This article is part of the series on: Military of ancient Rome (portal) 800 BC – AD 476

Structural history

Roman army (unit types and ranks, legions, auxiliaries, generals)

Roman navy (fleets, admirals)

Campaign history

Lists of wars and battles

Decorations and punishments

Technological history

Military engineering (castra, siege engines, arches, roads)

Personal equipment

Political history

Strategy and tactics

Infantry tactics

Frontiers and fortifications (limes, Hadrian's Wall)

Hadrian's Wall (Latin: Rigore Valli Aeli, "the line along Hadrian's frontier") is a stone and turf fortification built by the Roman Empire across the width of what is now modern-day England. Commonwealth English! -->The military of ancient Rome relates to the combined military forces of Ancient Rome from the founding of the city The structural history of the Roman military describes the major chronological transformations in the organization and constitution of Ancient Rome 's armed forces, The Roman army was a set of military forces employed by the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic and later Roman Empire as part of the Roman military This is a list of both unit types and ranks of the Roman army from the Roman Republic to the fall of This is a list of Roman legions, including key facts about each legion primarily focusing on Principate (early Empire 30BC - 284AD legions for which there exists Auxiliaries (from Latin: auxilia = "supports" formed the standing non-citizen corps of the Roman army of the Principate (30 BC&ndash284 AD A Manius Acilius Glabrio -- Manius Acilius Glabrio (consul 191 BC -- Manius Acilius Glabrio (consul 91 -- Titus The Roman Navy ( Latin: Classis, lit "fleet" comprised the naval forces of the Roman state The Roman Navy ( Latin: Classis, lit "fleet" comprised the naval forces of the Roman state From its origin as a city-state in Italy in 9th century BC the rise as an empire covering much of Eurasia and North The following is a List of Roman wars fought by the ancient Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic and Roman Empire, organized by date The following is a list of Roman Battles fought by the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic, the Roman Empire, and sometimes the Byzantine Empire As with most other military forces the Roman military adopted a "carrot and stick" approach to military with an extensive list of decorations for military gallantry The technology history of the Roman military covers the development of and application of technologies for use in the armies and navies of Rome from the Roman Republic to the fall The military engineering of Ancient Rome 's armed forces was of a scale and frequency far beyond that of any of its contemporaries The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military Roman Siege engines were for the most part adapted from Hellenistic Siege Technology. List of ancient Roman Triumphal arches (By modern country France Carpentras Triumphal Arch The Roman Roads were essential for the growth of the Roman Empire, by enabling the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate news Roman military personal equipment was produced in large numbers to established patterns and used in an established way Rome's military was always tightly keyed to its political system The strategy of the Roman Military encompasses its Grand strategy (the arrangements made by the state to implement its political goals through a selection of military goals Roman infantry tactics refers to the theoretical and historical deployment formation and maneuvers of the Roman infantry from the start of the Roman Republic to the fall Roman military borders and fortifications were part of a Grand strategy of territorial defense in the Roman Empire. A limes (or the Limes Romanus) was a Border defense or delimiting system of Ancient Rome. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. In Geology, rock is a naturally occurring aggregate of Minerals and/or Mineraloids The Earth's outer solid layer the ‘ Lithosphere Sod or turf is grass and the part of the Soil beneath it held together by the Roots or a piece of this material Fortifications are Military Constructions and Buildings designed for defense in Warfare Humans have constructed defensive works for The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Begun in AD 122, it was the third of four such fortifications built across Great Britain, the first being from the Clyde to the Forth under Agricola and the last the Antonine Wall. The Antonine Wall is a stone and turf Fortification, built by the Romans across what is now the Central belt of Scotland All three were built to prevent military raids by the Pictish tribes (ancient inhabitants of Scotland) to the north, to improve economic stability and provide peaceful conditions in the Roman province of Britannia to the south, and to mark physically the frontier of the Empire. A raid can refer to either a military tactic, or a larger Grand Tactical or Operational warfare mission which require the execution of a plan where The Picts were a Confederation of tribes in what was later to become eastern and northern Scotland from Roman times until the 10th century A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally consists of a Social group existing before the development of or outside of States Many anthropologists use Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. In Ancient Rome, a province (Latin provincia, pl provinciae) was the basic and until the Tetrarchy (circa Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410 Hadrian's Wall is the best known of the three because its physical presence remains most evident today.

