Praesens of the Galerian voting-tribe,
fromClunia,
princeps of theTwentieth Legion Valeria Victrix,
willingly and deservedly fulfilled his vow
in the consulship of Commodus and Lateranus.[RIB 1]
TheTwentieth Legion Valeria Victrix were based atDeva Victrix, from 88 AD, following their evacuation fromInchtuthillcastra on theRiver Tay nearDunkeld.
Tanarus is believed to be a variant name for the Gaulish deityTaranis;[35][ch] one of the triad ofGaulishdeities mentioned in the poemPharsalia by the Roman poetLucan.[z][aa] Another example of a dedication on stone toTanarus, by a Gaul namedVebroumarus, was found atOrgon, Bouches du Rhone, France.[36]
Jupiter—Tanarus is aconflation of:[w][ci][cj]
..."horrid Esus with his wild altars"
..."heaped divine honours on mountains, hills and rivers..."
..."Already more than 30,000 armed men could be observed – Tacitus
..."the names of other British groups had been merged into these two main polities...
..."jovi Optimo Maximo Tanaro...
