Transactions. 53 



the Forth and the Clyde, and accordingly erected there the turf wall, 

 known as the wall of Antonine. It was a turf wall, differing, 

 therefore, both from the vallum and the murus between the Tyne 

 and the Solway. I think it is an important point to observe that 

 this, intended to be the real barrier between the Roman Empire 

 and the Barbarians, was a far slighter structure than the stone 

 wall we are aiow considering. Is it reasonable to suppose that, 

 whereas there had been built just twenty years before, according 

 to the theory of Dr Bruce, a substantial stone wall, supported by 

 earth ramparts, across the southern isthmus, Lollius Urbicus 

 would have considered the northern isthmus, henceforth desig-ned 

 to be the real defence against invasion by the Barbarians, 

 adequately defended by a rampart of turf ? It is surely more 

 reasonable to infer that no stone wall had at that period been 

 thought of. Lollius Urbicus found that, owing to the character of 

 the ground, a barrier of sods would be more easily and effectively 

 erected than au earth rampart ; but apart from that, he seems to 

 have pretty closely followed — according to Mr Xeilson — the plan 

 of the southern vallum. 



The Wall of Antonine, however, proved just as ineffectual as 

 the vallum of Hadrian in keeping out the Barbarians. After the 

 epoch of the Antonines the Roman Empire had a long period of domes- 

 tic trouble and anarchy, during which they seem to have neglected 

 to a great degree their British conquests. The northern tribes 

 rose, and were joined by the Caledonians ; and not only the pro- 

 vince of Valentia, between the two walls, was ravaged, but the 

 country to the south of Hadrian's Wall. "When at last Severus 

 attempted to restore order, and re-conquer the northern province, 

 he suffered a disastrous defeat at the hand of the Picts, and was 

 fain to draw in his legions within the protection of the southern 

 vallum. Then, for the first time, do we find the Romans 

 abandoning their original ambition of conquering the whole island. 

 It is stated by the historians, and it is admitted, that Severus 

 strengthened the Wall. The question is, did he merely repair the 

 murus, which had been erected in the days of Hadrian, or did he 

 set about building that murus, instead of the vallum, which had 

 proved to be ineffectual ? I think that all the circumstances and 

 conditions of the situation lead to the conclusion that there had 

 hitherto been nothing but the vallum. It had never previously 

 been intended to be the limit of the Empire. Beyond it was the 



