Which Roman emperor ordered Hadrian’s Wall to be built?

Roman emperor Hadrian ordered Hadrian’s Wall to be built. Construction began in AD 122 during his visit to the province of Britannia, creating a fortified frontier across northern England from the River Tyne to the Solway Firth.

The wall extended about 117 kilometres and included forts, milecastles, turrets, ditches, and roads. It was not a continuous barrier intended to stop every movement; controlled gates supported surveillance, administration, and the collection of customs duties. Soldiers from across the Roman Empire served along its length.

Hadrian’s Wall marked the northern limit of the Roman Empire in Britain for much of its history, although Roman control and frontier arrangements changed over time. It is often confused with the Antonine Wall in central Scotland, built later under Antoninus Pius. The two structures belonged to different frontier programs.