Making the Hadrian’s Wall illustrated map
Happy Hadrians Wall 1900 omnes! As of Monday (Hadrians birthday), this year-long festival celebrating the Roman site has begun. It will involve reenactments, community projects, tours, plays, and a whole host of TBA events I can’t wait to attend!
As a Romanist in the North, Hadrian’s Wall is quite special to me. I think it’s a fascinating example of how civilian communities interacted with the imperial presence, and just how “Roman” life would have been adapted in such a distant frontier. I wanted to create an illustration for #HW1900 highlighting examples of these people’s presence along the wall, as well as providing a faithful replica of the structure. In the future I hope to expand this illustration to a full map of Roman Britain!
Read on below for a full write-up of this illustration:
If you would like your own copy, prints and merchandise of this map are available on my shop.
Hadrian's Wall was begun on 122 CE under the orders of Hadrian. It spanned across the Northernmost border of Britannia, acting primarily as a form of border control and symbol of Roman power. It would have also been a deterrent to foreign raids, and would have provided a base for scouts patrolling along the northern side. Many vici (vicus - civilian town) sprang up next to these encampments, and archaeology reveals a bustling community of families, business owners, tradespeople, enslaved people, and more living alongside the soldiers. Overall, the wall had 80 milecastles, several observation towers and 17 large forts (of which 8 have been highlighted here). There were also stand-alone forts built in the general area which have not been depicted for map clarity (save for Alauna and Vindolanda).
Though it was built by legionnaires, the wall was manned by auxiliary foot and mounted troops recruited from all over the Roman empire. (See this resource by Segedunum Roman Fort for the full list!)
Depicting the Wall
While this is primarily a decorative illustration, I took time to make the wall as scale-accurate as the composition would allow. As there wasn't room to depict every single fort, I selected sites on their material culture and what resources were available to me. Subsequently, this map largely reflects the selection of forts highlighted in Hadrian’s Wall by David Breeze for English Heritage Guidebooks, and the map on display at Segedunum's Roman Fort. The biggest difference is that I also highlighted the town Luguvalium (Carlisle) and Uxelodunum (Stanwix) with one of the incredible IMP tiles discovered only 6 months ago! Also, though Alauna isn't directly on the wall, it is on a continuation of milefortlets marked out by Breeze.
Artefact List (in order of forts and towns left to right)
While the wall is an important element of Roman military history, it also was home to everyday civilians. The artefacts in this map have been carefully chosen to reflect this community alongside the soldiers.
Epona relief, Alauna: Epona was a Gallic goddess of horses often venerated by the cavalry. This relief is one of only two Epona depictions found in the UK.
Jupiter Baldric mount, Luguvalium: This would have been worn on a soldier's belt or sword strap. The mount's discovery in Luguvalium shows the military presence in the town, and is also pretty cool looking!
'Imp(erator)' Tile, Uxelodunum: These tiles were recently excavated in Stanwix. These finds, along with other artefacts, suggest that Uxelodunum was host to the emperor Septimius Severus and his wife Julia Domna on their Britannia tour (imperator = emperor).
Fortuna statue & dog brooch, Banna: This large Fortuna statue was found in the commanding officer's bathhouse, while the decorative brooch was found at a nearby milecastle.
Genii Cucullati relief, Vercovicium: This relief was found in a house in the vicus (attached civilian settlement). The "hooded deities" wear a hooded woolen cloak (byrrus Britannicus), which was a famous export from Britannia.
Mithras statue, Vercovicium: Mithras was worshipped by soldiers in a secret cult, and is subsequently a major deity along the wall. This large statue was found in the fort's Mithraeum (Mithraic cave).
Birthday Invitation & Gladiator Glass, Vindolanda: Vindolanda has revealed some fantastically preserved organic artefacts, including letters. This example is a birthday invite to Sulpicia Lepidina from Claudia Severa, who most likely wrote it herself. The gladiator glass is also an example of Rome's trade networks as it was made in Germany. Remarkably, pieces of this glass are still being found and reunited as the site is excavated.
Reconstructed Mithraeum, Brocolitia: Not much is left of the Mithraeum, but originally it would have been a low building with no windows to replicate the ‘Mithraic cave’.
Dedication to Coventina, Cilurnum: Coventina was a local river goddess. As the wall's path had to cross a river at this point, dedications to the goddess would have been prudent!
Hunt cup, Coria: These vessels depicting hunting scenes were produced in Peterborough in the third century. This one was found complete in Coria.
Antenociticus bust, Benwell: Several dedications have been found to this local deity, affectionately nicknamed 'the Geordie god'.
Stone Toilet seat, Segedunum: As well as being a fascinating site, Segedunum boasts the only Roman toilet seat found in Roman Britain. Grab your sponge on a stick!
Tombstone to Regina, Arbeia: This tombstone is dedicated to Regina, a freedwoman from southern Britain who was enslaved by, and later married to, Barates from Syria.
Bonus illustrations
Equites (Auxiliary Cavalry): Forts along Hadrians Wall were manned by either auxiliary infantry, cavalry, or mixed units. Alauna was mixed units, and it is likely the Epona relief was dedicated by the equites. Roman horse equipment is similar to today's but the horses were pony-sized and there were no stirrups!
Milecastle 37: The milecastles in between forts provided bases for scouts. This example is based on a model on display at the Great North Museum.
Pedes (Auxiliary infantry): This pedes' equiptment is different from the usual legionary get up. He has a circular shield for skirmish fighting, and holds a hasta (as opposed to the usual pilum). His armour is a mail lorica hamata as opposed to the legionary lorica segmentata. I also gave him a cape (following Peter Connolly's example in Greece and Rome at War p.228) because he must be bloody freezing!
Despite my love for the wall, there are still plenty of sites I haven’t seen and hikes I haven’t done. I’m looking forward to what this year will bring, and how much more I can learn about the people and communities that made up this distant frontier!
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