Romans

[RoninX]

Really? I always thought it was derived from <i>barba</i>- beard- referring to the fact that they didn't shave... Maybe they stole the word from the Greeks.

Those are the two big theories out there on this, I have actually heard that barba is derived from barbarian rather than the other way around as well. This actually makes some sense as the greeks certainly called barbarian "outsiders" xenoi rather than than refering their beard: see thucidides description of the difference between other hellenes and the xenoi in (I believe) the introduction to his "history of the peloponesian war".

[Gav]

Care to cite specific instances? Barring 367 of course, after which they still managed to reassert imperial control of the province. They only withdrew from Britain about 30 or 40 years later.

I'm not sure what you mean here. You are broadly correct although the romans did pull out of caledon around AD 214 - after retreating past both walls. So the entire province of Britain wasn't totally settled prior to AD 367.

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Picti was a common roman appellation for the celtic tribes who inhabited the northern (Caledon) part of Britain. However the romans were never specific, and it's almost certain that there were several different tribes. The term pict is almost congruous with the word 'punk' in the sense it just means 'that 'painted lot over there'. Of course I'm generalising whole books have been written about this subject.
Don't confuse the picts with the southern tribes. The wilder tribes inhabiting the far north were never romanised - probably because the romans decided they weren't worth bothering with. Two walls were built: the antonine and the hadrian to establish a border and control trade. Phew! That was a quick history.

The first recorded statement of a pict was by Calgacus (possibly means sword-man and may not have been his name) at Mons Graupius (AD 84?) recorded by Tacitus. Calgacus probably never said the words [how would Tacitus know?] but it makes for good reading if you find the quote.

To plunder, butcher, steal - these things they misname 'empire': they make a desert, and they call it peace.

Appropriate for these days as well?

There's an interesting visitor site called Pictavia near Brechin if anyone is ever in the area.

[Teme]

The wilder tribes inhabiting the far north were never romanised - probably because the romans decided they weren't worth bothering with. Two walls were built: the antonine and the hadrian to establish a border and control trade.

A watchtower and fortification system potruded north along the Gask Ridge, all the way up to Brechin (50(?) miles north of Antonine wall). There are remains of marching camps as far north as Inverness, though (all predating Agricola). And remembering Valerian's punishing raid, it's quite obvious the the Romans ventured north at will, the 'picts' being able to offer little resistance.

It appears that Agricola, regardless of his son-in-law's 'imaginative reporting', was more of an bureaucrat than general. More likely to have been sent to organize governing and taxation than conquer.