Hadrian’s Wall was the ancient Roman structure marking the northern frontier of the Roman Empire in modern-day England.
Construction began in 122 CE during the reign of Emperor Hadrian, who visited Britain that year. The wall ran roughly 117 kilometers from Wallsend on the River Tyne in the east to Bowness-on-Solway in the west. It included forts, milecastles, turrets, gates, and military roads.
The wall controlled movement, supported customs and administration, and displayed Roman authority, although it was not an impenetrable barrier. Soldiers and support personnel from across the empire served along its frontier.
Hadrian’s Wall is often confused with the Antonine Wall, a later Roman frontier farther north in Scotland. The Antonine Wall was built mainly in the 140s CE but was abandoned after a relatively short period, while Hadrian’s Wall remained the principal Roman frontier in Britain for centuries.