Antonine Wall: Impressive Roman Frontier Built By Empire’s Three Legions In Scotland
A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - The Hadrian Wall lost its importance when Roman Emperor Hadrian's successor, Antonius Pius (138 - 161), launched a successful military campaign in southern Scotland early in his reign and began constructing the Antonine Wall.
Image credit: Artist Bob Marshall - Historic Environment Scotland 2016
The Romans started to build the Antonine Wall in Britain only fifteen years after the
construction of Hadrian's Wall was completed. It is known that the famous Hadrian's Wall was built for both military and economic needs.
The Wall would also prevent raiders from the north from destroying the strategic Roman base at Corbridge in Northumberland.
The Antonine Wall was constructed by another second-century emperor even further north of Hadrian's Wall. The unrest from the north must have been palpable to dictate the construction of such massive formations.
From 155 to 157 CE, the Brigantes revolted in Scotland. They were ancient Britons who, in pre-Roman times, controlled the most extensive section of what would become Northern England -
The Antonine Wall's ruins are less visible than those of the Hadrian's Wall. It is mainly due to the hazardous building material - turf- used to construct the Wall. However, it is evidenced by the construction of foundations that the Romans planned to erect a stone wall.
The soldiers of the Second Augusta, the Sixth Victrix, and the Twentieth Valeria Victrix legions (also responsible for the building of Hadrians Wall) began to construct the Antonine Wall in AD 142 at the order of Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius.
The structure that runs across what is now the Central Belt of Scotland, between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde, was the Roman Empire's northernmost frontier barrier.
A wooden barrel, with the owner's name, scratched into it. Image credit: Hunterian Museum
The work took about 12 years to complete. These legions erected stone slabs on completion of their work and are the records of the length of the Wall they completed, the emperor's name, and the legion's name.
The slabs are unique because no similar slabs are known from any frontier of the Roman Empire.
Originally six forts were planned (Carriden, Mumrills, Castlecary, Bar Hill, Balmuildy, and Old Kilpatrick), with several fortlets built in between. Later, these fortlets were abandoned, and the next ones were constructed.
The Antonine Wall (named after the Roman emperor Antoninus Pius) was an impressive barrier with a height of 4 meters, 4.3 meters wide, with a large ditch on the north side for reinforcement of defense and a network of roads on the south side for the efficient movement of troops. It was 63 km (39 miles) long, with 19 forts every 3.3 km.
Left: Found at Carleith, Dunochter, before 1699. Translates as " For the Emperor Antonius Augustus Pius, Father of this country, the Second Augustan Legion completed 3271 feet (of the wall)" Greyish buff sandstone; Right: Unknown provenance - donated to Glasgow University in 1695; Translated as "For the Emperor Caesar Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius, Father of this Country, a detachment of the Twentieth Valerian and Victorius Legion; Image credit: University of Glasgow, Scotland
As early as 162 AD (only eight years after its completion), the Romans from this line were forced to retreat to the south again and return to the older fortification - Hadrian's Wall - after it was strengthened.
Unfortunately for the Romans, the Wall was abandoned, recaptured a year later, and finally, entirely abandoned by 164 CE.
Left: Altar to ‘the Spirit of the Land of Britain’. © Hunterian Museum; Right: Tombstone of Verecunda © Hunterian Museum
Archaeological excavation conducted in the ruins of the Wall revealed many Roman artifacts, both military and domestic. When the Romans abandoned a fort, they usually buried many possessions they did not wish to salvage and take with them. They did not want them to be used by local people.
Except for decorative slabs, the Romans also left altars, tombstones, personal possessions, and building materials, which were well-preserved, well-buried, and, therefore, never touched by robbers.
Written by – A. Sutherland AncientPages.com Staff Writer
Updated on April 18, 2023
Copyright © AncientPages.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or part without the express written permission of AncientPages.com
Expand for referencesReferences:
Harper W. The Antonine Wall (Defenders of Rome, Book 4)
More From Ancient Pages
-
Sayyida Al Hurra – Feared And Respected Pirate Queen Of Morocco Had No-One To Turn At The End
Featured Stories | Mar 11, 2019
-
Ancient Monuments The World Is Not Allowed To See – Forbidden Zone – Part 2
Featured Stories | Aug 27, 2020
-
Cuauhtémoc: Brave And Determined Ruler Of Tenochtitlan And The Last Aztec Emperor
Featured Stories | Feb 28, 2018
-
Neanderthals Weaned And Raised Their Children Similarly To Modern Humans
Archaeology | Nov 3, 2020
-
Dragon Man: New Species Of Human May Replace Neanderthals As Our Closest Relative
Archaeology | Jun 26, 2021
-
How Did People Go To The Toilet In The Past Before The Invention Of The Flush Toilet?
Archaeology | Jun 10, 2023
-
Ancient Egyptians Had A Different Definition Of ‘Foreigners’
Ancient History Facts | Apr 14, 2018
-
2,000-Year-Old Huge Terracotta Jar Discovered In Turkey
Archaeology | Jan 2, 2018
-
On This Day In History: Antarctic Explorer Lawrence “Titus” Oates Born – On Mar 17, 1880
News | Mar 17, 2017
-
Curious Giant Shaped Rock In China – An Ancient Man-Made Construction Or Natural Formation?
Featured Stories | Jun 26, 2017
-
Ausevik Rock Art: Real And Mythical World Of Stone Age People Of Norway
Civilizations | Oct 2, 2018
-
Elusive Non-Binary Gender In Prehistoric Europe – A Forgotten Minority
Archaeology | May 26, 2023
-
Curious Pre-Columbian Clay Figurines With Smiling Faces From Veracruz
Artifacts | Jan 29, 2018
-
Paititi: Legendary Lost Inca City Of Gold Built By The Inca Hero Inkarri
Featured Stories | Mar 16, 2016
-
Mysterious Philistines: They Migrated Across Mediterranean – DNA Testing Shows
Archaeology | Jul 4, 2019
-
‘Ali Baba Cave’ Treasures: Burial Boxes Inscribed With Jesus’ Name May Help Reconstruct Jesus’ Life And Death
Archaeology | Mar 21, 2017
-
Human Activities In The Year 1300 Impacted Earth’s Atmosphere More Than Previously Known
Archaeology | Oct 9, 2021
-
Face Of A Greek Girl That Lived 9,000-Years Ago Reconstructed In Athens
Archaeology | Jan 27, 2018
-
Ancient Children Played Marbles Thousands Of Years Ago
Ancient History Facts | May 22, 2019
-
Spectacular Giant Bronze Age Hall Found Near Berlin, Germany May Be Connected To Legendary King Hinz
Archaeology | Nov 6, 2023