Citation with stable link: Philip A. Harland, 'Britons: Dio Cassius on the wild lifestyle and banditry of Maiatians and Kaledonians (early third century CE),' Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World, last modified August 8, 2024, https://philipharland.com/Blog/?p=21446.
Ancient author: Dio Cassius (early third century CE), Roman History 77.12.1–5 and 77.15.1-5, as summarized by John Xiphilinus (eleventh century; link).
Comments: Primarily as a justification of emperor Septimius Severus’ invasion of Kaledonia around 208 CE, Dio Cassius sketches out a picture of two primitive, wild and dangerous populations on the island of Britannia. A subsequent revolt of the inhabitants is crushed violently with Severus calling for annihilation of the entire population.
This comes down to us only in the summary by Xiphilinus from the eleventh century, however. There are affinities with both Julius Caesar’s account (link) and, especially, Tacitus’ sketch of Britons in connection with his father-in-law’s time as governor and commander in the 70s and 80s CE, namely his writing in praise of Agricola (link).
Works consulted: D. Mattingly, An Imperial Possession: Britain in the Roman Empire, 54 BC-AD 409 (London: Penguin Books, 2006).
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[Lifestyle of the two descent groups]
(77.12.1–5) There are two principal descent groups (genē) of the Britons, the Kaledonians and the Maiatians, and the names of the others have been merged into these two. The Maiatians live next to the cross-wall which cuts the island in half, and the Kaledonians are beyond them. Both of these inhabit wild and waterless mountains and desolate and swampy plains. They possess neither walls and cities, nor tilled fields. Instead, they live on their flocks, wild game, and certain fruits. They do not touch the fish which are found in immense and inexhaustible quantities there. They live in tents, naked and without foot-wear, and they possess their women in common and raise their children in common. They have rule by the people for the most part, and they enjoy engaging in banditry (lēsteuein). Consequently, they choose their boldest men as rulers.
[War customs]
They go into battle in chariots, and have small, swift horses. There are also foot-soldiers, very swift in running and very firm in standing their ground. For weapons they have a shield and a short spear with a bronze apple attached to the end of the spear-shaft. The purpose of this is that, when it is shaken, it may clash and terrify the enemy. They also have daggers.
They can endure hunger and cold and any kind of hardship. They plunge into the swamps and exist there for many days with only their heads above water, and in the forests they support themselves upon bark and roots, and for all emergencies they prepare a certain kind of food which, even if they only eat a small portion the size of a bean, prevents them from feeling either hunger or thirst.
That is the general character of the island of Britannia and of the inhabitants, at least those in the war-like portion of the island. For it is an island and that fact, as I have stated, was clearly proved at that time. Its length is 7,130 stadium lengths, its greatest width is 2,310 stadium-lengths, and its narrowest is 300. Of all this territory we hold a little less than one half. . . [omitted sections].
[Revolt and imperial call for annihilation]
(77.15.1- 2) When the inhabitants of the island again revolted, Severus summoned the soldiers and ordered them to invade the rebels’ country, killing everybody they met. Severus quoted these words: “Let no one escape sheer destruction, / No one our hands, not even the babe in the womb of the mother, / If it be male; let it nevertheless not escape sheer destruction” [Homer, Iliad 6.57-59]. When this had been done, and the Kaledonians had joined the revolt of the Maiatians, he began preparing to make war upon them in person.
While he was engaged with this, Severus’ sickness carried him off on the fourth of February, not without some help, they say, from Antoninus. Anyways, before Severus died, he is reported to have spoken thus to his sons (I give his exact words without embellishment): “Be harmonious, enrich the soldiers, and scorn all other men.” . . . [omitted remainder of account].
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Source of translation: E. Cary and H.B. Foster, Dio’s Roman History, 9 volumes, LCL (Cambridge, MA: HUP, 1914-27), public domain, adapted by Harland.