Vita gazette – 2000-year-old ancient Roman Road, described as the most important in Scottish history, has been discovered.

A 2000-year-old Roman road was discovered during an archaeological excavation in the garden of a cottage a few kilometres from the centre of Stirling (Scotland), near the 18th-century Old Drip Bridge. A 2,000-year-old ancient Roman road has been unearthed in the garden of the Old Inn Cottage near Stirling, Scotland.

The road has been described as the most important in Scottish history and was built by the Roman army of General Julius Agricola in the 1st century AD. The Roman road would have connected to a ford crossing the River Forth; it was used during the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD by the Roman legions to launch invasions into Scotland under the emperors Antoninus and Severus.

The road, city officials said, was used by centuries of leaders, including the real Macbeth. Historical figures who used the road included Scottish kings such as Macbeth and Robert the Bruce and English leaders Henry VIII, William the Conqueror and Oliver Cromwell. William Wallace of “Braveheart” fame also used the road, Stirling officials said.

It has been described as the most crucial road in Scottish history; the cobbled road was built by the Roman armies of General Julius Agricola in the 1st century AD and would have connected to a ford that crossed the River Forth.

Many important historical figures of Scottish and British history used the road for military campaigns because of the strategic importance of crossing River Forth and reaching the Highlands, but also because of its proximity to Stirling, Scotland’s former capital city.

Chris Kane, the leader of Stirling Council, said the discovery was a reminder of the rich history of the area.

 “This discovery is a reminder that our built heritage goes back a further millennium to when it was the Romans crossing the Forth and starting the story of Stirling. Stirling’s place at the heart of Scotland and the heart of Scottish history is something we are very proud of, and understanding more about the route of the Roman Road adds another chapter to share with the many visitors who come from around the world to experience all that Stirling has to offer.”

Stirling Council Archaeologist Murray Cook, who led the dig, said: “To walk where Wallace and Bruce went, let alone the Romans, Picts, and Vikings, is astonishing. To the south, the road heads towards Falkirk and would eventually take you to England. To the north, it would take you a crossing over the Tay and the edge of the Roman Empire. The road ceased to be maintained after the Romans left, so it became an eroded hollow, and what we have found is the eroded surface of the road.”