Why building Hadrian’s Wall was a gigantic mistake

  • Description

    Article by Paul Eastham, Sep 21, 2025. "Hadrian’s Wall is the largest monument the Romans left behind in Britain, and it lies on the furthest-flung frontier of their Empire. It was also a gigantic mistake. No other building in Britain approaches its vast scale....there were conceptual problems. The jobs Hadrian wanted the wall to do were contradictory. It must defend the frontier, he said, but allow natives to cross to and fro; it must tie up troops collecting taxes at up to 80 gates while keeping a sharp lookout for rebel raids; it must respond forcefully to attacks but ensure limited forces are spread evenly along its entire 73-mile length......"
  • Owner

    Hidden Cumbrian Histories
  • Source

    Local (Co-Curate)
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    What does this mean? Unknown license check permission to reuse
  • Further information

    Link: https://hiddencumbrianhistories.substack.com/p/why-building-hadrians-wall-was-a
    Resource type: Text/Website
    Added by: Simon Cotterill
    Last modified: 1 hour, 48 minutes ago
    Viewed: 8 times
    Picture Taken: Unknown
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Co-Curate is a project which brings together online collections, museums, universities, schools and community groups to make and re-make stories and images from North East England and Cumbria. Co-Curate is a trans-disciplinary project that will open up 'official' museum and 'un-officia'l co-created community-based collections and archives through innovative collaborative approaches using social media and open archives/data.

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