#3 It was built by an estimated 15,000 legionaries in six years This original plan perhaps proved inadequate, which later led to the formation of several auxiliary forts along its length.

They were built-up above the height of the wall and were managed by the soldiers stationed at their nearest milecastles. They were about 20 feet square and recessed into the w all. These were equidistant from each other and the milecastles. Between the milecastles were two smaller fortifications called turrets. The Milecastles were probably large gatehouses used originally to control movement through the wall and to levy taxes. The interior structure varied and could house a maximum of 64 soldiers. These structures were of a standard pattern with 2 large gates. Small forts called Milecastles were built at every Roman mile (1620 yards). The Hadrian wall was guarded with the help of garrisoned soldiers all along its length. #2 It was a garrison wall with many small and larger fortlets along its length Hadrian left Britannica the same year and he would never witness the wall he had ordered to be raised. During this visit he is said to have ordered the construction of the Wall which would mark the boundaries of the Roman Empire, deter attacks on Roman territory and control cross border trade and immigration.

This prompted Hadrian to visit the province in 122 AD to take a toll of the situation. In his early days on the throne, the province of Britannica witnessed a major rebellion from 119 to 121 AD. Hadrian was emperor of Rome from 117 AD to 138 AD. Also, a 2nd century souvenir of the Hadrian’s Wall, a bronze pan known as IIam pan, found in 2003, suggests that the wall was called vallum Aelii (‘Aelian Wall’), Aelius being the family name of Hadrian.

“Having completely transformed the soldiers, in royal fashion, he made for Britain, where he set right many things and – the first to do so – drew a wall along a length of eighty miles to separate barbarians and Romans.” (The Augustan History, Hadrian 11.1)ĭespite the epigraphic evidence from the wall, this line found written by Roman Historian Aelius Spartianus at the close of the 3rd Century is the sole classical literary proof of Hadrian having built the wall we know today as Hadrian’s Wall. #1 It is named after the Roman Emperor Hadrian

Vallum name origin