Hadrian's Wall : the initial Romanization of northern Britain during the second and third century AD

Title

Hadrian's Wall : the initial Romanization of northern Britain during the second and third century AD

Creator

Broyles, Timothy Michael

Date

2019-05-10

Date Available

2019-05-10

Date Issued

2019-05

uri

https://collections.southwestern.edu/s/suscholar/item/155

Abstract

Jupiter in the Aeneid stated that Rome would have “imperium sine fine,” or an empire without borders. Britain had been subjected to invasions by Augustus Caesar (55 B.C.) and Julius Agricola (A.D. 77 - A.D. 84) in the past. In 128 A.D. Hadrian halted the previous emperors’ expansions, both in the east and also in Britain with a wall. The creation of Hadrian’s Wall was a pivotal point in the history of the Roman Empire. Hadrian’s Wall created a unique flow of Roman culture into northern Britain by establishing the Roman military as the only true administration in the region. The cultural influence of the military settlements forced a new way of life onto indigenous people by undermining traditional ideas and forcing them to conform to the Roman way of life. This paper draws upon archeology, ancient sources, and previous research to argue that Hadrian’s Wall acted as a catalyst for Romanization to bring prosperity to the land through instating what Rome believed to be a “superior” culture.

Subject

Hadrian's Wall (England)

Hadrian's Wall

Fortification, Roman -- England, Northern

Great Britain -- History -- Roman period, 55 B.C.-449 A.D.

Type

Thesis

Language

English