Northern Frontier
Flavian Policy
- Flavian policy towards the northern frontier lasted until early 2nd century
- In early 2nd century have withdrawal of troops
- Taken from southern Scotland
- Perhaps needed for Trajan’s war in Dacia
- Disaster struck outlying lowland forts
- Many burnt to the ground: uncertain as to why
- Established a new frontier
- Along road Stanegate connecting Corbridge and Carlisle
- Rebuilt 3 legionary fortresses
- York (Eboracum #31)
- Caerleon (Isca Silurum #49)
- Chester (Deva #37)
Hadrian’s Wall
- Hadrian’s visit in 122 CE
- Decreed northern boundary should have physical barrier
- Learned that forts and natural boundaries do not keep out invasions
- Need for a physical demarcation of the boundaries
- Wall built just north of Stanegate
- Extended across Britain
- Underwent several modifications
- Stone wall
- At first western part constructed out of turf
- Replaced with stone ca. 158 CE
- 8 feet thick
- 15 feet high
- In front was a ditch
- Inside was a service road
- Behind was another ditch
- Vallum
- Earth mounds on either side
- Mile-castles
- Fortlet with gates
- Front and rear
- Provided access through the wall
- Manned by 3 or 4 cohorts of auxiliaries
- Watch-turrets
- Two between mile-castles
- ca. 20 square feet
- Series of forts to man the wall
- Housesteads
- Built against the wall
- 610 x 370 feet
- 3 gates
- Military buildings inside
- Civilian ones outside rear gate
- Vindolanda
- 2.5 miles west of Housesteads
- Vicus outside of the fort
- Fort
- Surrounded by a wall
- Headquarters building
- Birdoswald
- Turrets erected here
- Took over a native fort
- Fort built in time of Hadrian
- Purpose of the wall
- Acted as a control point for peaceful movement of people
- Provided secure base of operation for troops
- Divided tribes hostile to Roman rule
- Used for defense of the area in case of direct attack
Antonine Wall
- Antoninus Pius (138-161 CE)
- Hadrian’s successor
- In 140 established new policy in Britain
- Extended the defended frontier further north
- Captures lowlands of Scotland
- Along the lines of Agricola’s earlier conquests
- Constructed earthen wall
- Between Forth and the Clyde
- The wall
- Construction
- Constructed a series of forts
- 19 recorded
- Only 6 known
- Ardock
- Founded by Agricola
- Remains belong to 142/3
- Ruins
- Bearsden
- Fort built 142/3
- Little remains of the fort
- Near it was a bath-house
- New frontier maintained until 163
- Time of Marcus Aurelius
- Abandons the lowlands
- Troops needed elsewhere
- Recommissioned Hadrian’s wall
- Clodius Albinus
- Governor during reign of Commodus
- Makes a bid for the imperial office
- During absence Hadrian’s wall breached
- Confederacy of tribes
- Attacked unoccupied forts
- Attacked legionary fort at York