Vacomagi

The Vacomagi were a people of ancient Scotland, known from a single mention of them by the geographer Claudius Ptolemy.^[a] Their principal places are known from Ptolemy's map c.150 of Albion island of Britannia – from the First Map of Europe.^[1][2]

The Vacomagi were a confederacy of smaller tribes, each one a separate polity with its own hierarchy of leaders. According to the data collected by Ptolemy,^[b] the Vacomagi were spread over a wide area between the Moray Firth and the Firth of Forth; to the east of the Cairngorms and north of the isthmus between the Firth of Clyde and Firth of Forth.^[c]

The term Vacomagi was used by the Romans to distinguish between those Caledonians whose territory was in the lower plains to the east of the Grampian Mountains, from the Caledonii whose territory was in the Highland glens further west. Ptolemy's map is the only classical source to mention the Vacomagi by name; other classical sources generally used a generic term, for example Britons or Caledonians.^[d]

Terminology — from 2nd century AD to 4th century AD:^[e]

The name is sometimes seen as a derisory insult to the enemy of the Roman army:^[f]

1. Latin <vaco> ..."lazy, idle".
2. Latin <magi> ...plural of magus.
   1. Latin <magus> ..."sorcerer, trickster, conjurer".

Other etymologies were proposed, including Isaac (2005) etymology *wako-mago, 'Those inhabiting curved fields', Macbain (1909) referred to the "vaco" element as "obscure", mentioning its possible cognate with Welsh "gwag" (empty), possibly of Latin origin.^[7]

The Picts are reported to have believed in the magi – people with supernatural powers; for example the magus Broichan, who was alleged to have the ability to influence the weather.^[j][k]

..."below Caledonia are the Vacomagi, among whom are the following settlements:^[l]
— Claudius Ptolemy (AD c.100–c.170)

1. Pinnata Castra
2. Tuesis
3. Tamia
4. Bannatia

The principal places of the Vacomagi are known only from Ptolemy's map of Albion island of Britannia – the First Map of Europe.^[2]

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:^[9] Robb has calculated that Tamia and Bannatia were further south than previously thought, 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.

It has in the past been conjectured that Tuesis was the Romano-British name for the River Spey,^[p] however historian Graham Robb has calculated that Tuesis was further east, possibly the Burnfield camp on the River Deveron.^[m]

The name element esis (or isis) may derive from eíschusis (*eis-sis), translated from Ptolemy’s ancient Greek text.^[p]

The name Tuesis (or Toúesis) was also discussed as being a conflation of the Gaulish deities Toutatis and Esus:^[r][s][t]

1. Toú – Toutatis – God of the tribe.^[u]
2. esis – Esus – God of the river.

Toutatis and Esus were famously associated with the deity Taranis in the poem Pharsalia by the Roman poet Lucan.^[v][w]

The cult of Esus was possibly introduced into North Britain by the movement of legions and auxiliaries from Roman Gaul (France) and Hispania Tarraconensis (Spain).^[x] A bronze bowl (known as the Amiens Skillet) found at Amiens, France, has the inscription:

MAIS ABALLAVA VXELODVNVM CAMBOG...S BANNA ESICA

The inscription is a list of the Roman fort's on Hadrian's Wall. The last fort on the list is Æsica (Great Chesters); the name derives from Esus (or Æsus).^[y] A pottery mould that is believed to depict the Gaulish deity Taranis was found at the Coria Roman fort near Hexham.^[z] Similar moulds were used to create relief decoration for fine pottery.

The historian Graham Robb has calculated that Tamia was possibly near the city of Perth.^[m] It has been conjectured that the Bertha Roman fort near the River Almond – Tay confluence was originally called Tamia, derived from a native name for the River Tay.^[q]

The name element Tam is a common river name, as there are many examples in England; a famous example is the River Thame,^[aa] one of the major tributaries of the Thames.^[ab] It has been conjectured that the name element Tam may derive from a Sanskrit word meaning "dark water".^[ac] Another possibility was suggested that Tam is the nickname of a Celtic god, goddess or deity, it is known that the Celts worshipped rivers, and gave votive offerings.^[ad][ae][af]

