Who were the Attacotti?

In the 4^th century AD, the Roman historian, Ammianus Marcellinus explained that two Pictish tribes, the Dicalydones and Verturiones were raiding Britannia along with the Scots and the Attacotti. Whilst we know about the Scots and the Picts, the identity of the Attacotti is unknown. St Jerome explains that the Attacotti were serving in the Roman army in Gaul in the 4^th century. I would suggest that the Attacotti were the tribe based at Dunadd in Dalriada in the west of Scotland. Dunadd is located next to the River Add, which runs through Strathadd and down to the west coast. In some sources, Dunadd is referred to as Dun Att. There is also a river in North Italy called the River Adda. The cotti element of the name may have something to do with the French words côte, meaning ‘coast’ and à côté, meaning ‘next to’. The word côte is supposedly derived from the Latin, costa. The name Dalriada may also be derived from the word Add or Adda. However, Riata is supposedly the name of the common ancestor of the kings of Dalriada. The name Riata may be derived from Rí Adda, which would be Gaelic for the king of Adda. 

As the Scots were based in Ireland at the time, and the Picts were based to the north of the Firth of Forth, the Attacotti may have been based in Dalriada. They would have been the tribe based at Dunadd and along the banks of the River Add. If the Attacotti were based at Dunadd, what were they doing serving in the Roman army in Gaul in the 4^th century? The Romans never invaded Dalriada, so it’s difficult to see how some of the Attacotti would have joined the Roman army. As Dunadd is close to the coast, the Roman navy may have sailed up the west coast and raided the Attacotti. They may have taken hostages who would have joined the Roman army.  

Dunadd hillfort and the River Add.
www.canmore.org.uk

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