Roman Holiday

The Roman World and Far-Reaching Influence

My first weekend of spring break and I was off to make the long drive to the borders region (the land between Scotland and England--a much contested space, to say the least).  I stayed in Jedburgh (pronounced Jed-boro) about a 3.5-4 hour drive from Oldmeldrum.  From this lovely little burgh, I drove another hour and 1/2 to reach the area where Hadrian drew his line and built his wall in 122 AD.  The almost 80 mile project took him (and his soldiers and slaves) less than 8 years to build.  The wall was twelve feet high and every mile, there was built a structure, called a milecastle--from which soldiers could make "outpost" and keep watch over any interlopers.  The wall was intended to separate the Romans from the barbarians.   

Additionally, there were a number of forts built to barrack all the men and the retinues (some say up to 17 in number, each housing 500-1000 men).  Vindolanda was one of the largest, but it was in place long before the arrival of Hadrian and the beginning of the wall structure. 

Hadrian’s wall near Birdoswald--The wall

was originally 12 feet tall. 

Part of the  Banna Fort (original name for
Birdoswald) and a self portrait

Near Melrose Abbey--a viaduct.  18th C--but showing the 

influence of Roman architecture.  This viaduct is very near

the Trimontium, a site of archeological importance for the 

numerous, well-preserved artifacts  of sport and armor.  I 

later saw some of these items in the British Museum in London!

The public bath at Vindolanda--note the small stacks of
stones in the upper left side of the picture?  These were
under the floor (supporting the floor) and allowing for
  hot air flow to warm the space from below.  The original radiant floor heating. This building would have been the only place to be warm.  They would have had to drag me away-kicking and screaming.  

Barracks at Vindolanda—where 8 men slept in this
small space and ten groups of eight men made
up a cohort (one line of these small spaces).  About 500 men were “stationed” here.  This is the 8^th and final building on this site (one atop the next).  The site is celebrating its 1800^th birthday
this year.  It has been around! 

Metal amulets of protection found on the site.  

The penis of protection, this one found in one of the drainage gutters