Hadrian's WallFrom an award-winning historian of ancient Rome, a definitive history of Hadrian's Wall Stretching eighty miles from coast to coast across northern England, Hadrian's Wall is the largest Roman artifact known today. It is commonly viewed as a defiant barrier, the end of the empire, a place where civilization stopped and barbarism began. In fact, the massive structure remains shrouded in mystery. Was the wall intended to keep out the Picts, who inhabited the North? Or was it merely a symbol of Roman power and wealth? What was life like for soldiers stationed along its expanse? How was the extraordinary structure built -- with what technology, skills, and materials? In Hadrian's Wall, Adrian Goldsworthy embarks on a historical and archaeological investigation, sifting fact from legend while simultaneously situating the wall in the wider scene of Roman Britain. The result is a concise and enthralling history of a great architectural marvel of the ancient world. |
Contents
OUTPOST OF EMPIRE | |
THE MAN THE EMPEROR AND THE GRAND DESIGN | |
UNDERSTANDING THE EVIDENCE | |
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS | |
THE KNOWN AND PROBABLE GARRISONS OF THE FORTS ON HADRIANS WALL | |
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5th Series abandoned Adrian Goldsworthy akg-images Antonine Wall Antoninus Pius appear army’s attackers Augustus auxiliary units barrack blocks bases bathhouse Birdoswald Brian Dobson building built Caesar campaign Carlisle Carrawburgh cavalry centurion civil civilian Cohors command communities construction Corbridge cross Cumbrian coast defeat ditch drachmas early third century emperor equitata especially evidence excavation feet fifth century fighting fortlets forts fourth century garrison gate gateway granaries Hadrian’s Hadrian's Wall horses Housesteads imperial infantry inscriptions later legionaries legions less lived major Marcus Aurelius Maximus Milecastles 39 military mound northern Britain outposts Peter Connolly Picts praetorium prefect principia probably provinces raid raiders rampart reconstruction reign road Roman army Roman Britain Roman Empire Rome Rome’s rooms Scotland second century senators Septimius Severus soldiers South Shields Stanegate stone substantial suggests timber towers Trajan tribal tribes troops Turf Wall turrets Tyne Vallum vicus Vindolanda tablets Wallsend warriors