The wall marked the northern limes in Britain and also the most heavily fortified border in the Empire. A limes (or the Limes Romanus) was a Border defense or delimiting system of Ancient Rome. In addition to its use as a military fortification, it is thought that the gates through the wall would also have served as customs posts to allow trade taxation. Customs is an Authority or agency in a Country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods

A significant portion of the wall still exists, particularly the mid-section, and for much of its length the wall can be followed on foot. It is the most popular tourist attraction in Northern England, where it is often known simply as the Roman Wall. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex English Heritage, a government organization in charge of managing the historic environment of England, describes it as "the most important monument built by the Romans in Britain". English Heritage is a Non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom government ( Department for Culture Media and Sport) with a broad remit of ^[1]

Dimensions

Sections of Hadrian's Wall remain near Greenhead and along the route, though other large sections have been dismantled over the years to use the stones for various nearby construction projects.

Hadrian's Wall was 80 Roman miles (73. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States 5 statute miles or 117 kilometres) long^[2], its width and height dependent on the construction materials which were available nearby. East of River Irthing the wall was made from squared stone and measured 3 metres (9. The River Irthing is a River in Cumbria, England and a major Tributary of the River Eden 7 ft) wide and five to six metres (16–20 ft) high, while west of the river the wall was made from turf and measured 6 metres (20 ft) wide and 3. 5 metres (11. 5 ft) high. This does not include the wall's ditches, berms, and forts. A berm is a level space shelf or raised barrier separating two areas The central section measured eight Roman feet wide (7. 8 ft or 2. 4 m) on a 10-foot (3. 0 m) base. Some parts of this section of the wall survive to a height of 10 feet (3. 0 m).

Route

Map showing the location of Hadrian's Wall

Hadrian's Wall extended west from Segedunum at Wallsend on the River Tyne to the shore of the Solway Firth. Segedunum ("strong fort" was a Roman fort at modern-day Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, England, UK. Wallsend is a town in North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. The River Tyne is a River in England. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers the North Tyne and the South Tyne. The Solway Firth is a Firth that forms part of the border between England and Scotland, between Cumbria (including the Solway Plain) and The A69 and B6318 roads follow the course of the wall as it starts in Newcastle upon Tyne to Carlisle, then on round the northern coast of Cumbria. The Great Britain road numbering scheme is a Numbering system used to classify and identify all Roads in Great Britain. Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England Carlisle (pronounced CARLYLE(emphasis on the first syllable is a City in northern England the largest settlement in Cumbria. Boundaries and divisions Cumbria is neighboured by Northumberland, County Durham, North Yorkshire, Lancashire, and the Lieutenancy The wall is entirely in England and south of the border with Scotland by 15 kilometres (9 mi) in the west and 110 kilometres (68 mi) in the east. The Anglo-Scottish border (or English-Scottish border) runs for 96  Miles nbsp(154  km) between Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States

Hadrian

Hadrian's Wall was built following a visit by Roman Emperor Hadrian (AD 76–138) in AD 122. For a simplified list see Concise list of Roman Emperors. For more information see History of the Roman Empire. Publius Aelius Hadrianus (January 24 76 &ndash July 10 138 as emperor Imperator Caesar Divi Traiani filius Traianus Hadrianus Augustus, and Divus Hadrianus after Hadrian was experiencing military difficulties in Roman Britain and from the peoples of various conquered lands across the Empire, including Egypt, Judea, Libya, Mauretania, and many of the peoples conquered by his predecessor Trajan, so he was keen to impose order. Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410 This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Judea or Judæa ( Hebrew: יהודה Standard Yəhuda Tiberian Yəhûḏāh, "praised Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab In Antiquity Mauretania was originally an independent Berber kingdom on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa (named after the Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus, commonly known as Trajan ( September 18 53 &ndash August 9 117) was a Roman Emperor who However the construction of such an impressive wall was probably also a symbol of Roman power, both in occupied Britain and in Rome.

