Hadrian’s Wall
Hadrian’s Wall was built between AD122-130 on the orders of the Roman Emperor Hadrian to mark the northern frontier of the Roman Empire. The wall was the most ambitious building project undertaken in Roman Britain snaking 73 miles from Wallsend on the east coast of England to Bowness-on-Solway on the west coast of England.
Nearly 2,000 years have passed since Hadrian’s Wall was originally built and although much of the wall at either end has been destroyed, the scenic sections that run through Northumberland remain largely intact. The wall was granted UNESCO World Heritage Status in 1984, finally putting to an end the “recycling” of the stone quarried and used by the Roman legions to build Hadrian’s Wall.
Of the 15 Roman Forts originally built as part of Hadrian’s Wall, only 8 remain today, 5 of which can be found in Northumberland, 2 in Newcastle and 1 in Cumbria. Perhaps the best known of the remaining forts on the wall are Vindolanda and Housesteads, both of which have been extensively excavated.
Several museums can be found close to Hadrian’s Wall. Many of these museums display the artefacts found during the ongoing excavations of the forts giving visitors the chance to gain a valuable insight into the lives of those who lived on, and defended Hadrian’s Wall.
Where is Hadrian’s Wall?
Contrary to some beliefs, Hadrian’s Wall does NOT mark the border between England and Scotland. In fact, Hadrian’s Wall snakes over 73 miles between Wallsend on the east coast and Bowness-on-Solway on the west coast, passing through the dramatic landscapes of Northumberland on the way.
Why was Hadrian’s Wall built?
Hadrian became the Emperor of Rome in AD117 following the death of his uncle, the Roman Emperor Trajan. This was a troubled time for Rome, as many of the nations recently conquered by Trajan were rising in rebellion. Hadrian, believing that the empire had grown too large to be properly defended, gave up some of Trajan's conquests in the Balkans and Mesopotamia (Iraq), and set about building new strong defences. Hadrian's Wall was just one of many defensive works he constructed.
However, defending the Roman Empire was not the only purpose of Hadrian’s Wall, as some believe it was also used to tax the locals who travelled from south of the wall to the north side of the wall.
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