of Edinburgh, Session 1870-71. 351 
time of Claudius remained in the island until the close of the 
Roman domination. 
In the year 410, when Alaric and his Goths entered Rome, 
Honorius renounced all claim upon the allegiance of Britain. 
As to the origin of the wall, when Agricola advanced againsf 
the Caledonians, he thought it necessary to use precautions against 
a rising amongst the conquered tribes whom he left behind him. 
He made good roads contemporaneously with his advance. As he 
moved along he drew the road with him. By this means his 
retreat was always secure and his supplies comparatively certain. It 
is believed that we owe to him the northern Watling Street and the 
Maiden Way, which run northwards parallel to each other at about 
twenty-five miles apart. For miles together both of these roads 
remain to this hour as the Romans left them. Another precaution 
adopted by Agricola was the planting of garrisons in well-selected 
situations. There were two parts of the island where these 
garrisons could be best placed, namely, where the influx of the sea 
brings the eastern and western coasts into near contiguity—between 
the Firths of Clyde and Forth, and between the Tyne and Solway. 
Here walls were afterwards built. The southern wall was not a 
mere fence. It was a line of military operation. In erecting it 
the Romans did not give up the country to the north of it, but by 
its means made it more thoroughly their own. A transverse road 
along it was a necessary adjunct. At the Northumberland Isthmus 
Watling Street and the Maiden Way went north and south ; 
another road, which has been called the Stanegate, went from east 
to west. 
Dr Bruce then enumerated some of the principal stations in the 
wall as amplified and finally completed by Hadrian, who made 
use of such of the pre-existing stations of Agricola as served his 
purpose. 
The stationary camps on the Roman wall usually have four 
gateways, one in each end, and one in each side rampart. Each 
gateway consists of two portals divided by strong piers of masonry, 
with its own arch overhead. There is uniformly a guard chamber 
on each side of the gateway. 
The wall, as erected by Hadrian, exists to this day in wonderful 
completeness. Except in places where towns have sprung up on 
