The Roman Empire’s Frontiers: Exploring the Farthest Reaches of an Ancient Superpower

How far did the Romans go?

The Roman Empire at its greatest extent in 117 AD (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

At its peak, the Roman Empire covered an area of approximately 5 million square kilometers, with over 100 million people residing within its borders, which was around 25% of the world’s population at the time.

The empire spanned from the rain-soaked Hadrian Wall in northern England and the Rhine and Danube River in continental Europe to the sun-baked Saharan desert in Africa and from the Atlantic Ocean to the banks of the Euphrates River in Syria.

The northern borders of the Roman Empire

Artistic depiction of a Roman fortress at the Hadrian Wall in Great Britain (Image: english-heritage.org.uk)

The Romans established a defensive line deep within Scotland on the British Isles, known as the Antonine Wall, which was constructed between 142 and 144 AD. Although the wall was briefly reoccupied in 208, it was ultimately abandoned by 164 AD, and the border shifted southwards to the Hadrian Wall.

Despite the Antonine Wall being the original border, the Romans continued to venture further north. The Roman military was able to advance as far north as the Moray Firth in the…