Hadrian's Wall and the End of Empire

There is no synthetic or comprehensive treatment of any late Roman frontier in the English language to date, despite the political and economic significance of the frontiers in the late antique period. Examining Hadrian’s Wall and the Roman frontier of northern England from the fourth century into the Early Medieval period, this book investigates a late frontier in transition from an imperial border zone to incorporation into Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, using both archaeological and documentary evidence. With an emphasis on the late Roman occupation and Roman military, it places the frontier in the broader imperial context.

In contrast to other works, Hadrian’s Wall and the End of Empire challenges existing ideas of decline, collapse, and transformation in the Roman period, as well as its impact on local frontier communities. Author Rob Collins analyzes in detail the limitanei, the frontier soldiers of the late empire essential for the successful maintenance of the frontiers, and the relationship between imperial authorities and local frontier dynamics. Finally, the impact of the end of the Roman period in Britain is assessed, as well as the influence that the frontier had on the development of the Anglian kingdom of Northumbria.

Author Biography

Rob Collins is Lecturer in Archaeology at Newcastle University and Finds Liaison Officer for the Portable Antiquities Scheme at the Museum of Antiquities, Newcastle University and Durham County Council. He is editor of Debating Late Antiquity in Britain, AD 300-700 (with J. Gerrard, 2004) and Finds from the Frontier: Material Culture in the 4th and 5th Centuries (with L. Allason-Jones, 2009).