Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Newcastle Trip. Part 3: Housesteads.
Northumberland trip - Part 3.
I guess almost everybody in the country has heard of Hadrian's wall.
Why did the Roman's build it? History has it that the Romans needed it to protect this, the far outpost of their empire from the ravaging hordes of barbarians who populated the north. Perhaps it is also true that the Romans used the wall to keep control of trade and finances and smuggling.
We do know that for nigh on 300 years Romans lived an worked along the length of the wall in a series of forts. The forts had many of the amenities of towns and villages and some were quite large.
Perhaps the best known is Housesteads.
The Northumberland countryside can be both beautiful and bleak. Roman soldiers must have yearned for the warmth of Rome.
Looking south, with the River Tyne down in the valley.
There was much to explore.
Notices explained the lay out and showed how things would have looked almost 2,000 years ago.
No barbarians in sight to the North.
The wall (once much higher of course) stretches across the landscape on the highest craggiest ridges.
Running along the top of the wall remains.
Ecky reading information.
Running in and out of the Roman rooms.
Yes - I received a phone call!
Can you imagine the disbelief of the Roman soldiers?
I was talking to a friend 350 miles away.
Goodness I could even have been talking to somebody in Rome!
I guess almost everybody in the country has heard of Hadrian's wall.
Why did the Roman's build it? History has it that the Romans needed it to protect this, the far outpost of their empire from the ravaging hordes of barbarians who populated the north. Perhaps it is also true that the Romans used the wall to keep control of trade and finances and smuggling.
We do know that for nigh on 300 years Romans lived an worked along the length of the wall in a series of forts. The forts had many of the amenities of towns and villages and some were quite large.
Perhaps the best known is Housesteads.
The Northumberland countryside can be both beautiful and bleak. Roman soldiers must have yearned for the warmth of Rome.
There was much to explore.
Notices explained the lay out and showed how things would have looked almost 2,000 years ago.
No barbarians in sight to the North.
The wall (once much higher of course) stretches across the landscape on the highest craggiest ridges.
Running along the top of the wall remains.
Ecky reading information.
Running in and out of the Roman rooms.
Yes - I received a phone call!
Can you imagine the disbelief of the Roman soldiers?
I was talking to a friend 350 miles away.
Goodness I could even have been talking to somebody in Rome!
