Transcript Hadrian`s Wall

Hadrian’s Wall
By Emily Curry
Introduction
• Hadrian’s Wall is an ancient Roman
fortification in Northern England.
• It was the most fortified border in the Roman
empire.
• It was the first of two walls built across Britain.
• It is located in present day Northumberland.
Hadrian’s
wall
Roman Frontiers and Fortifications
• As the Roman empire expanded, it reached its
limits of growth.
• At these limits, the empire constructed
fortifications to keep out the “barbarians”
who resided on the other side.
• Hadrian’s Wall was one such fortification.
Physical Features of Hadrian’s Wall
• Hadrian’s wall is made of stone, turf and
timber.
• It was 73.5 miles (80 Roman miles, or 117
kilometers) long.
• Its height and width vary along its length,
due to the use of different building
materials.
Dimension Variations
• East of River Irthing, where stone was the
primary building material, the wall was almost
10 feet (3 meters) wide and close to 20 feet (6
meters) tall.
• To the west of the river, where turf was used,
the wall measured up to 20 feet (6 meters)
wide and 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) high.
More Dimension Variations
• The central section of the wall was 7.8
feet (8 Roman feet, or 2.4 meters) wide,
resting on a 10-foot (3 meters)
foundation.
• Some parts of the central section remain
up to 10 feet (3 meters) tall.
Construction of Hadrian’s Wall
• The construction of Hadrian’s Wall began
following a visit from the Roman Emperor
Hadrian in the year 122 AD.
• The wall was built as a military fortification, a
way to control population flow, and as a
symbol of Roman power in Britain.
• The wall was, for the most part, completed
within six years.
Construction Movement
• Construction of the wall began in the east and
continued west.
• Construction was carried out by soldiers from
all three of the occupying Roman legions.
• The route of the wall mostly followed that of
the nearby Stanegate road from Luguvalium
(modern-day Carlisle) to Coria (modern
Corbridge).
Initial Plans
• The original plans included a ditch and wall
with 80 gated milecastle fortlets, one situated
every roman mile, each housing a few dozen
troops.
• Also included in the initial plans were evenly
spaced turrets between the milecastles, used
for signaling and observation.
Plan Alteration
• Despite the plans, few of the milecastles
are actually placed at exact Roman mile
measurements, thanks to landscape
features or opportunities for better
signaling to Stanegate forts farther south.
Construction Materials
• Nearby limestone was used in almost all of the
construction, with the exception of the area
west of Irthing, where, due to the lack of
limestone sources nearby, turf was used
instead.
• Milecastles in the section west of Irthing were
built of wood and earth instead of stone.
• All turrets were made entirely of stone, no
matter which region.
The Antonine Wall
• The Antonine Wall was the second
fortification the Romans built in Britain.
• Antoninus Pius, who became emperor after
emperor Hadrian’s death, almost entirely
abandoned Hadrian’s Wall, began
construction on the Antonine Wall, located
about 160 kilometers north of Hadrian’s wall.
• Little remains of the Antonine Wall today.
Recent Fame
• In 1987, Hadrian's Wall was made a UNESCO
World Heritage Site.
• It became a “Frontiers of the Roman Empire”
World Heritage Site in 2005.
• Hadrian’s Wall Path, a trail which follows the
wall from Wallsend to Bowness-on-Solway,
was opened in 2003.
Works cited
• "Hadrian's Wall." Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia. Web. 3 Jan 2010.
• "Hadrian's Wall and the Roman
Sites." Hadrian's Wall Country. Web. 3 Jan
2010. <http://www.hadrianswall.org/page.aspx/Hadrian's-Wall-and-theRoman-Sites>.