Frontiers in the early empire were largely based on natural features or fortified zones with a heavy military presence. Military roads often marked the border, with forts and signal towers spread along them, and it was not until the reign of Domitian that the first solid frontier was constructed, in Germania Superior, using a simple fence. Titus Flavius Domitianus (24 October 51 &ndash 18 September 96 commonly known as Domitian, was a Roman Emperor who reigned from 14 September 81 until his death Germania Superior ("Upper Germania " so called for the reason that it lay upstream of Germania Inferior, was a province of the Hadrian expanded this idea, redesigning the German border by ordering a continuous timber palisade supported by forts behind it. palisade is a steel or wooden Fence or wall of variable height usually used as a defensive structure Although such defences would not have held back any concerted invasion effort, they did physically mark the edge of Roman territory and went some way to providing a degree of control over who crossed the border and where.

Hadrian reduced Roman military presence in the territory of the Brigantes, who lived between the rivers Tyne and Humber, and concentrated on building a more solid linear fortification to the north of them. The Brigantes were a Celtic tribe who in pre-Roman times controlled the largest section of Northern England and a significant part of the Midlands The Humber is a large tidal Estuary on the east coast of northern England This was intended to replace the Stanegate road which is generally thought to have served as the limes (the boundary of the Roman Empire) until then. The Stanegate, or "stone road" ( Old English) was an important Roman road in northern England.

Construction

Construction probably started in AD 122 and was largely completed within eight years. Construction started in the east and proceeded westwards, with soldiers from all three of the occupying Roman legions participating in the work. A soldier is a general English term that refers to a member of a land component of National Armed forces. For other uses see Legion The Roman Legion (from Latin legio "military levy Conscription," The route chosen largely paralleled the nearby Stanegate road from Luguvalium (Carlisle) to Coria (Corbridge), which was already defended by a system of forts, including Vindolanda. Luguvalium (or possibly Luguvalium Carvetiorum) was a Town in the Roman province of Britannia. Carlisle (pronounced CARLYLE(emphasis on the first syllable is a City in northern England the largest settlement in Cumbria. Coria was a Fort and Town, located 25 miles (4km south of Hadrian's Wall, in the Roman province of Britannia. Corbridge is a small town in Northumberland, England, situated 16 miles (25 km west of Newcastle and 4 miles (6 km east of Hexham Vindolanda was a Roman auxiliary Fort ( castrum) located at Chesterholm just south of Hadrian's Wall in northern England The wall in the east follows the outcrop of a hard, resistant igneous diabase rock escarpment, known as the Whin Sill. Diabase (ˈdaɪəbeɪs or Dolerite is a Mafic, Holocrystalline, Igneous rock equivalent to Volcanic Basalt or plutonic Whin Sill is a tabular layer of Igneous rock or sill, in County Durham and Northumberland, in the Northeast of England. The wall incorporated Agricola's Ditch. Agricola's Ditch is a Roman era defensive structure spanning the width of Britain ^[3] The wall was constructed primarily to prevent entrance by small bands of raiders or unwanted immigration from the north, not as a fighting line for a major invasion according to Johnson. Immigration refers to the movement of people among countries While the movement of people has existed throughout human history at various levels modern immigration implies long-term An invasion is a military offensive consisting of all or large parts of the Armed forces of one geopolitical entity aggressively entering territory ^[4]

The initial plan called for a ditch and wall with eighty small gated milecastle fortlets, one placed every Roman mile, holding a few dozen troops each, and pairs of evenly spaced intermediate turrets used for observation and signalling. A milecastle or milecastle fort is a fortified structure constructed along Hadrian's Wall in Great Britain. Observation is either an activity of a living being (such as a Human) which senses and assimilates the Knowledge of a Phenomenon, or the recording of data Local limestone was used in the construction, except for the section to the west of Irthing where turf was used instead, since there were no useful outcrops nearby. Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 Milecastles in this area were also built from timber and earth rather than stone, but turrets were always made from stone. The Broad Wall was initially built with a clay-bonded rubble core and mortared dressed rubble facing stones, but this seems to have made it vulnerable to collapse, and repair with a mortared core was sometimes necessary.

