The Burnswark Hill controversy
The artillery evidence
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11615697 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Alan Wilkins (0009-0000-9370-6413, Independent researcher, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 183 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 1-16 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-28 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Archaeological Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0066-5983 • E-ISSN: 2373-2288 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/00665983.2025.2589604 |
| OpenAlex | W7125937977 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 9 |
Contrary to several recent publications, this paper will argue that the case against Burnswark being a genuine siege is strongly supported by detailed analysis of the Roman use of artillery, specifically the position and interpretation of the Three Brethren as artillery mounds, the close position of the South Camp in relation to the Iron Age hillfort, the numbers and different types of missiles striking the collapsed/slighted stone face of the hillfort’s rampart, and the non-use of a Vespasian-style catapult blitzkrieg.
Artillery · Radar tracker · Tower · Work (physics · Historical Architecture and Urbanism · Historical Studies of British Isles · Scottish History and National Identity
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |