The Purpose of Hadrian's Wall

The Purpose of Hadrian's Wall

In 1600, William Camden, an Elizabethan antiquarian, was the first

person to seriously attempt an explanation as to the purpose of what

we now refer to as Hadrian's Wall. In the 18th century, further

antiquarians, concerned with the steady demolition of the wall for

building materials continued further studies. Despite the interest in

the wall, it was nearly a century after William Camden's first

attempts to explain the wall that serious academic research was mixed

with archaeological excavations on a large scale. It was with thanks t

these original excavations that we now have a fairly deep

understanding of the wall itself. However, its purpose is still

undecided and many explanations have been offered.

Northumberland has been a border territory for almost 2000 years. When

the Romans invaded and occupied Britain in the mid-1st century the

small area that is now called Northumberland was officially designated

as the edge of their mighty Empire, which stretched hundreds of miles

to the East and South. In AD122 the Emperor Hadrian ordered the

construction of a wall from the west coast of Britain to the east

(From the Tyne to the Solway) to divide the land of the Britons and

the Picts. When it was originally constructed, the wall was around

73miles long and 5 metres high. The question is though, was this wall

there for defence or as a divider?

When the Emperor Hadrian came to power in Rome, there was obviously no

presence of the complete Pax Romana in Britain. Hadrian's biographer

stated that the Britons could not be kept under control (A victory is

indicated by a coin minted in AD119 with Britannia)...

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...castles and forts is

still a matter for discussion since on broad parts of the wall it is

possible, but as of yet there is absolutely no evidence.

We are now gathering the idea that the wall was there to control

movement and to discourage raiding parties. It is without doubt though

that should someone wish to cross the wall undetected, it is easily

possible. The psychological effect that the wall would have on the

Britons and Picts though was possibly the most important effect of the

wall. Despite the wall being breached quite easily, the sheer size and

power indicated to those to the south the Pax Romana and the

protection that they received and to those to the north, the power of

the Romans. Therefore, the main function of the wall was most probably

to "Shock and Awe" the inhabitants and designed to maintain order.