Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall is a defensive fortification built by the Romans. In 1093, Demona crossed the wall into Northumbria. ("Fools Rush In...")
Real World Background
Hadrian's Wall was built on the orders of the Emperor Hadrian between 122 and 133 AD. (It was later on repaired by orders of the Emperor Septimius Severus, leading to a popular notion in early medieval times – recorded by such historians of the period as the Venerable Bede – that it was built under Severus.) It stretches seventy-three and a half miles from the river Tyne to Solway Firth. It boasted several forts built into it, as well as a milecastle at each Roman mile, and two turrets in between each milecastle. (To top it off, the Romans also built a great earthwork ditch just south of the Wall, known as the "vallum", though it fell into disrepair after around 140.)
Contrary to popular belief, Hadrian's Wall was built not to keep out the northern British peoples (such as the Picts), but to serve as a home base for the Roman soldiers posted at the province's northern boundary, and a boundary marker. (It also served to discourage raids by the Picts, since the main target of such raids would have been cattle and sheep - which would have been difficult getting back over the Wall.)
See Also
- Hadrian's Wall at Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
