Hadrian s Wall
Hadrian’s Wall
Although Rome has built numerous important defensive walls, Hadrian’s Wall was the most famous defensive barrier in the Roman Empire, and essential in protection of the northwestern section of the empire. It was a, “frontier developed to a higher level of defensive efficiency than any other in the history of Rome” (Divine, pp. 5). However, the Wall of Hadrian wasn’t only the most important wall in the Roman Empire. Because of the wall 's important role in early Roman history, its distinctly Roman construction, and its forts and milestone castles, Hadrian 's Wall was the definitive Roman structure in Great Britain.
History
The Emperor of Rome at the time was Hadrian, who lived from AD 76-138. Hadrian was the first emperor to build a wall to separate the Roman Empire from the barbarians; his first actions were recorded in the Roman Chronicles. "Thereupon, having reformed the army of the Rhine in regal manner, he set out for Britain where he put many things straight and was the first to build a wall, eighty miles in length, by which Romans and barbarians should be divided” (The History of Hadrian’s Wall). He became aware of difficulties in the northwestern edge of the empire, and journeyed there to investigate. After further review, he pulled his troops back and started construction of the wall.
When they prepared to build the wall, they planned out all the specifics. The Wall was set to be made of mostly stone, ten feet thick, and twenty feet high for the stone portions. The rest of the wall was going to be constructed out of turf, twenty feet thick, and thirteen feet high (Bunson, pp. 592). They planned to have forts five miles apart, and milecastles every Roman mile, connected by watchtowers. Finally, they aimed to have two ditches dug to help protect the wall and their border. The front trench was set to be thirty feet wide, fifteen feet deep, and v-shaped. The second trench was assigned to be straight and flat-bottomed, twenty
Although Rome has built numerous important defensive walls, Hadrian’s Wall was the most famous defensive barrier in the Roman Empire, and essential in protection of the northwestern section of the empire. It was a, “frontier developed to a higher level of defensive efficiency than any other in the history of Rome” (Divine, pp. 5). However, the Wall of Hadrian wasn’t only the most important wall in the Roman Empire. Because of the wall 's important role in early Roman history, its distinctly Roman construction, and its forts and milestone castles, Hadrian 's Wall was the definitive Roman structure in Great Britain.
History
The Emperor of Rome at the time was Hadrian, who lived from AD 76-138. Hadrian was the first emperor to build a wall to separate the Roman Empire from the barbarians; his first actions were recorded in the Roman Chronicles. "Thereupon, having reformed the army of the Rhine in regal manner, he set out for Britain where he put many things straight and was the first to build a wall, eighty miles in length, by which Romans and barbarians should be divided” (The History of Hadrian’s Wall). He became aware of difficulties in the northwestern edge of the empire, and journeyed there to investigate. After further review, he pulled his troops back and started construction of the wall.
When they prepared to build the wall, they planned out all the specifics. The Wall was set to be made of mostly stone, ten feet thick, and twenty feet high for the stone portions. The rest of the wall was going to be constructed out of turf, twenty feet thick, and thirteen feet high (Bunson, pp. 592). They planned to have forts five miles apart, and milecastles every Roman mile, connected by watchtowers. Finally, they aimed to have two ditches dug to help protect the wall and their border. The front trench was set to be thirty feet wide, fifteen feet deep, and v-shaped. The second trench was assigned to be straight and flat-bottomed, twenty
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