Roman fort at Corstopitum. Corbridge is a small town in Northumberland, England, situated 16 miles (25 km west of Newcastle and 4 miles (6 km east of Hexham

The milecastles and turrets were of three different designs, depending on which Roman legion built them — inscriptions of the Second, Sixth, and Twentieth Legions, tell us that all were involved in the construction. For other uses see Legion The Roman Legion (from Latin legio "military levy Conscription," Legio II Augusta, or Second Augustan Legion, was a Roman legion, levied by Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus in 43 BC, and still operative Legio VI Victrix (Victorious was a Roman legion founded by Octavian in 41 BC. Legio XX Valeria Victrix was a Roman legion, probably raised by Augustus some time after 31 BC. All were about 493 metres (539 yards) apart and measured 4. 27 square metres (46. 0 square feet) internally. The square foot is an Imperial unit / US customary unit (non- SI non- metric) of Area, used mainly in the United States

Construction was divided into lengths of about 5 miles (8 km). One group of each legion would excavate the foundations and build the milecastles and turrets and then other cohorts would follow with the wall construction.

Early in its construction, just after reaching the North Tyne, the width of the wall was narrowed to 2. The River Tyne is a River in England. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers the North Tyne and the South Tyne. 5 metres (8. 2 ft) or even less (sometimes 1. 8 metres) (the "Narrow Wall"). However, Broad Wall foundations had already been laid as far as the River Irthing, where the Turf Wall began, demonstrating that construction worked from east to west. The River Irthing is a River in Cumbria, England and a major Tributary of the River Eden Many turrets and milecastles were optimistically provided with stub 'wing walls' in preparation for joining to the Broad Wall, offering a handy reference for archaeologists trying to piece together the construction chronology. A milecastle or milecastle fort is a fortified structure constructed along Hadrian's Wall in Great Britain.

Within a few years it was decided to add a total of 14 to 17 (sources disagree) full-sized forts along the length of the wall, including Vercovicium (Housesteads) and Banna (Birdoswald), each holding between 500 and 1,000 auxiliary troops (no legions were posted to the wall). Vercovicium (or Housesteads Roman Fort) was an auxiliary Castra on Hadrian's Wall, in the Roman province of Britannia. This article is about the farm at Housesteads for the Roman fort see Vercovicium. Banna (or Birdoswald Roman Fort) was a fort, towards the western end of Hadrian's Wall, in the Roman province of Britannia. This article is about the farm at Birdoswald for the Roman fort see Banna (Birdoswald. The eastern end of the wall was extended further east from Pons Aelius (Newcastle) to Segedunum (Wallsend) on the Tyne estuary. Pons Aelius (or Newcastle Roman Fort) was an auxiliary Castra and small Roman settlement on Hadrian's Wall in the Roman province Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England The River Tyne is a River in England. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers the North Tyne and the South Tyne. Some of the larger forts along the wall, such as Cilurnum (Chesters) and Vercovicium (Housesteads), were built on top of the footings of milecastles or turrets, showing the change of plan. Cilurnum or Cilurvum was a fort on Hadrian's Wall mentioned in the Notitia Dignitatum, now identified with the fort found at Chesters, also known An inscription mentioning early governor Aulus Platorius Nepos indicates that the change of plans took place early on. This is a partial list of Governors of Roman Britain. As Britannia, Roman Britain was a consular province which means its governors need to be appointed consul by Aulus Platorius Nepos was a Roman politician of the early 2nd century. Also some time still during Hadrian's reign (before AD 138) the wall west of the Irthing was rebuilt in sandstone to basically the same dimensions as the limestone section to the east.

