Breaking Down Hadrian's Wall | History Traveler Episode 377
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ธ.ค. 2024
- For those who haven't studied or seen it for themselves, it may not be known that Hadrian's Wall was more than just a wall. It was a series of fortifications that was designed to guard the northern border of the Roman Empire. In this episode, we're picking up where we left off and breaking down the defenses of Hadrian's Wall.
This episode was produced in partnership with The Gettysburg Museum of History. See how you can support history education & artifact preservation by visiting their website & store at www.gettysburg...
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What really impressed me was the stones that were quarried to build all the fortifications and the mortar used to hold them. The sheer volume of stones needed in such a relatively short amount of time. The fact that after 2000 years, some of those stones are as solidly adhered as when they were placed. The number of people used in the construction is mind blowing when you realize the dimensions of the wall.
I have been marveling at that mere fact since the series started. I’m a home builder and was a combat engineer when I was younger. Just the tools they needed and the volume of rock, along with what they needed to make Portland cement for the mortar is immense.
One of my favourite spots along the wall is an area where they started to quarry the stone and then, for whatever reason, abandoned the site. The stones - which are massive - are just sat in situ after all these years.
I thought the same. I cannot imagine the tons of rock quarried to make the wall, forts, communities, baths, etc. To haul it from coast to coast was a tremendous undertaking.
Some of those walls have been been rebuilt. But from the foundation work. Just the stones have been rearranged I different places. But it accurately give you what it exactly looked like back then. The big vast open view spaces would give weeks if not months preparation time to gather legions.. nothing was fast about invading and siege warfare back then.
If you look at the scenery, you will notice an abundance of building material all around. And I don't believed they used a whole lot of mortar. Some, yes.
Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers were in court this last spring and summer.
A prosecutor said the value of the roughly 150-year-old beloved tree that was toppled onto Hadrian’s Wall in northern England last year exceeded 620,000 pounds ($785,000).
YES!!!!!!! WOO HOO!!!!!!
Great. 👍
I wonder what they hoped to gain by doing something so stupid? Completely ridiculously stupid!
As somebody who lives in what's used to be the roman 'Province Noricum' (or the celtic/noric state of Noricum before that) with 'Virunum' (located on the 'Zollfeld' in todays Carinthia/Austria) as the capital and seat of the roman governor when the Roman Empire marched/expanded up north, these awesome episodes were right down my alley, well done! 👏 All the achievements of the romans and all the logistics behind them (the Limes in Germany, Hadrians Wall in Britain and and and..) never cease to amaze me. They've basically always been prepared and ready to build things.
Each legion had a squad of engineers, sappers, and various kinds of craftsmen called 'fabri' (Fabri were workers, craftsmen, or artisans in Roman society). The commander of the fabri was 'prefectus fabrum'- a man with great knowledge in the exact/respective sciences, and the commanders of the engineering troops belonged to the strict staff of the legion commander. Each legionary carried tools for engineering works, which increased the 'engineering strength' of the legion, because legionaries could thus perform most of the fortification, siege and construction works, requiring only professional supervision.
Each Roman legion had a legionary fort as its permanent base. When on the march- particularly in enemy territory, the legion would construct a fortified camp or 'castra', using only earth, turf and timber. Camp construction was the responsibility of engineering units to which specialists of many types belonged, officered by 'architecti' (engineers), from a class of troops known as 'immunes' who were excused from regular duties. These engineers would requisition manual labour from the soldiers at large as required. A legion could throw up a camp under enemy attack in a few hours. The names of the different types of camps apparently represent the amount of investment: 'tertia castra', 'quarta castra'- 'a camp of three days', 'four days', etc.
The engineers were also responsible for the construction of bridges. The army built three types of bridges for its needs. If the current of the river was not too fast, boats were used to cross the current. The second type is a bridge built on twenty supports made of stone blocks, the upper part of the bridge was made of wood. The third way to build was to build a bridge entirely of stone.
Hi JD, I’m so glad that you featured the Sycamore Gap, such an act of Eco Terrorism carried out by the two suspects currently going through the judicial system! I really hope they get their just desserts if found guilty!
I've known about Hadrian's Wall since I was a child, only that it existed and that it was on the far edge of the Roman Empire. I never knew any details about it. This was an excellent series on the Wall. It really enlightened me, JD. Well done.
This series has been tremendously entertaining in my opinion
Thanks!
Thank you, JD, for choosing to do this series. Like you, I find it all not only intriguing but amazing as well. To think that much of the wall and its necessary structures are still standing after so many centuries boggles the mind! They don't build 'em like that any more.
