This summer I travelled to Northern England to walk the 135 Kilometers along the largest Roman monument from Bowness-on-Solway (Maia) on the Irish Sea to Wallsend (Segedunum) and South Shields (Arbeia) on the North Sea. We made it in eight days and for those of you who have not been there I´d like to share some impressions: Hadrian´s original plan was for a wall of turf in the west and stone in the east, with protected gates (mile castles) at intervals of a mile, with two observation towers (turrets inbetween the milecastles). This is what the turf wall, complete with a wooden turret, would have looked like. And this is a reconstruction of what the stone wall (with a typical tower) looked like before the stone pillaging that took place between the fifth and 19th century that reduced the remnants of the wall and it´s buildings to what is left now. Yep, the remnants of the wall do not get much higher than this... A great earthwork, known as the Vallum, was constructed a short distance south of the wall. This is what is left of the Tempe of Mitras. What you see in the back is of course not Hadrian´s Wall, but one of the thousands of little walls built from it´s stones to separate goat meadows by later generations. This reconstruction at Vindolanda gives an impression of what a local temple would have looked like. The faithful replica of the West Gate of Arbeia, the westernmost fort at South Shields overlooking the mouth of the river Tyne, as it appeared during the fourth century AD. The 4th Century courtyard house of the commanding officer shows no evidence to the claim that the Roman army was in decline by then. Please share your wall impressions and related coins!
Very nice images @Julius Germanicus. Perhaps you have given me something to accomplish on my bucket list (I just watched the movie again last week. Remember the three things you shouldn't do as you get older).
Such a trip has always been on my bucket list. I almost did such a walk back in the late 80's, but it never happened. But I do have some things related to ancient walls, etc. Not that I advocate, but these items were given to me and not taken by me: Fragment of Hadrians Wall: Fragment of the Wall of China: Berlin Wall: Temple of the Sun, Chocchoben, Mexico:
Impressive reconstructions, and what a great trip! Thanks for posting. Here's my latest Hadrian, which I picked up pretty cheap. Not quite the pristine unpatinated look you prefer, but edging in that direction:
Walking Hadrian’s wall is on my list of places to visit. Appreciate the photos! Looks like you had fun
It’s always saddening to read about how so many ancient monuments were dismantled by medieval people scavenging for building materials. My nicest of two Hadrians.
wow...that is really kool..thanks for sharing the JG i know i'll most likely never have that opportunity so peeps like me really appreciate that ..(how much for the stones?)
Great pictures Julius , many thanks. Saves me a trip to Great Britain These AE coins probably were around overthere, during the construction of the wall:
I recall being there about 30 years ago. Took the train from London and got off in weather that made me glad I didn't take a boat (and this was in July) with howling winds, temperatures in the mid forties (Fahrenheit) and driving rain. It would have been like going on a Murmansk convoy run in 1942. As I walked about I could not help thinking about all those Syrian and Egyptian auxiliary troops stationed there who must have wondered what gods they had angered that they were stationed in what must have been the bleakest place they had ever seen. I can imagine more than one of these troops cursing the day Hadrian ever showed up on the island.
Great trip and pics! I've been watching a lot of episodes of Time Team on youtube and they mention Hadrian's Wall often. It's great to see it and amazed that you walked it! And cool recreations! Anyone watched the show Rome Wasn't Built in a Day? I found it interesting. Heres a few of my imperial Hadrians: Hadrian, Ruled 117-138 AD, AE As, Struck 132-134 AD, Rome Mint Obverse: HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind. Reverse: FELICITATI AVG, galley sailing left, composed of five rowers and pilot; standard and vexillum at stern, S C across field, COS III P P in exergue. References: RIC II 719, BMCRE 1458 var, Cohen 660 var Size: 26 mm, 13.16g Hadrian, Ruled 117-138 AD, AE As, Struck 125-128 AD, Rome Mint Obverse: HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS, Bust of Hadrian, laureate, right Reverse: COS III, Salus, draped, standing right, feeding out of patera in left hand snake held in right, S-C in field References: RIC II 669c, Cohen 369 Size: 26mm, 10.2g Hadrian, Ruled 117-138 AD, AE Sestertius, Struck 134-138 AD, Rome Mint Obverse: HADRIANVS AVG COS III P P, Bust of Hadrian, laureate, right Reverse: FORTVNA AVG, Fortuna, draped, standing left, holding rudder on globe in right hand and cornucopiae in left, S-C in field. References: RIC II 759, BMCRE 1507. Size: 32mm, 28g
Nice pics and travel log - just right! Did you, or do they allow you to camp near the trail alongside the wall? Quite an amazing feat in its day, and it worked keeping the Picts out of the "civilized" world.
It may have been. I stopped in York on the way back and went into an antique shop with ancient coins in the window, probably as much to get warm as anything else. No luck. No heat, and the guy in the store said pretty much what you wrote. Boy, am I glad my island ancestors had the wit to move to warmer climes.
I still hold it wasn’t disease or injury that killed both Septimius Severus and Constantius - two tough old seasoned campaigners - it was the weather!
We were lucky because we enjoyed the hottest July ever recorded in the area. We could even see large moor fires when our plane approached Manchester Airport. On the other hand it can get exhausting if you hike up and down all of Windshield´s Crags (up to 345 Meters high) at 30 Degrees (Celsius) in a day. No Valium necessary at some places. Almost all of the trail´s area lies on private grounds, mostly goat meadows and cow pastures, which you are allowed to cross but not camp upon. Better not be afraid of farm animals! British cows happily grazing on historic grounds Sheep lazing in the shade on the Vallum that roman Legionaries created 19 centuries ago. There are very few means of accommodation near the path once you leave Carlisle or Newcastle. You are advised to book in advance and we stayed at the one local farm, pub, or Bed and Breakfast extant every 20 Kilometers or so. Not much going on here nowadays... sometimes all that´s left is the Vallum... ... while in the rather spectacular middle section you can see the remains of the wall itself stretching over the Crags. These are the remnants of Milecastle 48 (Poltross Burn)... ... while this is what is left of turret 49b (Birdoswald West). If you only have time to see one museum during your trip, you must visit Vindolanda, home not only of the world famous writing tablets, but also of 6000 roman shoes. As this forum is all about coins, finally here are some of those found at the fort and village of Vindolanda (did I ever mention how much I love unpatinated bronzes?)