England v Scotland: 2000 Years Of Ups And Downs

The History Behind Cameron v Salmond's Current Row (SLIDESHOW)

The current clash between David Cameron and Alex Salmond over a future Scottish referendum for independence is the latest confrontation in a 2000-year history of rivalry between England and Scotland.

At the moment the two leaders are locked in a political, legal and perhaps constitutional row over who can trigger a referendum in Scotland, when it should be held and what the question should be on the ballot paper. Alex Salmond believes he can hold a referendum without asking Westminster for permission first, and that he'd like to do this in the autumn of 2014.

From the policies of Roman Emperors to medieval treaties, football-stadiums and poll taxes, we take a look back on how this rivalry has changed and evolved over the centuries.

As with so much these days, it's possible to blame the Italians for starting it all.