Things people “know” about Hadrian’s Wall

Myth The Wall was built of stone all the way.

Fact As first planned, most of the Wall was stone, but the western 30-mile section was turf. English Heritage: History of Hadrian’s Wall West of the River Irthing the Wall was at first built of turf; there the milecastles were turf and timber, while the turrets were stone. English Heritage: History of Birdoswald Roman Fort

Myth The soldiers on the Wall all came from Italy.

Fact Soldiers and civilians came to the Wall from as far away as modern Syria, Romania and North Africa. English Heritage: Hadrian’s Wall, History and Stories The first cohort of Tungrians, recruited around Tongres in modern Belgium, garrisoned Housesteads from the late 2nd to the 4th century. English Heritage: History of Housesteads Roman Fort From the 3rd century Birdoswald was held by the first cohort of Dacians, recruited from what is now Romania. English Heritage: History of Birdoswald Roman Fort

Myth Roman soldiers only drank wine.

Fact According to the Vindolanda tablets, locally brewed beer, not wine, was the soldiers’ drink of choice. English Heritage: Romans, Daily Life One Vindolanda tablet has a junior officer complaining: “My fellow soldiers have no beer – please order some to be sent”. British Museum: The Vindolanda tablets

Myth Only soldiers lived on the Wall.

Fact Hundreds, if not thousands, of women lived on and around the Wall in the Roman period. English Heritage blog: The Role of Women on Hadrian’s Wall (2016) Many civilians lived in and around the forts, including veterans, traders, craftspeople and soldiers’ families. English Heritage: Hadrian’s Wall, History and Stories Claudia Severa’s birthday invitation to Sulpicia Lepidina, around AD 100, is the earliest example of a woman’s handwriting from anywhere in the Roman Empire. British Museum: The Vindolanda tablets

Myth The legions who built the Wall also guarded it.

Fact Mainly built by legionaries, the Wall was manned by auxiliaries, in regiments nominally 500 or 1,000 strong. English Heritage: History of Hadrian’s Wall

Myth Vindolanda is a fort on the Wall.

Fact Vindolanda, just south of the Wall, was first built in timber in about AD 85, almost 40 years before the Wall. The Vindolanda Trust: Why is Vindolanda to the south of Hadrian’s Wall?

Myth The Romans called it Hadrian’s Wall.

Fact The Ilam pan, a 2nd-century souvenir of the Wall found in 2003, suggests the Romans may have called the frontier “vallum Aelii”, Aelius being Hadrian’s family name. English Heritage: History of Hadrian’s Wall

Myth It’s fine to walk along the top of the Wall.

Fact The World Heritage Site’s visitor code, Every Footstep Counts, asks you not to walk on the Wall itself, to follow signed paths, walk side by side, avoid worn patches, keep gates closed, control your dog and take litter home. Hadrian’s Wall Country: Every Footstep Counts

Myth The Wall and the Trail are the same length.

Fact The Wall is 73 miles long, which is 80 Roman miles. English Heritage: Hadrian’s Wall FAQs The Hadrian’s Wall Path National Trail is 84 miles (135 km) long, coast to coast. National Trails: Hadrian’s Wall Path, trail information

Myth Every source agrees how many forts there were.

Fact English Heritage counts 16 forts, 80 milecastles and 156 turrets. English Heritage: Hadrian’s Wall FAQs Before the work was finished, 14 new forts were added, together with an earthwork to the south called the Vallum. English Heritage: Description of Hadrian’s Wall Chesters’ history says the decision was taken within two years to add 15 forts to the line. English Heritage: History of Chesters Roman Fort