Antonine Wall (Roman fortification)

The Antonine Wall was a Roman defensive fortification built across central Scotland around AD 142 during Emperor Antoninus Pius’s rule. It consisted of a fortified earth and turf rampart with a double ditch, stretching roughly 38 miles (61 km) between the Firth of Clyde and the Firth of Forth. The wall was designed to protect Roman Britain from northern tribes and served as a military frontier with several forts and watchtowers along its length. Although it was only in use for about two decades before the Romans retreated back south, the Antonine Wall remains a significant archaeological site illustrating Roman efforts to control the northern boundary of their empire.