Hadrian's Wall (Vallum Aelium) was a continuous stone and turf frontier barrier running approximately 73 Roman miles (117 km) from Wallsend (Segedunum) on the Tyne to Bowness-on-Solway on the Solway Firth. Construction began in AD 122 under the emperor Hadrian following his visit to Britain, and the system remained in active military use until the late 4th or early 5th century, briefly superseded but not replaced by the Antonine Wall in Scotland (c. AD 142–160s). The complete system comprised the curtain wall, a ditch to the north, milecastles at every Roman mile, two turrets between each, sixteen auxiliary forts (including Vindolanda, Housesteads, Chesters, and Birdoswald), and the Vallum earthwork to the south.
Source: Pleiades — A Community-Built Gazetteer and Graph of Ancient Places. View the Pleiades record →
The Wall was the most heavily fortified frontier in the Roman Empire, designed less as an impermeable barrier than as a controlled, taxable conduit regulating the movement of people, goods, and livestock between the province and the peoples beyond. It anchored the northwestern limes of the empire and shaped the economic, demographic, and religious landscape of northern Britain, with vibrant vici, multi-ethnic auxiliary garrisons (Tungrians, Batavians, Syrians, Dacians), and a striking diversity of cults attested in altars and inscriptions.
Over a century of exc
Hadrian's Wall (Vallum Aelium) was a continuous stone and turf frontier barrier running approximately 73 Roman miles (117 km) from Wallsend (Segedunum) on the Tyne to Bowness-on-Solway on the Solway Firth. It is recorded in the Pleiades gazetteer of ancient places as a frontier / wall site from the Roman period in Britain.
Hadrian's Wall is classified as a Roman frontier / wall — a military site in the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer. Roman Britain's archaeology encompasses thousands of sites ranging from legionary fortresses and marching camps to villas, temples and towns.
Several Roman sites lie within a short distance, including Milecastle 41 (Melkridge) (0.3 km), Turret 41A (Caw Gap) (0.5 km), Turret 40B (Melkridge) (0.7 km). Aubrey Research maps over 2,200 Roman sites across Britain, drawn from the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer.
Aubrey Research generates detailed historical reports for any location in Britain, incorporating Roman heritage, Domesday Book records, scheduled monument data, archaeological finds and much more. Enter a nearby address to begin.
Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any address in Britain — drawing on Roman heritage, Domesday records, scheduled monument data, archaeological finds and medieval history to reveal the complete story of a landscape.
Research the area around Hadrian's Wall