Antonine Wall nominated as World Heritage Site (UK)
SOURCE: Reuters (1-23-07)
- Britain has nominated the Antonine Wall in Scotland, the furthest northwest boundary of the Roman Empire, as a World Heritage Site, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said on Tuesday.
The 37-mile wall was built between 142 and 144 AD by Antoninus Pius who succeeded another famous wall-builder, Hadrian, as Emperor of Rome in 138 AD.
But his construction between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde -- the narrowest portion of lowland Scotland -- was less solid than his predecessor's, being built of turf on a stone foundation and fronted by a 12-foot deep ditch.
It was abandoned after only 20 years when the Romans withdrew to the safety of Hadrian's Wall some 80 miles further south in Northumberland.
The 37-mile wall was built between 142 and 144 AD by Antoninus Pius who succeeded another famous wall-builder, Hadrian, as Emperor of Rome in 138 AD.
But his construction between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde -- the narrowest portion of lowland Scotland -- was less solid than his predecessor's, being built of turf on a stone foundation and fronted by a 12-foot deep ditch.
It was abandoned after only 20 years when the Romans withdrew to the safety of Hadrian's Wall some 80 miles further south in Northumberland.
Source:
Reuters
Source URL:
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2007-01-23T114113Z_01_L23394383_RTRUKOC_0_UK-BRITAIN-WALL.xml
Date:
1-23-07
