02: Birth of a Nation | In Search of Scotland

Duration: 29'16''

Synopsis

By the first century, Scotland was in an age of competing tribes speaking different languages. Fiona Watson examines how the Picts, Britons, Romans, Gaels, Angles and Norsemen all contributed to the development of Alba.

Further Information

More clips from In Search of Scotland

01: Mysterious Ancestors | In Search of Scotland

01: Mysterious Ancestors | In Search of Scotland

BBC Two | 2001 | 29'06''

Exploring Scotland's dramatic history, Dr Fiona Watson begins with our mysterious Neolithic ancestors.

03: Impact of the Monk | In Search of Scotland

03: Impact of the Monk | In Search of Scotland

BBC Two | 2001 | 29'08''

In the middle ages monasticism was a potent force in society with the monks having an important impact on lay activities. Fion...

04: The Wars of Independence | In Search of Scotland

04: The Wars of Independence | In Search of Scotland

BBC Two | 2001 | 28'55''

How English aggression in the 13th and 14th centuries forged Scottish people more firmly into a nation.

05: Court and Kirk | In Search of Scotland

05: Court and Kirk | In Search of Scotland

BBC Two | 2001 | 29'02''

Fiona Watson examines how the emergence of Protestantism changed Scottish society and opened new political divides.

06: The European Lifeline | In Search of Scotland

06: The European Lifeline | In Search of Scotland

BBC Two | 2001 | 29'11''

From the 15th century the east coast burghs formed strong trading links with western and northern Europe. Fiona Watson trav...

07: The Making of the Union | In Search of Scotland

07: The Making of the Union | In Search of Scotland

BBC Two | 2002 | 29'12''

Fiona Watson explains the background to Scotland's union with England in 1707 and asks if bribery, double-dealing and tre...

08: Crucible of the Modern World | In Search of Scotland

08: Crucible of the Modern World | In Search of Scotland

BBC Two | 2003 | 29'19''

Fiona Watson looks at the influential Scots who played a large part in both the Enlightenment and the Industrial Rev...

09: The Victorian Achievement | In Search of Scotland

09: The Victorian Achievement | In Search of Scotland

BBC Two | 2004 | 28'59''

Fiona Watson looks at how the prosperity of cities such as Glasgow and Dundee in the 19th century was tempered by wides...

10: A Century of Pain and Pleasure | In Search of Scotland

10: A Century of Pain and Pleasure | In Search of Scotland

BBC Two | 2005 | 29'22''

Fiona Watson looks at how the decline of heavy industry in the 20th century has affected Scotland and how the Scot...

More resources about Pre-history

01: Mysterious Ancestors | In Search of Scotland

01: Mysterious Ancestors | In Search of Scotland

BBC Two | 2001 | 29'06''

Exploring Scotland's dramatic history, Dr Fiona Watson begins with our mysterious Neolithic ancestors.

01: Stonehenge | The Flying Archaeologist

01: Stonehenge | The Flying Archaeologist

BBC One | 2013 | 28'58''

Archaeologist Ben Robinson flies over Wiltshire to uncover new discoveries in the Stone Age landscape. Sites found from the air hav...

S01E01: Age of Ice | A History of Ancient Britain

S01E01: Age of Ice | A History of Ancient Britain

BBC HD | 2011 | 58'52''

Neil Oliver travels back to ice age Britain as he begins the epic story of the evolution of the land and its occupants over...

S01E03: Age of Cosmology | A History of Ancient Britain

S01E03: Age of Cosmology | A History of Ancient Britain

BBC HD | 2011 | 58'42''

Neil Oliver continues his journey through the world of Ancient Britain as he encounters an age of cosmological priest...

02: Norfolk Broads | The Flying Archaeologist

02: Norfolk Broads | The Flying Archaeologist

BBC One | 2013 | 28'58''

Ben Robinson flies over the Broads where photos have revealed 945 previously unknown ancient sites, many of which have historia...

Amanirenas | Africa's Great Civilisations

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BBC Four | 2018 | 3'21''

Henry Louis Gates Jr investigates Amanirenas, the Queen of the Kingdom of Kush.

Early humans and the development of culture | Africa's Great Civilisations

Early humans and the development of culture | Africa's Great Civilisations

BBC Four | 2018 | 5'06''

Henry Louis Gates Jr investigates early human migration from Africa and the development of culture...

Europe's first farmers | Europe: A Natural History

Europe's first farmers | Europe: A Natural History

BBC Four | 2007 | 3'17''

An exploration of the first farmers in Mesopotamia.

Iron technologies | Africa's Great Civilisations

Iron technologies | Africa's Great Civilisations

BBC Four | 2018 | 2'22''

Henry Louis Gates investigates the early uses of Iron and the impacts it had on early societies in Africa.

S01E02: Age of Ancestors | A History of Ancient Britain

S01E02: Age of Ancestors | A History of Ancient Britain

BBC HD | 2011 | 59'00''

Neil Oliver continues the story of how today's Britain and its people were forged over thousands of years of ancient ...

S01E04: Age of Bronze | A History of Ancient Britain

S01E04: Age of Bronze | A History of Ancient Britain

BBC HD | 2011 | 58'38''

Neil Oliver continues his epic tour of Britain's most distant past with the arrival of metals and the social revolution ...

S02E01: Age of Iron | A History of Ancient Britain

S02E01: Age of Iron | A History of Ancient Britain

BBC HD | 2011 | 58'58''

Neil Oliver continues his epic story of how Britain came to be. It's 1,000 BC and the end of the Bronze Age: economic melt...

S02E02: Age of Warriors | A History of Ancient Britain

S02E02: Age of Warriors | A History of Ancient Britain

BBC HD | 2011 | 58'39''

Continuing his epic story of Britain and its peoples, Neil Oliver encounters the age of the Celts - a time of warriors...

S02E07: Dinosaurs & Duplicity: Discovery of the First Dinosaur | Days That Shook the World

S02E07: Dinosaurs & Duplicity: Discovery of the First Dinosaur | Days That Shook the World

BBC Two | 2004 | 30'08''

Using dramatized reconstructions, this program recalls the first discovery of a di...

S02E07: Piltdown Man | Days That Shook the World

S02E07: Piltdown Man | Days That Shook the World

BBC Two | 2004 | 29'10''

Using dramatized reconstructions, this program recalls the 'Piltdown Man' hoax in 1953.

The evolution of writing | Africa's Great Civilisations

The evolution of writing | Africa's Great Civilisations

BBC Four | 2018 | 3'42''

Henry Louis Gates Jr investigates the evolution of writing in Africa.

The origins of humanity in Africa | Africa's Great Civilisations

The origins of humanity in Africa | Africa's Great Civilisations

BBC Four | 2018 | 5'08''

Henry Louis Gates Jr looks at the discoveries that point to Africa as the genetic home of all currently livi...

What was Stonehenge? | Europe: A Natural History

What was Stonehenge? | Europe: A Natural History

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The history of Stonehenge.

S09E03 | Digging for Britain

S09E03 | Digging for Britain

BBC Two | 2022 | 58'58''

The best archaeology from the north of Britain, including Scotland's oldest railway, one of the best-preserved Norman castles and an extraordina...

03: The Aztecs, Maya and Incas | What the Ancients Did for Us

03: The Aztecs, Maya and Incas | What the Ancients Did for Us

BBC Two | 2008 | 58'57''

Roving reporter Hermione Cockburn describes Aztec, Mayan and Incan inventions, including chocolate, suspension ...