Inchtuthil and Carpow were both Roman legionary fortresses based on the River Tay. They were the only legionary fortresses north of Hadrian's Wall, and therefore of strategic importance. Inchtuthil was only occupied for a short time, 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 Legio XX Valeria Victrix built and occupied the legionary fortress at Inchtuthil on the River Tay 82–86 AD. A Roman altar found in Chester may provide evidence that the Legio XX worshipped the Gaulish deity Taranis, but using the variant name Tanarus. The Romano-British name for the Tay – Taus – may derive from Tanarus (Ta---us) – god of thunder.^[ag][ah]

Graham Robb has calculated that Bannatia might have been Camelon Roman fort at Falkirk, south of the River Carron. The name Bannatia may derive from Welsh bannau ("peaks"). This might relate to the breathtaking views of the Munro peaks, to the north of Stirling, for example Stùc a' Chroin and Ben Vorlich. The etymology suggests that Bannatia was between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Tay,^[ai][aj] and validates Graham Robb's methodology for re-evaluating Ptolemy's co-ordinates.

The area around Stirling was historically known as Manau (or Manaw Gododdin).^[ak] This area has always been strategically important because of its location just north of the Clyde–Forth isthmus.^[al]

The Battle of Mons Graupius took place in 83 or 84 AD between the Roman army and a coalition of Vacomagi, Caledonii and other native tribes.^[am] The combined might of the Roman army resulted in a decisive victory for the Roman general Agricola.^[an]

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 that Bennachie, near Inverurie in Aberdeenshire, might have been a possible location.^[ao]

The Roman army consisted of:^[ap]

During the previous years the Roman advance had destroyed farms and crops;^[aq] 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.^[ar]

The Roman historian Tacitus gave this account: ^[au]

The Legio XX Valeria Victrix from Clunia in Hispania Tarraconensis (Spain) took part in the Battle of Mons Graupius AD c.83 and built and occupied the castra at Inchtuthil on the River Tay AD 82–86. They evacuated Inchtuthill c.87 and arrived at Deva Victrix (Chester) AD 88 where they were based for another two centuries.

Chronology:^[ax]

A Roman altar found in Chester, AD 1653, may provide evidence that the Legio XX worshipped the Gaulish deity Taranis, but using the variant name Tanarus. There is a natural association between Tanarus – God of thunder – rain and rivers.^[ay]

It is possible that the Water of Tanar – in Glen Tanar – derives its name from the Gaulish deity Tanarus. At the entrance to Glen Tanar is the Bridge o' Ess, suggesting that this part of the river was previously known as the Ess (or Esk, a common river name) possibly derived from the Gaulish deity Esus – God of the river.^[w] The Tanar rises on the north side of Mount Keen, the most easterly of the Scottish Munro's.

Mount Keen is in a geographic area known as the Mounth, an expanse of high plateau that extends west to east from the Cairngorms across to the North Sea coast. It forms a physical barrier to north-south travel – historians sometimes refer to the Mounth in the context of it being a geo-political border that historically separated the north and south of Pictland.^[az][ba]

Mount Keen is also part of a range of hills that defined the west to east boundary between the former regions of Grampian and Tayside.

The Mounth Road is a high level track that connects Glen Esk (south of the Mounth) with Aboyne on the River Dee (north of the Mounth). The track traverses the west flank of Mount Keen before descending down into Glen Tanar. Historically the Mounth Road connected the north and south of Pictland.

The Vacomagi were a confederacy of smaller tribes, each one a separate polity with its own hierarchy of leaders. According to the data collected by Ptolemy, the Vacomagi were spread out over a wide area between the Moray Firth and the Firth of Forth; to the east of the Cairngorms and north of the Clyde–Forth isthmus. This area was also occupied by neighbouring tribes: Taexali (north-east), Venicones (south-east) and Caledones (west).

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: Caledones and Maeatae. It has been conjectured that the Vacomagi and other tribes realigned their allegiances towards two main polities, those of the Caledones and Maeatae, in order to better coordinate their defence against the Romans.^[bb]

It was only by about the late 7th century that the descendants of the Vacomagi and Caledones became the contiguous group that is knows as the Picts, ruled by a single Pictish king.^[bc]

• Insular Celts
• Celtic Britons
• Gaels
• List of ancient Celtic peoples and tribes
• Picts / Caledonians

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