Agricola's Ditch

Agricola's Ditch is a Roman era defensive structure spanning the width of Britain. This structure was a precursor of Hadrian's Wall [ [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=18177 C.Michael Hogan (2007) "Hadrian's Wall", ed. A. Burnham, The Megalithic Portal] ] which was a more substantial fortification dividing settled Britannia from the northern Pictish region (e.g. present day Scotland). [United Kingdom Ordnance Survey Map, Landranger, scale 1:50,000 (2004)]

Early history

Agricola's Ditch is the precursor of the ancient Roman Wall, regarded as the most noted Roman monument in Britain. The history of that separation barrier as well as the Roman Stanegate form the earliest recorded history the northern reaches of the Roman province of Britannia, the area now regarded as Northumberland and Cumbria. The length of Agricola's Ditch is approximately 100 kilometres, spanning most of the width of Britain. Hadrian's Wall itself was constructed as a separation barrier primarily to prevent harrying by small bands of raiders and unwanted immigration from the north, not as a fighting front for a major invasion. [Stephen Johnson (2004) "Hadrian's Wall", Sterling Publishing Co., Inc, 128 pages, ISBN 0713488409]

ee also

*Milecastle fort
*Stanegate

References