Warfare and the Wall: the genesis of a Roman frontier

This is Part One of the special on Hadrian's Wall. You can read Part Two here: Backs against the wall, 117-113. It is 1,900 years since the Roman emperor Hadrian (r. 117-138) made landfall in Britain. His presence marks a departure from business as usual, as the island was not a standard destination for imperial inspections. Instead, Hadrian was only the second reigning emperor to make the trip, following Claudius (r. 41-54), who came to claim the glory for his invasion in AD 43. The sparse surviving Roman accounts tell us little about Hadrian’s activities in Britain, and nothing at all about his motive for visiting in 122. It is certain, though, that the island was convulsed by unrest