The Natural and Cultural Significance of an Empire’s Border That No Longer Exists
Hadrian’s Wall
Walls and borders are a time-honored tradition throughout the world. Countless nations, countries, and empires have used walls throughout history for protection, border, and resource defense. There are many historical walls in the world; examples include Hadrian’s Wall in England, The Great Wall of China, the Three Castles, the Defensive Wall, and Ramparts of the Market- Town of Bellinzona in Switzerland. There are a few modern-day examples of walls and borders as well. It could be argued that the fortified border of the United States belongs on this list, as each wall represents a distinct cultural identity and serves as a barrier to external cultural landscapes. This post will focus on Hadrian’s Wall in England, exploring its cultural significance and its impact on the natural landscape of Britain.
Hadrian’s Wall was a fortification that protected the Roman frontier in Britannia. The construction of this project was initiated in 122 AD by Emperor Hadrian and was completed after six years. The wall was used to defend the Roman border from tribes such as the Celts and the Britons. The Romans considered these groups barbarians and wanted to defend their empire at all costs. The wall was built during the late Roman Empire when the emperors thought more about defense than offense. The growth of the empire and frequent attacks on supply routes caused a decrease in the efficiency of Roman military forces, prompting a transition from offensive to defensive strategies. To contain the barbarian tribes, the armies used fortifications strategically positioned along the wall, encompassing natural features such as rivers, cliffs, mountains, and seas.
Hadrian’s Wall consists of natural heritage as it lines the countryside of the UK. It was built to deal with the specific topography and climate that affected the northwestern part of the Roman Empire (UNESCO, 2013). The rolling hills and rivers that the wall crosses make for an interesting design. The wall ran along the River Tyne. This river helped make a natural border along Hadrian’s Wall and made Roman military engineers create river crossings and bridges for the legions to cross. The geological composition of the region is a distinctive aspect of the area. As Young (2012) noted, the wall follows a path along crags that are part of the United Kingdom and are characterized by the prominent geological feature known as the Great Whin Sill. This formation, composed of durable Black Dolerite, is highly resistant to erosion. Young (2012) further explains that these unique geological characteristics made the area particularly attractive for Roman Architects to construct upon.
Hadrian’s Wall is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it aligns with several criteria. UNESCO states in criterion IV,
“The Fortified German Limes, Hadrian’s Wall, and the Antoine Wall are outstanding examples of Roman military architecture and building techniques and their technological development, perfected by engineers over the course of several generations.” (UNESCO, 2013)
The architecture of the Roman Empire is a distinct cultural element. When visiting Rome and its borders, one cannot miss the iconic features of Roman Architecture, such as Roman concrete, columns, and curved edges. Roman military architecture had its own style when dealing with the setup of forts and other military positions. Collins (2015:2) writes that the military installations were made of stone. Collins (2015) went on to state,
“Roman military architecture for forts included a square or rectangular enclosure with rounded corners and a large double gateway in each of its four walls, with longer walls also containing secondary gates.” This was typical of the Roman Military Architecture of the time, and it was used in forts and fortresses across the Roman Empire. This is because they felt their architecture was the top of the line. The Roman Architects were trained in this style but also tried to incorporate the other civilization’s architecture into theirs. This way, the people would feel more comfortable with the Romans being in control. This is also due to the constraints of supplies. The Romans could not haul around all of the supplies from Rome to build their walls, so they had to incorporate the local building materials found on the frontier. (Labate, 2016)
Roman military architecture in every fort, such as Hadrian’s Wall, renders it a cultural landscape of Rome, showcasing a blend of cultures. When the wall was built, it blended with the landscape to become part of the area’s natural heritage and had a significant cultural impact on Britain. When it was built, it was the northernmost border of the Roman Empire. It continued to play a role throughout the later years and into today for Britons who may own farms in the area. It was selected as a World Heritage site by UNESCO because of its impact on the landscape and the people. Today, you can see ancestors of the Roman legions stationed there as they went, had families with the locals, and started to assimilate with the local population. This made it part of the cultural heritage because the Romans stationed at Hardian’s wall became a part of the people of Britain. The wall is also part of the cultural aspect of its heritage because it affected Britannia’s people.
In conclusion, Hadrian’s Wall was an essential part of the Roman Empire during the later years as expansion slowed down. The wall was a static position for the Empire to keep its borders strong. The Great Whin Shill that Hadrian’s Wall sits on helps blend it into the natural landscape to make it part of the natural heritage. The people the legionaries of the wall interacted with helped make Hadrian’s wall part of the cultural heritage. This is why it is important to continue protecting Hadrian’s Wall’s cultural and natural landscape for generations to come. Hadrian’s Wall continues to be an attraction for people to come and see because the tale of it continues to be shared worldwide as it was an important part of such a large empire. Overall, it is a very important part of the world’s history, as well as Italy’s and the UK’s.