I’m glad you did this series. British history directly speaks to our history here in the US
Oh yeah! Enjoying this series, JD!
@@billharshaw4739 👊🏻
Beautiful country. I've watched other series where people walk the entire length of the wall, but they were more concerned with making so many miles in a day rather than explaining the features along the way. I appreciate the more detailed information 👍
One of my favorite movies. It’s just sad how people can be so thoughtless and ruin it for everyone never mind taking down such a beautiful tree and land mark. Wonderful series JD really enjoyed learning the history of this amazing country side.👍😊
It's totally impressive knowing that no mechanized equipment was used to construct this wall. Its flabbergasting knowing also that it was perhaps all built by hand. Truly is a work of engineering genius.
11:57 they're designed to let a human and sheepdogs etc squeeze through, but a sheep can not get through the narrow bottom.
And at 14:01 the wooden fence is to stop large animals, the entrance for sheep (to maintain the grass without damaging the structure is visible
You have to go see Portchester Castle on the south coast...best unrestored fort remains this side of the alps...stunning place.
Nice to get away from the war theme and present another time and side of history that a lot of us don’t know. Thanks JD.
It’s hard to believe that they could go that far at the time. Gotta transport them, feed them, house them.
Pretty wild.
Considering the time, manpower, and money to build a wall that is miles long is crazy. Good job JD in explaining the sites along that wall. You have a lot of knowledge and are willing to share!
I never knew this existed until this video. It’s amazing this all still stands… thanks JD!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Another brilliant episode!
I learned a lot about this time of British history by watching Time Team. 10/10 Highly recommend.
The best Hadrian's Wall comedy scene was in Blackadder Back and Forth. 😂 Lol
Another great video. This series has made me itch to get up there and take a look
You definitely should. I wish I’d spent a few more days up there.
England looks nice,
Over here in Missouri, it's starting to turn into Fall.
Hello JD i have watched many of films but as a britt this is the best one yet.Glad you made it over here. All the best from Worksop Nottinghamshire uk
The layout of the "aid station" meant that it was well used ; obviously this was a "hot spot" with considerable action ..... "Good fences make good neighbors "
Excellent point.
JD, once again you marvel us with your video! I hope you come back to the UK to explore more of what we have to offer, in terms of our history... from the Angles, the Saxons, the Vikings, William the Conqueror, through to our Medieval Castles, the ENGLISH Civil War and on to the times of the Duke of Wellington and our build up to fight in the Peninsula War and the Napoleonic War of the early 19thC.
(We're gonna gloss over Henry VIII and his Dissolution of the Monasteries, because who wants to hear about D.I.V.O.R.C.E., no singing Tammy Wynette now 😂😂😂)
This is a brilliant video buddy - I live about an hour away from Hadrian's wall and we often drive past it en route to see relatives in Belingham. I want to find out more and also walk along it next year (while I still can ) Thanks for sharing
Thanks! Loved that area.
Great series thank you!
🙏🏼
Excellent series! Im used to watching you cover the civil war, ww1 and 2. Not something that's on my doorstep!
If you're still in the northeast, you should go to Arbeia fort in South Shields. They've rebuilt the entrance gate and commanders house.
I'm loving this series. Like you, I didn't make it to see the tree while it was still standing.
My favourite part of the wall is the clump of trees next to Houseteads and mile castle 37.
My folks are from the North East of England and I've visited the wall countless times. It's a wonderful part of the country.
👍😎
It's been an absolute.joy watching this series, JD! And not just because the content is more familiar to me. It's pretty obvious how much you are enjoying your time there, as well :)
Notification just popped up. Stopped the home opener football game to watch this.👍
As someone who lives close by Hadrian's wall, it's good to see the perspective from a fresh pair of eyes. Very well done, thank you. Not sure if you are going to Wallsend and Arbiea ( South Shields) well worth the visit if you can :)
Great series JD!!
Especially for those of us who can't afford to go their, it's appreciated!
Yet another great series JD….if no one else has mentioned it, I believe the defences on the south side were to protect the wall from the warring tribes still opposed to Roman rule
Excellent as usual. Watching all your videos has taught me a lot. Seeing places that i wouldnt have seen otherwise. Thank You!
I live in central Scotland where the Antonine wall stretched through the region. It was a turf fort on stone foundations and was eventually abandoned since they realised defending Caledonia was becoming costly with the locals rebelling more and more.
Great series so far JD! I am learning new things right along with you; thanks!
Thanks!
Really enjoyed the video mate can't wait for the next one
Glad you enjoyed it!
