Hadrian's Wall: What is it? - A Brief Introduction for Kids

Hadrian's Wall Facts:

When:

Hadrian's Wall was constructed in 122AD.

What:

It is a huge wall that stretches right across the North of England, named after Emperor Hadrian.

Why:

The Romans built it to separate Roman land in Britain from Scotland and defend it from the attacking Scottish tribes.

How:

It took about 15,000 soldiers around 14 years to build the whole wall from stone and earth.

Did you know:

The wall is 73 miles long, 3 meters wide, and between 3.5 and 6 meters high!

The Structure of Hadrian's Wall:

Forts:

There were 16 forts along the total length of Hadrian's Wall. Each was home to approx. 600 soldiers.

Milecastles:

Were fortified gateways through which soldiers could patrol the wall. Built every Roman mile along the wall. Each Milecastle was home to approx. 20 soldiers.

Turrets:

Were tall viewing points where soldiers could keep watch. There were two Turrets at regular intervals between each Milecastle.

Did you know:

Today we can only see about 10% of the original wall, over the years the other stones were removed or destroyed.

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Further Reading:

• Emperor Hadrian - Who Was He?

• Hadrian's Wall - Why Was It Built?

• Hadrian's Wall Seen Through Aerial Photography