Hadrian's Wall

Hadrian's Wall (Latin: Vallum Hadriani) was a stone and turf fortification, built by the Romans across the width of Great Britain to prevent military raids by the Pictish tribes of Scotland to the north, to improve economic stability and provide peaceful conditions in the south, to define the frontier physically and to separate the unruly Selgovae tribe in the north from the Brigantes in the south and discourage them from uniting.

Related Topics:
Latin - Stone - Turf - Fortification - Roman - Great Britain - Military - Raid - Pictish - Tribe - Scotland - Selgovae - Brigantes

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The name is also sometimes used jocularly as a synonym for the border between Scotland and England, although for most of its length the wall follows a line well south of the modern border – and neither Scots nor English lived in Britain at the time of the wall's construction.

Related Topics:
Border - England

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The wall was the northern border of the Empire in Britain for most of the Roman Empire's rule, and also the most heavily fortified border in the Empire. In addition to its use as a military fortification, it is thought that the gates through the wall would also have served as customs posts to allow trade to be taxed.

Related Topics:
Wall - Customs - Tax

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A significant portion of the wall still exists, particularly the mid-section, and for much of its length, the wall can be followed on foot. It is the most popular tourist attraction in Northern England, where it is often known simply as the Roman Wall. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. English Heritage describes it as "the most important monument built by the Romans in Britain". http://accessibility.english-heritage.org.uk/default.asp?wci=Node&wce=8410

Related Topics:
Tourist - UNESCO - World Heritage Site - 1987 - English Heritage

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