Septimius Severus’ Caledonian Campaign

Between 208-211 CE the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus (193-211 CE) conducted an Invasion of Caledonia.

In 197 CE The Battle of Lugdunum: The Governor of Britannia, Clodius Albinus, rebelled and took his three legions to Gaul intending to take Rome.
Septimius Severus met and defeated him at the Battle of Lugdunum (197 CE).
But Britannia was weakened and the new Governor of Britannia, Senecio, had to buy off a confederation of Scottish tribes. Septimius decided an armed response was needed.

208 CE Septimius arrived in Britannia with a large army, which when combined with the 3 legions already stationed there, amounted to 50,000 men.
He made York his base and the new capital of the Roman Empire, from where he planned to invade Caledonia and subdue the tribes.
He turned the Principia of York into his Headquarters, which is now York Minster.

The invasion started in 209 CE, when Septimius marched north from York, building protective forts each night.
Septimius Severus reoccupied the Antonine Wall.
He made a bridge of 900 boats and crossed the Firth of Forth at South Queensferry (present location of the Rail crossing). Then a second bridge of boats was built across the Tay, from where the Roman legions laid waste to the region.
Septimius Severus reoccupied Inchtuthil Legionary Fortress which he used as a base for his Army.
A treaty was agreed and the Roman armies withdrew to York.
But in 210 CE, rebellion flared again, and Septimius repeated the invasion of 209 CE, but using a devastating scorched earth policy.

This time there was no further rebellion, however, Septimius died in York in 211 CE, and his sons and the army withdrew from Britannia.

Inchtuthil Roman Fort