Vallum at Hadrian's Wall near milecastle 42. " The vallum " was a component of Hadrian's Wall, consisting of a large earthwork and ditch built parallel with the Wall on the Wall's southern side

After the forts had been added (or possibly at the same time), the Vallum was built on the southern side. " The vallum " was a component of Hadrian's Wall, consisting of a large earthwork and ditch built parallel with the Wall on the Wall's southern side It consisted of a large, flat-bottomed ditch six metres (20 ft) wide at the top and three metres (10 ft) deep bounded by a berm on each side 10 metres (33 ft) wide. Beyond the berms were earth banks six metres (20 ft) wide and two metres (6. 5 ft) high. Causeways crossed the ditch at regular intervals. In modern usage a causeway is a road or railway elevated by a bank usually across a broad Body of water or Wetland. Initially the berm appears to have been the main route for transportation along the wall.

The wall was thus part of a defensive system which, from north to south included:

• a glacis and a deep ditch
• a berm with rows of pits holding entanglements
• the curtain wall
• a later military road (the "Military Way")
• a north mound, a ditch and a south mound to prevent or slow down any raids from a rebelling southern tribe. A glacis ( or) in Military Engineering is an artificial slope of earth used in late European fortresses so constructed as to keep any potential assailant

Garrison

The wall was garrisoned by auxiliary (non-legionary) units of the army (non-citizens). Garrison (various spellings (from the French garnison, itself from the verb garnir, "to equip" is the collective term for a body of Troops Their numbers fluctuated throughout the occupation but may have been around 9,000 strong in general, including infantry and cavalry. The Infantry is the oldest and most numerous of the Combat Arms in the Armed forces, and consists The Cavalry (from French cavalerie) is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as Soldiers or Warriors who fought mounted on The new forts could hold garrisons of 500 men, while cavalry units of 1,000 troops were stationed at either end. The total number of soldiers manning the early wall was probably greater than 10,000.

They suffered serious attacks in 180, and especially between 196 and 197 when the garrison had been seriously weakened, following which major reconstruction had to be carried out under Septimius Severus. Lucius Septimius Severus (or rarely Severus I) ( April 11 145 - February 4 211) was a Roman general and Roman Emperor The region near the wall remained peaceful for most of the rest of the third century. It is thought that some in the garrison may have married and integrated into the local community throughout the years. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS **************

Part of Hadrian's wall near Housesteads. This article is about the farm at Housesteads for the Roman fort see Vercovicium.

After Hadrian

In the years after Hadrian's death in 138, the new emperor, Antoninus Pius essentially abandoned the wall, leaving it occupied in a support role, and began building a new wall in Scotland proper, about 160 kilometres (100 mi) north, called the Antonine Wall. Titus Aurelius Fulvus Boionius Arrius Antoninus ( September 19, 86 &ndash March 7 161) generally known in English as Antoninus Pius The Antonine Wall is a stone and turf Fortification, built by the Romans across what is now the Central belt of Scotland This turf wall ran 40 Roman miles (about 37. 8 mi (60. 8 km)) and had significantly more forts than Hadrian's Wall. Antoninus was unable to conquer the northern tribes, so when Marcus Aurelius became emperor he abandoned the Antonine Wall and reoccupied Hadrian's Wall as the main defensive barrier in 164. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (often referred to as "the wise" ( April 26, 121 – March 17, 180) was Roman Emperor The wall remained occupied by Roman troops until their withdrawal from Britain. The Roman departure from Britain was completed by 410. The Archaeological records of the final decades of Roman rule show undeniable signs of decay

In the late fourth century, barbarian invasions, economic decline, and military coups loosened the Empire's hold on Britain. By 410, the Roman administration and its legions were gone, and Britain was left to look to its own defences and government. The garrisons, by now probably made up mostly of local Britons who had nowhere else to go, probably lingered on in some form for generations. Archaeology is beginning to reveal that some parts of the wall remained occupied well into the fifth century. Enough also survived in the eighth century for spolia from it to find its way into the construction of Jarrow Priory, and for Bede to see and describe the wall thus in Historia Ecclesiastica 1.5, although he misidentified it as being built by Septimius Severus:

But in time the wall was abandoned and fell into ruin. Over the centuries and even into the twentieth century a large proportion of the stone was reused in other local buildings.

