Ever hopeful

A trio of detectorists were busy in the stubble field this morning. 


In AD 84, the battle of Mons Graupius took place near to here, on the slopes of Bennachie. A large force of 17,000 Roman soldiers led by Agricola took on 30,000 natives under the leadership of Calagacus. According to the only contemporary account of the battle, Tacitus' The Life of Gnaeus Julius Agricola, the Romans emerged totally victorious, slaying some 10,000 of their opponents with the loss of only 360 on their own side.

Doubtless the detectorists were hopeful that the natives had buried their hoard of gold and silver before the Romans hove into sight.

The bad news is that it probably lies beneath the dung pile!