Picts

Picts, ancient inhabitants of central and northern Scotland and of northern Ireland. They were of rather short stature and of dark complexion. They are believed to have arrived in Scotland from the Continent about 1000 bc and in Ireland from Scotland about ad200.

The Picts are first mentioned by Roman writers in the late 3rd century ad as raiders who harassed the Roman province of Britain from the north. Hadrian's Wall was built to protect the Roman colonies from their attacks. The Picts figured in connection with the campaigns of Roman Emperor Constantius Chlorus in Britain in ad296 and 306. In Scotland the northern Picts were converted to Christianity probably in the 4th century, and the southern Picts were converted probably in the 5th century. At first the Saxons kept clear of the Picts, but as the former pushed farther northward, they too encountered these northern people and were defeated by them in 685. For a long time thereafter border warfare was carried on. The Picts, who by this time were united under a king, also fought continuously in Scotland with the Scots who had settled there in the 4th century. In 850 the Picts were defeated by Kenneth I, king of Scotland. Kenneth united the domains of the two rival tribes and thus founded the kingdom of Scotland.