I love seeing JD in northern England.... some "dad-gum's!" instead of "ee ba gum!"
Great video JD
Ha!
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your series on this JD, and more importantly I’ve learnt a lot! You should head north and explore Scotland in the future, visit some of the great castles. Both Stirling and Edinburgh have fantastic museums inside them for the local regiments.
@@DAGO58 thanks!
I'm of Scottish decent and it's on my bucket list to travel to this area. Thank you so much for your work and for covering this.
Thanks! It's amazing. Definitely want to get up to your part of the world one of these days.
I walked this section about 20 years ago and visited the Roman army museum on your previous video it was built where 4 roman roads met and think it was a supply depot and fort.
Thanks for sharing
I've always wanted to see this close up and you've done that for me thank you sir
I have to say it again, that is some beautiful country
Thank you so much for sharing this, I had always been under the mistaken impression it was just a wall, without it including these various types of fortifications along the way at regular intervals.
Do you recommend any source materials or books to find out more information? Thanks!!
You have the favorable factor, ur a nice guy and pleasant to lisnen to. If you explore more about the Roman Empire another world goes open for you aswell because there are so many intresting things and allot of things to still watch accros the Mediterranean Sea
As I looked while you were talking, I thought to myself that notch looked familiar, even without the tree. Kevin Costner went to my high school (Villa Park, CA). I used to live in Holland years ago, and between what I saw there and such places as this in England, it is amazing just how much the Roman's shaped the face of Europe both figuratively and literally. Many thanks for your beautiful videos JD. I miss the green fields of my past... 😊
Amazing site. Thx, JD
Good episode as ever JD brother. Are you in the UK now??
I HATE that they cut that tree!!!! Wow-that’s evil!
HEY,... J.D. And Family hope your All doing great.
And Ya I'm a lot like You I've Always read and Watched more About The 1 & 2 world Wars and also the Korean War which my father was severely wounded And had lost his right arm In a Mortar attack he was a staff sergeant of a 30 caliber machine gun team. but my Dad enjoyed the History of the Romans, Greeks, And the time period your Exploring now.
So these shows bring back memories of my Dad and what he Loved world History OK Take care and Stay safe on your journeys
Mark D.
Barre, Vt
I am amazed at how they built this out of stone, and the fact they built it by hand. Also, such attention to detail
Impressive JD thank you 💯👊👍
What a pleasure to watch
While working on genealogy, and watching Time Team, originally thought Romans were
Italians, forgot they conquered alot so soldiers could be from Spain, Romania, Belgium, Syria, North Africa, 600 soldiers a garrison, 480 infantry/120
cavalry...from The Frontier Garrison - Hadrian's wall UK site. Your visit was VERY interesting!!!! Thanks!!!
Pretty Cool place, would love see that one time. Amazing constructions
Great video, particularly pertinent to me as the author of 'Ghosts and Eagles,' an historical fantasy set in 367AD at Vercovicium.
JD awesome job Another great video thank you JD
You should go to york too roman and viking stuff
Boy, imagine a young Roman soldier's reaction the first time the Whitewalkers showed up.
DJ, when you're done with Hadrian's Wall, you should go further north and check out Antonine's Wall. Its not quite as impressive but it was built only 20 years after Hadrian's wall and is quite a bit further north. I believe it is actually in Scotland, and ran roughly from Edinburgh to Glasgow. Or more appropriately, from the coast on the FIrth of Forth near Edinburgh to the mouth of the River Clyde west of Glasgow. Might be worth checking out. 🙂
Great job! Thanks!!
Awesome video , JD! It’s a shame what happened to the Sycamore. I was thinking that area looked familiar right before you mentioned Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. Had no idea portions of the movie were filmed there.
Hope you enjoyed your trip to the UK, there are hundreds of locations here that could do either the JD treatment
Any documentation on what happened to the stones after the wall was knocked down, such as building bridges with them? Great video!
3:29 do watch out for 🐑 dodo. Its not as bad as 🐄 dodo, but by golly does it's smell linger once washed off lol
16:28 "Azeem: Is there no sun in this cursed country? Which way is East?"
Was Hadrian's wall taller than what is there now ? I realize that the room walls would have been taller , but wondering about the outter defensive walls ?
Yes, in previous episodes you can see images of what it would have looked like. Over time, people simply took the stones to build new stuff - a lot of time and many hands made the wall shrink in height.
Up to 4.6 metres high.
We always called the things sheep do "ranch raisins".