It fascinated John Speed who published a set of maps of England and Wales by county at the turn of the sevententh century. He describes it as 'the Picts Wall' (or 'Pictes'; he uses both spellings). The maps for Cumberland and Northumberland not only show the wall as a major feature, but are ornamented with drawings of roman remains which had been found, together with, in the case of the Cumberland map, a cartouche in which he sets out a description of the wall itself.

John Clayton

Painting by William Bell Scott

Much of the wall has disappeared. William Bell Scott ( September 12, 1811 &ndash November 22, 1890) British Poet and Artist, son of Robert Scott The preservation of what remains can be credited to John Clayton. John Clayton ( 10 June 1792 - 14 July 1890) was an Antiquarian and Town clerk of Newcastle upon Tyne, England He trained as a lawyer and became town clerk of Newcastle in the 1830s. He became enthusiastic about preserving the wall after a visit to Chesters. Cilurnum or Cilurvum was a fort on Hadrian's Wall mentioned in the Notitia Dignitatum, now identified with the fort found at Chesters, also known To prevent farmers taking stones from the wall, he began buying some of the land on which the wall stood. In 1834 he started purchasing property around Steel Rigg. Eventually he had control of land from Brunton to Cawfields. Brunton is a village in Northumberland, England. It is situated approximately 7 miles (12 km to the north of Alnwick, a short distance inland This stretch included the sites of Chesters, Carrawburgh, Housesteads and Vindolanda. Carrawburgh is a village in Northumberland. In Roman times it was the site of a 3½ acre (1 This article is about the farm at Housesteads for the Roman fort see Vercovicium. Vindolanda was a Roman auxiliary Fort ( castrum) located at Chesterholm just south of Hadrian's Wall in northern England Clayton carried out excavation work at the fort at Cilurnum and at Housesteads, and he excavated some milecastles. Cilurnum or Cilurvum was a fort on Hadrian's Wall mentioned in the Notitia Dignitatum, now identified with the fort found at Chesters, also known

Clayton managed the farms he had acquired and succeeded in improving both the land and the livestock. His successful management produced a cash flow which could be invested in future restoration work.

Workmen were employed to restore sections of the wall, generally up to a height of seven courses. The best example of the Clayton Wall is at Housesteads. After Clayton’s death, the estate passed to relatives and was soon lost at gambling. Eventually the National Trust began the process of acquiring the land on which the wall stands. The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organization in England, Wales

At Wallington Hall, near Morpeth, there is a painting by William Bell Scott, which shows a centurion supervising the building of the wall. Wallington ( is a Country house and Gardens located 188km (11 William Bell Scott ( September 12, 1811 &ndash November 22, 1890) British Poet and Artist, son of Robert Scott Centurion redirects here This article is about the Roman soldier The centurion has been given the face of John Clayton.

World Heritage Site

Hadrian's Wall was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, and in 2005 it became part of the larger "Frontiers of the Roman Empire" World Heritage Site which also includes sites in Germany. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex A limes (or the Limes Romanus) was a Border defense or delimiting system of Ancient Rome. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. ^[5]

Hadrian's Wall Path

Main article: Hadrian's Wall Path

In 2003, a National Trail footpath was opened which follows the line of the wall from Wallsend to Bowness-on-Solway. The Hadrian’s Wall Path is a Long distance footpath in the north of England, which became the 15th National Trail in 2003 Wallsend is a town in North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. Bowness-on-Solway is a small village of less than 100 Houses on the Solway Firth separating England and Scotland. ^[6] Because of the fragile landscape, walkers are asked only to follow the path in summer months. ^[7]

Roman-period names

The remains of milecastle 39, near Steel Rigg, between Housesteads and Once Brewed National Park. A milecastle or milecastle fort is a fortified structure constructed along Hadrian's Wall in Great Britain.

