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Hadrian's Wall

Hadrian's Wall was a Roman frontier barrier built across northern Britain from the River Tyne to the Solway Firth. Begun around AD 122 under Emperor Hadrian, it formed a complex military zone of walls, ditches, forts, milecastles and observation towers.

Last updated
9 November 2026
Confidence
High (97%)
Sources
3
Versions
1
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Construction and route

Construction began around AD 122, following Hadrian's visit to Britain, and took at least six years. The frontier ran about 118 kilometres (73 miles) between the River Tyne in the east and the Solway Firth in the west. Its design used stone or turf sections, with a substantial ditch in front where terrain allowed.

A military frontier zone

The structure was not simply a continuous wall: milecastles guarded gates at roughly mile intervals, while pairs of turrets provided observation points between them. Forts were added during construction and some were placed on the Wall itself; the earthwork known as the Vallum lay to its south. The arrangement helped organize a defended frontier and control movement across it.

Garrison and later history

The Roman army in Britain built the Wall, with legions providing much of the workforce. Auxiliary troops staffed its forts and milecastles. After Hadrian's death, the frontier shifted north to the Antonine Wall for a period before Roman forces returned to Hadrian's Wall. The surviving remains are part of the UNESCO-listed Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage property.

Key facts

Construction began
Around AD 122, during the reign of Emperor Hadrian
Approximate length
118 kilometres (73 miles)
Route
From the River Tyne to the Solway Firth in northern Britain
Frontier features
Wall, ditch, milecastles, turrets, forts and the Vallum earthwork

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References

  1. 1.
    Frontiers of the Roman Empire

    UNESCO World Heritage Centre · other · reliability: unverified · retrieved 9 November 2026

  2. 2.
    History of Hadrian's Wall

    English Heritage · other · reliability: unverified · retrieved 9 November 2026

  3. 3.
    Hadrian's Wall

    Encyclopaedia Britannica · other · reliability: unverified · retrieved 9 November 2026

References are suggested by the research engine and may be incomplete. Unverified URLs are omitted rather than guessed.

Article history

  1. Version 19 November 2026 · EditorCreated by Zapia