Rome's North-West Frontier.

Inspired by Anthony Riches’ Empire series I assembled the following information from a number of sources for future use as scenario games or DBA demonstrations. Plenty of scope for tribal rivalries, barbarian raids to major reprisal operations and all with a historical base.

Tribes confronting the Romans are located on the map. Source Wiki:

This list below are Roman units known to have deployed along the wall prior to the Severan campaign. Roman-Britain.org has proved useful resource not only for tracking the transit of known units, but also displaying fort plans of each site.

From a DBA perspective, the total number of units could equate to two command of Romans, but with military operations away from the wall this could leave garrison strengths at a minimum or none at all. A tempting prospect for the barbarians.

North of the wall, (noted at Roman-Britain.org) the distances between forts could easily be covered within a half day’s march or less.


Hadrian’s Wall – Pre-Severan Period

List of Forts Garrison
1. Segedunum (the Strong Fort)......... Cohors II Nerviorum c.R.
2. Pons Aelius (Aelian Bridge)............vex. Legio VI Victrix
3. Condercum (Fine Vista)..................vex. Legio XX, Cohors I Vangionum M.E.
4. Vindobala (White Strength)............vex. Legio VI Victrix
5. Hunnum (the Rock).......................  Ala I Pannoniorum Sabiniana
6. Cilurnum (Resounding Noise).........vex. Lex VI Victrix, Cohors I Dalmatae
7. Brocolita (Badger Hole).................. Cohors I Cugernorum
8. Vercovicium (Village on Slope)......Cohors I Tungrorum, num. Hnaudifridi, cun. Frisiorum
9. Aesica (Caw Gap).......................... Cohors VI Raetorum, Cohors II Asturia.
10.Magnis (the Rocks)....................... Cohors I Hamiorum Sag.
11. Banna (the Peak)........................   Cohors I Thracum (AD 205 – c.R.)
12. Camboglanna (Bent Valley)......... Cohors II Tungrorum Eq.
13. Uxelodunum (Waterside Fort).......Ala Petriana M.
14. Aballava (Orchard)......................  Cohors I Nervi M.,
15. Coggabata (Small Hill)................. Cohors ? later II Lingones
16. Mais (the Larger).........................  Cohors ? M.

Outposts beyond the wall.
17. Habitancum (Habitus’ People).......Cohors I Vangionum M. Eq.
18. Bremenium (Roaring Stream)........Cohors I Dalmatae
19. Fanum Cocidi (Cocidius Shrine)....Cohors I Dacorum M.
20. Ad Fines ()..................................    Cohors ?

Supply forts behind the wall
21. Alauna ()
22. Arbeia (Arab Fort)
23. Coria ()
24. Vindolanda (White Enclosure)........Cohors IV Gallorum
25. Vindomora ().............................. ... Cohors IV Breucorum Antoninianae


Useful links:

Hadrian’s Wall: www.Roman-Britain.org
Tactics: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_infantry_tactics

Historical Maps

Researching background information about the Severan Dynasty through the Internet I found a lot of maps; some quite detailed but none were contemporary. Maps of the period should display the most basic of information, such as rivers, mountains, cities and distance between.

Quite by accident, I found an excellent example of what I needed and further searching I found its source, Claudius Ptolomaeus, Cosmographica at the Bibliothèque national de France.

About Claudius Ptolomey, you can find at wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy

The maps of his Cosmographica show basic information and lists the cities of the 2nd century AD in- and outside the Empire. This is particularly useful for designing maps for campaign use. No boundaries are drawn, a clear statement that the Empire was not limiting itself. 

Some sample maps:

Illyricum/Thrace

Britannia

Persia

Cheers,