Hadrian's Wall : from construction to World Heritage Site : a journey along the wall, and back in time /

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Hadrian's Wall is the largest, most spectacular historical monument in Britain. Nothing else approaches its vast scale: a land wall running 732 miles from east to west and a sea wall stretching at least 26 miles down the Cumbrian coast. Some of its forts are as large as Britain's most formidable medieval castles, and with its mile towers, barracks and soldier's leisure facilities the extended site allows an astonishingly rich insight into Roman frontier life. For some 300 years around 12,000 men primarily from the auxiliary army's infantry or cavalry manned the wall with a further 8,000 in forward forts and in reserve. Some two millenia after its construction there are still many mysteries about the wall: its precise route is not known in some locations - particularly in the urban landscape of Carlisle and Newcastle. This book traces the concept, construction and purpose of the wall.