Hadrian's Wall and the End of Empire

The Roman Frontier in the 4th and 5th Centuries

Rob Collins

• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Year: 2012
• eBook ISBN: 9781136291418
• Edition: 1
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Ancient History
• Index: History

There is no synthetic or comprehensive treatment of any late Roman frontier in the English language to date, despite the political and economic significance of the frontiers in the late antique period. Examining Hadrian's Wall and the Roman frontier of northern England from the fourth century into the Early Medieval period, this book investigates a late frontier in transition from an imperial border zone to incorporation into Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, using both archaeological and documentary evidence. With an emphasis on the late Roman occupation and Roman military, it places the frontier in the broader imperial context.

In contrast to other works, Hadrian's Wall and the End of Empire challenges existing ideas of decline, collapse, and transformation in the Roman period, as well as its impact on local frontier communities. Author Rob Collins analyzes in detail the limitanei, the frontier soldiers of the late empire essential for the successful maintenance of the frontiers, and the relationship between imperial authorities and local frontier dynamics. Finally, the impact of the end of the Roman period in Britain is assessed, as well as the influence that the frontier had on the development of the Anglian kingdom of Northumbria.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Halftitle
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• List of Abbreviations
• Acknowledgments
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Hadrian’s Wall and the Frontier from Construction to Collapse
• 3. “Per lineam valli”: The Limitanei of the Northern Frontier
• 4. Interpreting Military Transformation
• 5. Britons and Barbarians
• 6. Frontiers Far and Wide
• 7. The Frontier at the End of Empire: Decline, Collapse, or Transformation?
• Appendix A. Roman Forts in Northern Britain—Key Sites and References
• Appendix B. Pollen Sites in the Frontier
• Appendix C. Reconstructing the Final Frontier
• Bibliography
• Index