The Road to Mons Graupius

by Alan Montgomery

The Road to Mons Graupius records a journey from the Scottish Borders to the edge of the Highlands along the route of a Roman road. On the way, Alan Montgomery, author of Walking the Antonine Wall, searches for evidence of the first-century Roman invasion of northern Britain led by the renowned general Gnaeus Julius Agricola, which concluded in a confrontation with the indigenous tribes next to a hill called Mons Graupius. As well as featuring the author’s encounters with some of Scotland’s most intriguing ancient monuments, it also examines the account of this invasion written by the Roman author Tacitus, a unique text that has fascinated and frustrated Scots through the ages and inspired a fanatical hunt for the elusive site of Scotland’s first recorded battle.

Genres: History

Paperback

First published January 1, 2025

About the author

Alan Montgomery grew up in Edinburgh but has lived for many years in London. He has been fascinated by history ever since childhood, his love of the subject inspired by Scotland's rich collection of historical monuments. He studied History of Art at Glasgow University, then worked for many years in the art world at both an international auction house and an antique dealer. In recent years he has returned academia and indulged his passion for the ancient past, achieving an MA in Classical Civilisation and completing a Ph.D. in which he analyzed eighteenth-century attitudes towards the ancient Roman world. He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in 2017.

Reviews

[Antony Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable and easy to read journey through Roman Scotland. Knowledgeable and personal, this is definitely recommended for anyone interested in Scotland's complex relationship with its Roman past and its surprising physical remains

[Deryck Gorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Montgomery’s journey through Roman Scotland and highly recommend giving it a go. It serves both as a delightful travelogue filled with tiny glimpses into his journey and also as a historical commentary on important Roman sites to include the historical record of generations of antiquarians who came before. It was a pleasureful read at every ‘step’ on the Road to Mons Graupius.