The word barbarian originally comes from ancient Greek used to describe anyone not Greek including the Romans. The Romans adopted the word to describe foreign hostile people like the ancient Scotts. The Scotts were called Caledonians in those times and continually raided northern England and hence one reason for the wall!
The sheep fulfill an essential function for English Heritage......expertly mowing of the grass so we can see the archaeology
awesome
👍🏻
Best regards from Colombia, South America.
I have been following you for a long time and your magazines are simply wonderful, you were in the Pacific and a question strikes me,
Why didn't you go to Iwo Jima? All the battles in the Pacific in the Second World War are important and interesting to know, but Iwo is the queen of battles, what happened, because you didn't go to Iwo.
We greatly appreciate your work in documenting and letting us know the story from the very place of the events.
Thank you so much
Iwo is incredibly restricted by the Japanese government and difficult to get to. The only time that you can go is on an anniversary and even then, you only get about 6 hours on the island.
@@TheHistoryUnderground Thank you for your generosity in responding.
A settlement outside a Roman fort would be called a 'vicus' (vee-cus).
@@marypasco2213 👍🏻
The pillars, for the raised floor @ 6:05, is a system called a 'Hypocaust' (hyper-cost). A furnace would be constructed at one end of the building. Then that air would be circulated through a series of hollow chambers beneath the floor. Hot air would also rise up through pipes on the walls, heating the rooms above. Most commonly used in public baths. It was a sign of wealth because it required servants to constantly keep the fires going.
12:19 i believe that is a defence point.. only one enemy solder at a time can try to pass
They should ask those two. Why would someone cut the only tree in the area?
Bravo!
Rome could not take Caledonia (Scotland) that's why they built two walls to keep the Picts out, the Picts just sailed round the wall by boat.
The valum kept the English in , many uprisings occurred in the north of England so the wall kept the Celts on the English side from escaping off into Scotland as well as keeping the Celts on the Scottish side out . The mile castles were used like a customs at an airport where goods coming in or out could be checked and taxed . I have just walked the wall from bowness to walls end a couple of weeks back great experience 👍
there was another Vallum further up north called "Antonine Wall"
Thanks! I had seen Hadrian's Wall in history segments, but they didn't talk about the towers, forts, etc. So, of course, I thought it was just wall. Wow! So wrong!
I see where the stones originated from, but these did not come out square. The time spent squaring off these stones must have been immense.
Think it’s rough to walk that?….imagine doing that all day long carrying the rocks up there? YIKES!
Good point.
Hadrian's wall maybe similar to the demilitarized zone between Norh and South Korea.
I don't understand what motives those two criminals had to cut down that beautiful Sycamore tree. They deserve the maximum punishment. Idiots that ruin things for everyone.
Is the height of the wall as high now as it was when built? I know the turrets would have been higher.
Did quick search, originally abt 15 roman feet tall, abt 8' wide or less, depending. Lots of interesting Wall info online!
If Romans were stationed in those small forts for too long, they could develop a condition called "Turret's Syndrome". I'll get my coat....
My kind of humor, made my day! 😂👍🍻
Fires are rising and the bells are ringing
Glory take us into Odin's halls
Golden glimmer and the sound of singing
Asgard's call
Oh-ho-oh
The echoes of eternity
Oh-ho-oh
Valhalla calling me
Valhalla calling me
hanging
I could not imagine what it might be like to carry all those stones, and form them into a wall. Im sure that job became a burden quick.
Well, at least 1 person won't be carrying them ALL...😂
I believe they used carts and wagons. pulled by men or horses.
@@marypasco2213 I can see that but who stacked them?
@@robertwatkins364 - Other slaves. Rome used a LOT of slave labor. Romans were the landlords and were above doing manual labor.
Pity you didn't visit the forts on the East coast, Arbeia and Segedunum have some great reconstructed buildings. People tend to start the wall from west to east, but infact you should start your tour from east to West.
Really loving this series. So sad about that tree. Hope they get what they deserve
Even given the fact that a Roman legion on the march would end their day by building a fort, then start the new day by destroying it, Hadrian's wall is still an impressive feat of construction.
Also not calling you out but language would definitely different along the wall learn myself so you're not alone.
Always be aware of land mines no matter what era of history you are covering
Im guessing it was taller and over time people have taken the stone for fencing and building
Yes.
Excellent series JD, thank you. Just have to research myself if the Scots tried to attack from the north?
It was the Picts in 1st century the Scotii arrived from Scotia (today's Ireland) in the 6th century.
Pity we only discovered preservation relatively late. How much stone would have been taking to build farms and villages from east to west. Hope your head is better.