The remains of a fort near Housesteads.

No sources survive to confirm what the wall was called in antiquity, and no historical literary source gives it a name. However, the discovery of a small enamelled bronze Roman cup in Staffordshire in 2003 has provided a clue. The cup is inscribed with a series of names of Roman forts along the western sector of the wall, together with a personal name and a phrase:

MAIS COGGABATA VXELODVNVM CAMBOGLANNA RIGORE VALI AELI DRACONIS

Bowness (MAIS) is followed by Drumburgh-by-Sands (COGGABATA) until now known only as CONGAVATA from the late Roman document, the Notitia Dignitatum. The Notitia Dignitatum is a unique document of the Roman imperial chanceries Next comes Stanwix (VXELODVNVM), then Castlesteads (CAMBOGLANNA).

RIGORE is the ablative form of the Latin word rigor. In Linguistics, ablative case ( abbreviated ABL) is a name given to cases in various languages whose common characteristic Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. This can mean several things, but one of its less-known meanings is ‘straight line’, ‘course’ or ‘direction’. This sense was used by Roman surveyors and appears on several inscriptions to indicate a line between places. So the meaning could be ‘from the course’, or better in English 'according to the course'.

The Staffordshire Moorlands cup, which provides the ancient name of Hadrian's Wall.

There is no known word as vali, but vallum was the Latin word for a frontier; today vallum is applied to the ditch and berm dug by the Roman army just south of the wall. A berm is a level space shelf or raised barrier separating two areas The genitive form of vallum is valli, so one of the most likely meanings is VAL[L]I, ‘of the frontier’. Omitting one of a pair of double consonants is common on Roman inscriptions; moreover, an error in the transcription of a written note could be the reason: another similar bronze vessel, known as the Rudge Cup (found in Wiltshire in the 18th century) has VN missing from the name VXELODVNVM, for example, although the letters appear on the Staffordshire Moorlands cup. The Rudge Cup only bears fort names.

The name AELI was Hadrian's nomen, his main family name, the gens Aelia. By the Republican era and throughout the Imperial era, a Name in Ancient Rome for a male citizen consisted of three parts ( tria Aelius was the Nomen of the ancient Roman Gens Aelia. Among its members was the Roman Emperor Hadrian The Roman bridge at Newcastle-upon-Tyne was called Pons Aelius. Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England

DRACONIS can be translated as ‘[by the hand – or property] of Draco’. It was normal for Roman manufacturers to give their names in the genitive (‘of’), and ‘by the hand’ would be understood. The form is common, for example, on Samian ware. Samian ware is a kind of bright red Roman Pottery also known as terra sigillata (although this is not quite correct on the continental mainland terra

The translation, therefore, could be:

"Mais, Coggabata, Uxelodunum, Camboglanna, according to the line of the Aelian frontier. [By the hand or The property] of Draco. "

This would mean the Romans knew Hadrian's Wall as the line demarcating Vallum Aelium, 'the Aelian frontier'.

Forts

The Latin and Romano-Celtic names of some of the Hadrian's Wall forts are known, from the Notitia Dignitatum and other evidence:

• Segedunum (Wallsend)
• Pons Aelius (Newcastle upon Tyne)
• Condercum (Benwell Hill)
• Vindobala (Halton Chesters)^[8]

