A History of Scotland | The Last of the Free (S1 E1)

The earliest history of Scotland is shrouded in something of a mist. Much of that early history is mythologized and seen through the eyes of others such as the Roman, Tacitus. Hadrian's wall was the line in the sand between Roman and unconquered Britain and the Romans only rarely ventured north. The Romans left Britain in 409 and the the Picts - or painted ones - were the dominant group. They were no wild barbarians but just as they vanished, Scotland came into being. The Picts were not the only group however with the Christian Gaels occupying a large territory. It's only late in the 9th century that tribal titles are dropped and the first monarchs of Scotland are identified.