Great Conspiracy

The Great Conspiracy
Part of the Roman occupation of Britain
Northern Roman Britain, c. 350–400 AD.
Date 367–368 Location Roman Britain Result Roman victory
Belligerents
Roman Empire	Picts Scotti Attacotti Saxons Franks Roman deserters rebellious Britons
Commanders and leaders
Nectaridus † Fullofaudes Severus Jovinus Count Theodosius	Valentinus and others

The Great Conspiracy was a year-long state of war and disorder that occurred near the end of Roman Britain. 4th-century Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus describes it as a barbarica conspiratio which took advantage of a depleted military force in the province; many soldiers had marched with Magnentius in his unsuccessful bid to become emperor. Few returned, and supply, pay, and discipline in the following years may have been deficient.

It is difficult to ascertain the chronology of the events because their main source, Ammianus, was living in Antioch at that time. His information looks second-hand and confused, and some is inconsistent with that produced by other sources.^[1]