ABSTRACT
As we have seen (Chapter 1), an aim of conquest and occupation was to create provinces that were economical to run peacefully; the passages of Dio Cassius and Tacitus provide an indication of what was desired, whilst Tacitus’ description of Agricola’s contribution provides some information on methods employed to achieve this. The necessary prerequisites to a successful process of involving local people in their own administration were the appropriate attitude of mind, the existence of incentives and a culture of wealth-creation. In this way, the Roman occupation would be able to utilise the services of the local upper classes who would certainly not have agreed with the observation put by Tacitus into the mouth of the Caledonian chieftain, Calgacus: ‘They create a desolation, and call it peace.’
