Hadrian's Wall and between storms - August 2014

            Those that live in the UK will know that we have all experienced the tail end of hurricane Bertha, lots of wind and rain. After one heavy squall and before the next this was the scene. 

And that Hadrian's wall, just staggering. 

Here's some info and thanks to Wikipedia for the this>

Hadrian's Wall was probably planned before Roman Emperor Hadrian's visit to Britain in 122. According to restored sandstone fragments found in Jarrow that date from 118 or 119, it was Hadrian's wish to keep "intact the empire," which had been imposed upon him via "divine instruction." The fragments then announce the building of the wall. It is entirely possible that, on his arrival in Britain in 122, one of the stops on his itinerary was the northern frontier and an inspection of the progress of the wall as it was being built.

Although Hadrian's biographer wrote "(Hadrian) was the first to build a wall 80 miles long to separate the Romans from the barbarians",reasons for the construction of the wall vary, and no recording of any exact explanation survives. However, a number of theories have been presented by historians, primarily centring around an expression of Roman power and Hadrian's policy of defence before expansion. For example, on his accession to the throne in 117, Hadrian had been experiencing rebellion in Roman Britain and from the peoples of various conquered lands across the Empire, including Egypt, Palestine, Libya and Mauretania. These troubles may have had a hand in Hadrian's plan to construct the wall, and his construction of limites in other areas of the Empire, but to what extent is unknown.

Scholars also disagree over how much of a threat the inhabitants of northern Britain actually presented, and whether there was any more economic advantage in defending and garrisoning a fixed line of defences like the Wall over simply conquering and annexing what has become the Scottish Lowlands and defending the territory with a loose arrangement of forts.  The limites of Rome were never expected to stop whole tribes from migrating or entire armies from invading, and while a frontier protected by a palisade or stone wall would surely help curb cattle-raiders and the incursions of other small groups,[9] the economic viability of constructing and constantly staffing a boundary 72 miles (116 km) long along a sparsely populated border to stop small-scale raiding is dubious.

Another possible explanation for the erection of the great wall is the degree of control it would have provided over immigration, smuggling, and customs.   Limites did not strictly mark the boundaries of Rome, with Roman power and influence often extending beyond its walls.  People inside and beyond the limes travelled through it each day when conducting business, and organised check-points like those offered by Hadrian's Wall provided good opportunities for taxation. With watch towers only a short distance from gateways in the limes, patrolling legionaries would have been able to keep track of entering and exiting natives and Roman citizens alike, charging customs dues, and checking for smuggling.

Another theory is of a simpler variety—that Hadrian's Wall was, if not wholly, at least partially, constructed to reflect the power of Rome, and was used as a political point by Hadrian. Once its construction was finished, it is thought to have been covered in plaster and then white-washed, its shining surface able to reflect the sunlight and be visible for miles around.

Taken in: United Kingdom / England / Bardon Mill (show map)

Taken on: August 11, 2014

Tags:

Hadrian's wall

August 2014

Time to try

Northumberland

D800

14 - 24 f/2.8

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Camera: Nikon D800, f/5.6, 1/1600 sec, 14mm, ISO 160 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D800
Lens:	14.0-24.0 mm f/2.8
Aperture:	f/5.6
Exposure Time:	0.001 sec (1/1600)
Focal Length:	14mm
ISO:	160
Exposure Bias:	-1/3 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CS5 Macintosh
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