54 Transactions. 



Roman pi-ovince of Valentia, guarded on the north by the Wall 

 of Antonine. But the situation had changed. The Romans had 

 been badlj' beaten, and had come to the conclusion that the game 

 of keeping the northern province was not worth the candle. It 

 had also been shown that earth and turf ramparts would not keep 

 out the foe. That was the time when, it seems to me, the Romans 

 must have conceived fully the plan of the Wall with'its elaborate 

 defences. It was henceforth to be a real boundary. Chaos was 

 to be permitted to reign outside its limits ; but it must be strong 

 enough to keep back the hordes. And it was made very strong 

 and very elaborate. There was the great stone wall itself — some 

 ten feet high, and of enormous strength, flanked by a ditch in 

 front. At every mile of its length was a fort, occupied by a 

 centurion and his cohort. At briefer intervals, at least in the 

 central and wildest parts, were bastions, which held sentries or 

 small parties of soldiers. Then there were the great stations, at 

 distances of three miles or so, each containing an ala or a legion, 

 with a covered way inside the wall, along which soldiers could 

 march rapidly, and concentrate on any threatened spot. All this 

 would have been useless, and worse than useless, so long- as there 

 was a Roman province to the northward to be occupied and 

 guarded ; but it became a strong and effective defence when it 

 was the extreme limit of the Empire, with a wild and warlike 

 na.tion roaming over the wilds beyond. This wall did not prove 

 to be impregnable ; but it was maintained, and formed on the 

 whole an effective barrier, not only whilst the Romans remained 

 in Britain, but for some considerable time afterwards. 



Now, it is objected to this theory of Severus having built the 

 Wall that he was only three years in Britain altogether, and not 

 half that period after his retreat. That would be conclusive 

 against Severus himself having been present to see the wall 

 finished. But it does not place any difficulty in the way of believ- 

 ing that he originated the scheme — or possibly only revived it ; 

 and that it was gradually carried out in after times. It is often 

 forgotten that the Roman occupation of Britain, first and last, 

 extended over more than four centuries, affording ample time for 

 the execution of great works, and for their demolition and recon- 

 struction too. The Roman Wall and the stations were probably 

 the labour of many generations, and work continued to be done 

 upon them, in the way of repair and improvement, as long as the 



