Kristin taught for over 10 years in the elementary classroom. She holds a B.A. in Journalism as well as a Master's Degree in Elementary Education.
In the later days of the Roman Empire, the Roman armies conquered, meaning they took over by force, the southern part of England. This was hundreds of miles away from the capital city of Rome and that meant it was really hard to protect the newly conquered lands. How do you keep control over something so far away? The emperor Hadrian thought of a plan: build a wall! But not just any wall. He wanted to build a massive wall over 70 miles long! It was named Hadrian's Wall.
 |
In the year 122 CE, Hadrian ordered the Wall to be built between the northern Roman Empire, England, and the enemy territory, Scotland. All 73 miles of it was about 20 feet high and about 10 feet wide! The Wall was made mostly of stone and soil and historians think that it took 15,000 soldiers about six years to complete. Talk about a full-time job!
Several extensions and changes were made to the Wall over the next few years, and eventually the Romans added another wall, north of Hadrian's Wall, for even more protection. The new wall was called the Antonine Wall.
Hadrian's Wall had many functions. First, it set up a barrier, or a way to stop entry into an area. The enemies to the north frequently tried to invade Rome, so with the Wall in place, large amounts of people could not get through at once.
About every mile there were gates built into the Wall, which were protected by guards in small guardhouses called milecastles. Between each gate and milecastle were lookout towers. These allowed the Roman soldiers to keep an eye out for danger. In addition to the milecastles and towers, there were around 15 large forts along the path as well.
It seemed like you couldn't stand anywhere on Hadrian's Wall without seeing soldiers patrolling. The Wall was active for 300 years, with thousands of soldiers keeping Rome safe from attacks. Communities of people lived around the Wall, setting up temporary camps to help produce food and supplies for the soldiers.
 |
Can you imagine what this massive wall may have looked like? Well, you can actually go see it for yourself! Much of the Wall still stands in modern-day England. Parts of it were so well-built that the remains give us a good idea of what life may have been like on the Wall. Visitors can walk along the Wall and see remains of gateways, towers, bridges, and even buildings like hospitals and barracks, which is where the soldiers lived.
In 1987, Hadrian's Wall was made into a UNESCO World Heritage site. This means that it is now protected by the government and will be preserved for visitors for years to come.
Hadrian's Wall was a massive task taken on by the Roman soldiers and the emperor Hadrian to provide a strong and secure barrier between the newly conquered Roman land and enemy territory. This impressive wall is 73 miles long and contains numerous milecastles, lookout towers and forts along it. Hadrian's Wall was built so well that parts of it can still be seen today - 2,000 years later!
To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account
Already a member? Log In
Back