Poltross burn milecastle

• Hunnum (Rudchester)^[8]
• Cilurnum (Chesters aka Walwick Chesters)^[8]
• Procolita (Carrowburgh)
• Vercovicium (Housesteads)
• Aesica (Great Chesters)^[8]
• Magnis (Carvoran)
• Banna (Birdoswald)
• Camboglanna (Castlesteads)
• Uxelodunum (Stanwix. The Notitia Dignitatum is a unique document of the Roman imperial chanceries Segedunum ("strong fort" was a Roman fort at modern-day Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, England, UK. Wallsend is a town in North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. Pons Aelius (or Newcastle Roman Fort) was an auxiliary Castra and small Roman settlement on Hadrian's Wall in the Roman province Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England Cilurnum or Cilurvum was a fort on Hadrian's Wall mentioned in the Notitia Dignitatum, now identified with the fort found at Chesters, also known Cilurnum or Cilurvum was a fort on Hadrian's Wall mentioned in the Notitia Dignitatum, now identified with the fort found at Chesters, also known Cilurnum or Cilurvum was a fort on Hadrian's Wall mentioned in the Notitia Dignitatum, now identified with the fort found at Chesters, also known Carrawburgh is a village in Northumberland. In Roman times it was the site of a 3½ acre (1 Carrawburgh is a village in Northumberland. In Roman times it was the site of a 3½ acre (1 Vercovicium (or Housesteads Roman Fort) was an auxiliary Castra on Hadrian's Wall, in the Roman province of Britannia. This article is about the farm at Housesteads for the Roman fort see Vercovicium. Magnis (or Carvoran Roman Fort) was a fort on Hadrian's Wall, in the Roman province of Britannia. Banna (or Birdoswald Roman Fort) was a fort, towards the western end of Hadrian's Wall, in the Roman province of Britannia. This article is about the farm at Birdoswald for the Roman fort see Banna (Birdoswald. Stanwix is a district of Carlisle in North West England. It is located on the north side of River Eden, across from Carlisle city centre Also known as Petriana)
• Aballava (Burgh-by-Sands)
• Coggabata (Drumburgh)
• Mais (Bowness-on-Solway)

Outpost forts beyond the wall include:

• Habitancum (Risingham)
• Bremenium (Rochester)^[8]
• Ad Fines (Chew Green) [1]

Supply forts behind the wall include:

• Alauna (Maryport)
• Arbeia (South Shields)
• Coria (Corbridge)
• Vindolanda (Little Chesters)^[8]
• Vindomora (Ebchester)^[8]

See also

Sycamore Gap (the "Robin Hood Tree")^[9]

• Anglo-Scottish border
• Antonine Wall
• English Heritage Properties in England
• Gask Ridge
• Hadrian's Wall long-distance footpath
• History of Northumberland
• History of Scotland
• List of walls
• Roman Britain
• Separation barrier
• Scots' Dike
• Silesia Walls

Notes

References

• Forde-Johnston, James L. Hadrian's Wall. London: Michael Joseph, 1978. ISBN 0-7181-1652-6.
• de la Bédoyère, Guy. Hadrian's Wall. A History and Guide. Stroud: Tempus, 1998. ISBN 0-7524-1407-0.
• Burton, Anthony Hadrian's Wall Path. 2004 Aurum Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85410-893-X
• Hadrian's Wall Path (map). Harvey, 12-22 Main Street, Doune, Perthshire FK16 6BJ. harveymaps.co.uk
• Tomlin, R. S. O. , 'Inscriptions' in Britannia (2004), vol. xxxv, pp. 344-5 (the Staffordshire Moorlands cup naming the Wall).
• A set of Speed's maps were issued bound in a single volume in 1988 in association with the British Library and with an introduction by Nigel Nicolson as 'The Counties of Britain A Tudor Atlas by John Speed'.

External links

• Hadrian's Wall.org
• Hadrian's Wall National Trail Path
• UNESCO Frontiers of the Roman Empire
• Hadrian's Wall & Housesteads Fort information at the National Trust
• News on the Wall path
• Guy de la Bédoyère's page on the Wall
• Roman Glory Satellite pictures of Hadrian's Wall
• Jack Whyte's Camulod-Eagles Series
• Hadrian's Wall, Northumberland