Vindolanda

[Rum]

I have been a student of Roman history most of my life. One of the reasons I was so happy to move up here to the far north of England was that Hadrian's Wall would be close, which indeed it is, a mile from here at its closest. I often potter off along it.

Somehow I only recently learned about one of the richest and most enlightening Roman archaeological sites around here. I don't know how I overlooked it to be honest given I am always reading about Roman history stuff.

I stumbled on it looking for an alternative route from the hospital my dad is in 40 or so miles away. The A69 more or less follows the old Wall, but it is a tedious drive. Anyway one day I stopped there on the way home. If you have any interest at all do click on the link. It is a very good web site in my view.Oh - basically Vindolanda was a fort and settlement that housed Roman Soldiers who patrolled and guarded that neck of the woods for 200 years or more. There is an excellent small but crammed and well put together museum there and gardens which look like a Roman senator might have lived in them.

http://www.vindolanda.com/

[Xamonas Chegwé]

I thought this thread was going to be about an Indian restaurant!

[Rum]

I thought this thread was going to be about an Indian restaurant!

That's what my daughter, who was in the car with me said when she saw the sign!

[Audley Strange]

If it is Roman might it not actually be Uindolanda? Much like the area Milngavie (pronounced Milguy) is actually Milngauie? Those gvys were crazy.

[Strontium Dog]

I've been there. But it must have been nearly 25 years ago, as Sky TV had only just been launched, and we were staying in a flat above an electrical shop in Seahouses, Northumberland which had Sky. The only television programme it seemed to show was Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, which was a bit odd.

Anyway, on the way back home, we stopped off at several sites along the wall. Most notably Housesteads and Vindolanda, which are pretty close to each other.

I always thought it was great that the Romans managed to conquer Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, but when they reached Scotland, they just built a fucking big wall.

I think it would be cool one day to just get a metal detector and go hunting round some of the less well kept portions of the wall.

[Audley Strange]

Yeah well next year you might be needing to build another fucking big wall.

[Hermit]

I always thought it was great that the Romans managed to conquer Europe...

The Roman Empire, at its greatest point of expansion never covered much more than half of mainland Europe.

...but when they reached Scotland, they just built a fucking big wall.

Hadrian's wall is not particularly singular. It was part of a series of Limes, or limits, which stretched along for over 5000 kilometres and demarcated the boundary between the empire and Barbars. Hadrian's wall stretched across 117 kilometres, dividing Britannia from Caledonia. The Germanic Limes was about five times longer. For others, start with this link.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

I always thought it was great that the Romans managed to conquer Europe...

The Roman Empire, at its greatest point of expansion never covered much more than half of mainland Europe.

No. They conquered all of it. Every inch. The borders of Europe at the time were drawn up by the Romans and ended precisely at the outskirts of Barbarianshire.

...but when they reached Scotland, they just built a fucking big wall.

Hadrian's wall is not particularly singular. It was part of a series of Limes, or limits, which stretched along for over 5000 kilometres and demarcated the boundary between the empire and Barbars. Hadrian's wall stretched across 117 kilometres, dividing Britannia from Caledonia. The Germanic Limes was about five times longer. For others, start with this link.

See. Where lesser conquerors drew a line on a map, the Romans built a fucking great wall around a continent!11!!

[Thinking Aloud]

I was there earlier this year with the kids - and last year too, if memory serves. It's great!

[Hermit]

I always thought it was great that the Romans managed to conquer Europe...

The Roman Empire, at its greatest point of expansion never covered much more than half of mainland Europe.

No. They conquered all of it. Every inch. The borders of Europe at the time were drawn up by the Romans and ended precisely at the outskirts of Barbarianshire.

Channelling Douglas Adams again?

[Xamonas Chegwé]

I always thought it was great that the Romans managed to conquer Europe...

The Roman Empire, at its greatest point of expansion never covered much more than half of mainland Europe.

No. They conquered all of it. Every inch. The borders of Europe at the time were drawn up by the Romans and ended precisely at the outskirts of Barbarianshire.

Channelling Douglas Adams again?

Meh. He used to channel me. It wore him out.

[Strontium Dog]

I always thought it was great that the Romans managed to conquer Europe...

The Roman Empire, at its greatest point of expansion never covered much more than half of mainland Europe.

...but when they reached Scotland, they just built a fucking big wall.

Hadrian's wall is not particularly singular. It was part of a series of Limes, or limits, which stretched along for over 5000 kilometres and demarcated the boundary between the empire and Barbars. Hadrian's wall stretched across 117 kilometres, dividing Britannia from Caledonia. The Germanic Limes was about five times longer. For others, start with this link.

You see, this is why you don't get invited to parties