Nearly a century after Julius Cæsar had landed in this island the conquest of Britain was begun in earnest.

In the year 79 Agricola planted the Eagles of Rome on the banks of the Tyne, and during the next campaign carried his conquests as far as the Tay. Before he gave up his command, he had raised the Roman standard in the Orkney Islands.

When Rome planted her foot she usually planted it firmly, and thus she retained in her grasp all the best portions of the island for more than 300 years. Some of the legions which landed in the time of Claudius remained in the island until the close of the Roman domination.