The Roman Empire had entered into war…

The Roman Empire had entered into war with the Kingdom of Dacia in the East not long after Agricola's recall from Britain.

Reinforcements are needed, and in 87 or 88, Domitian orders a large-scale strategic withdrawal of troops in the British province.

The fortress at Inchtuthil is dismantled and the Caledonian forts and watchtowers abandoned, moving the Roman frontier some one hundred and twenty kilometers (seventy-five miles) further south.

The army command may have resented Domitian's decision to retreat, but to him the Caledonian territories have never represented anything more than a loss to the Roman treasury.