Hadrian's Wall Eastern extremity

Why did the Romans build such a formidable wall, if there were barely any attacks? Paranoia perhaps... it seemed the more north the Romans went the more scared they were.

 

Ironic though, the nicest people I know and my best friends are Scottish.

Why did the Romans build such a formidable wall, if there were barely any attacks? Paranoia perhaps... it seemed the more north the Romans went the more scared they were.

 

Ironic though, the nicest people I know and my best friends are Scottish.

 

One thing that strikes me about "the idea of Rome" is that the use of vast, "confident" , structures has a huge symbolic value to the Empire and certianly must be culturally/technologically daunting to anyone else. If you want my opinion id say the Wall is customs barrier/policing infrastructure (for both sides of the area), and very occassionaly an actual fortified combat zone.If I recall Vircoviciunm was attacked in approx AD179, AD 279 and AD 320 ish and finally burnt very late (maybe AD400ish) with a minimal garrison.So you could have a career on the Wall without ever having combat contact (if you were allowed to saty in one spot).

I think it was a great idea for the Romans to have. The problem I have is that the invasion force can concentrate their men in one area and bulldoze through. If you have thin stretched out lines of men, a large force is bound to go through. Kind of like the Germans in WWI they concentrated a force against the French stretched out lines, and went through unimpeded.

Was Corbridge a Legionary fortress, as the map suggests?

Was Corbridge a Legionary fortress, as the map suggests?

Yes but Flavian in origin and hence "below " the Wall, however it was,and remained a very important supply pivot in later times.The Vicus was very large as well.When I return to the Wall it wil be my next major photo recce.

Its been a while since i had a drive up to the wall,i live just below Hetton le hole,bottom right on the map.

Ramses asks why it was built when there was so few attacks,its worth remembering that the wall wasnt just a barrier against invasion,it was allso a way of controlling the trade between the tribes.If you wanted to sell your goods in the north you would have to go through the Roman controlled gatehouse and obviously vice versa.Then you could be taxed on your goods.

I think it was a great idea for the Romans to have. The problem I have is that the invasion force can concentrate their men in one area and bulldoze through. If you have thin stretched out lines of men, a large force is bound to go through

 

Only certain parts could be attacked like that because of the geography of the ground,a lot of the wall is built across ridges,it follows the contours (spelling) of the land.