
Hadrian's Wall
Creating Division
Matthew Symonds(Author)
Bloomsbury Academic (Publisher)
Published on 14. January 2021
Book
Hardback
232 pages
978-1-350-10535-5 (ISBN)
Description
Over its venerable history, Hadrian's Wall has had an undeniable influence in shaping the British landscape, both literally and figuratively. Once thought to be a soft border, recent research has implicated it in the collapse of a farming civilisation centuries in the making, and in fuelling an insurgency characterised by violent upheaval. Examining the everyday impact of the Wall over the three centuries it was in operation, Matthew Symonds sheds new light on its underexplored human story by discussing how the evidence speaks of a hard border scything through a previously open landscape and bringing dramatic change in its wake. The Roman soldiers posted to Hadrian's Wall were overwhelmingly recruits from the empire's occupied territories, and for them the frontier could be a place of fear and magic where supernatural protection was invoked during spells of guard duty.
Since antiquity, the Wall has been exploited by powers craving the legitimacy that came with being accepted as the heirs of Rome: it helped forge notions of English and Scottish nationhood, and even provided a model of selfless cultural collaboration when the British Empire needed reassurance. It has also inspired creatives for centuries, appearing in a more or less recognisable guise in works ranging from Rudyard Kipling's Puck of Pook's Hill to George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones. Combining an archaeological analysis of the monument itself and an examination of its rich legacy and contemporary relevance, this volume presents a reliable, modern perspective on the Wall.
Since antiquity, the Wall has been exploited by powers craving the legitimacy that came with being accepted as the heirs of Rome: it helped forge notions of English and Scottish nationhood, and even provided a model of selfless cultural collaboration when the British Empire needed reassurance. It has also inspired creatives for centuries, appearing in a more or less recognisable guise in works ranging from Rudyard Kipling's Puck of Pook's Hill to George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones. Combining an archaeological analysis of the monument itself and an examination of its rich legacy and contemporary relevance, this volume presents a reliable, modern perspective on the Wall.
Reviews / Votes
A great read. * British Archaeology * Matthew Symonds is acknowledged as one of the leading scholars on the Roman frontiers in Britain and this book provides a lively account of the new directions of study which are transforming our understanding of Hadrian's Wall. -- Richard Hingley, Professor of Archaeology, Durham University, UK Accessible and entertaining overview of this complex monument, including the history of its construction and the role of the Wall in later history ... A vibrant account of the new directions of study that are making the Wall even more relevant today. * Current Archaeology * In this stimulating addition to the burgeoning literature of Hadrian's Wall, [Matthew Symonds] brings fresh emphases to the study of this endlessly fascinating Roman monument in the north of Britain ... a thought-provoking volume that will seriously influence the way we look at Hadrian's Wall in the future. * Minerva * It is Symonds's holistic, comprehensive and non-partisan approach to the story of the Wall that sets it apart and gives the reader as rounded a picture of its origin and life from AD 120 to the present day as you're likely to get ... It is a good, accessible read with numerous interesting facts not in any way bogged down by archaeology of the dry as dust kind ... I read the book shortly before a recent revisit to the Wall: it made my trip all the more enjoyable and informative. * Classics for All *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
60 bw illus
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Weight
503 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-350-10535-5 (9781350105355)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Matthew Symonds is an internationally respected authority on Hadrian's Wall. He completed his doctorate on Roman fortlets and frontiers at the University of Oxford, UK, in 2008, and is now the editor of Current World Archaeology magazine, as well as a panel tutor for the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education. Matthew is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, Scotland, and Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. His publications include Protecting the Roman Empire: Fortlets, Frontiers, and the Quest for Post-Conquest Security (2017).
Content
List of illustrations
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction: Into Darkness
2. Rome and Britain: When Worlds Collide
3. Battling for Britain: Conflict and Collaboration
4. Drawing a Line: Hadrian and his Wall
5. A New Normal: War and Peace
6. The Long 4th Century: An End and a Beginning
7. The Mythmakers: From limitanei to Legend
8. Wall Renaissance: Evidence from the Earth
9. Romancing the Stones: A Media murus
10. Long Division: The Many Lives of the Wall
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction: Into Darkness
2. Rome and Britain: When Worlds Collide
3. Battling for Britain: Conflict and Collaboration
4. Drawing a Line: Hadrian and his Wall
5. A New Normal: War and Peace
6. The Long 4th Century: An End and a Beginning
7. The Mythmakers: From limitanei to Legend
8. Wall Renaissance: Evidence from the Earth
9. Romancing the Stones: A Media murus
10. Long Division: The Many Lives of the Wall
Notes
Bibliography
Index