Submitted by Bija Knowles on Tue, 03/16/2010 - 23:52
So you've bagged a seat in your nearest Irish boozer, scrummed your way to the bar and ordered a pint of the black stuff, and your furry shamrock hat is firmly ensconced on the head: congratulations, you are officially ready to start celebrating St Patrick's Day. But who is St Patrick? We trace the history of the brewer's favourite saint back to ancient Roman Britain.
Irish or not, Catholic or not, and whether you actually like Guinness or not – these are small considerations now that the 17th of March is an international day of merry-making and general festivity.
It's an excuse to wear as much green as you like, even if you're blond. But before you go digging that pea-green jumper out of the back of the wardrobe, you might want to ask yourself what on earth you're going to all this trouble for.
Nicole Favish takes a trip up north to see the Hadrian's Wall Illuminations, marking 1600 years since the Romans left! Beacons, flares and torches were lit up along the length of the Roman Hadrian's Wall, which is marked with forts, milecastles and turrets. Nicole talks to some Roman re-enactors from Germany, and learns about the Vindalanda writing tablets, one of Britains's most important discoveries.
Submitted by Sean Williams on Mon, 03/15/2010 - 19:17
What's 84 miles long, 1,888 years old and marked the edge of Roman rule in Britain? Hadrian's Wall of course - and the landmark got a spectacular makeover this weekend with a line of beacons stretching its entirety. The event, named 'Illuminating Hadrian's Wall', marked the 1,600th anniversary of the end of the Roman occupation in Britain, and needed no fewer than 1,100 hardy volunteers to brave the harsh winds of northern England to make it happen.
This Saturday, the light up of Hadrian's wall crated a spectacular line of light from coast to coast. The once in a lifetime event - 'celebrating' (remembering might be more appropriated) the End of Roman Britain in (more or less) AD 410 saw the entire route of the 84 mile long Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail go up in flames lit by flaming torches. Sean and Sam have tweeted us updates from the Illumination, there are tons of great photographs of the Light Up event on Flickr, and Illuminating Hadrian's Wall 2010 has now also released some preliminary, overnight, quickly-edited but still incredibly impressive film footage shot from the helicopter that followed the trail of light. These 30 seconds are definitely worth watching twice... or trice... *hits replay*.
Submitted by Sean Williams on Sun, 03/14/2010 - 16:39
I'm sitting on the 15.49 to London Euston from Carlisle. It's boiling hot, the Cumbrian countryside is disappearing behind me and my jumper smells like yesterday's paper. But I'm happy, because we've just hah a hell of a week at the Hadrian's Wall illuminations. I've seen it on the news from my hotel, but I guarantee you it was even better in the flesh: and that's what we'll be recreating in our next Ancient World in London video.
Around 120 AD the Romans constructed the 'Pons Aelius', the first bridge to cross the River Tyne. A wooden fort was then built to protect the river crossing. It was situated on a rocky outcrop overlooking the bridge. You can see a 3D reconstruction of the Pons Aelius bridge and Roman fort here. Pons Aelius is last mentioned in AD400, in the Notitia Dignitatum, a Roman document listing all of the Roman military outposts.
At some point during the Anglo-Saxon era, the site of Newcastle became known as Monkchester and a cemetery was established on the site of the Roman fort. In 1080 William I's son Robert Curthose began the building of a 'New Castle' where the Pons Aelius fort once stood. It was this castle that gave Newcastle its name. No trace of the Norman castle remains today. Henry II replaced it with a rectangular stone keep. The Castle Keep and Blackgate can be visited today.
This weekend Hadrian's Wall will be put in the spotlight - quite literally - when approximately 500 beacons will illuminate the 84 mile wall in its entirety. It will surely be a memorable sight (and one to capture on video, in pixels, and in Tweets)! As we're all anxiously awaiting the weekend, let's have a look at how Hadrian's Wall, and the bridge and fort complex nearby called the Pons Aelius, might have looked in 200AD!
The history of Newcastle begins about AD120, when Roman engineers constructed the first bridge across the River Tyne. The bridge was called 'Pons Aelius' - meaning 'Bridge of Aelius' - a reference to Emperor Hadrian's family name.
Submitted by Sean Williams on Wed, 03/10/2010 - 12:36
Hadrian's Wall snakes its way through 84 miles of barren British countryside, the frostbitten tip of the Roman empire. Yet you needn't leave your PC to get a feel for this weekend's illuminations event, which promises to be a spectacular celebration of Roman prowess.
Nicole, Sam and myself will be heading up to the wall to watch the illuminations for an Ancient World in London video about the bits of Britain even Rome dared not tinker with. We'll be visiting some of the wall's best-known sites, and speaking to experts about its glorious past.
Submitted by Nick Gilbert on Tue, 02/23/2010 - 12:11
“Are there even 10 Roman walls in Britain?” I hear you ask... Read on and see for yourselves.
1. Hadrian's Wall
The Roman wall.
By a distance the most famous Roman ruin in Britain, Hadrian's wall was a way for the Romans to do more than just protect the northern border of the Empire. It marked their territory in a way that would leave those who came against it in awe. It was a protective measure, designed as an impassable obstacle to any invader, but also a controlling structure, monitoring trade across the border and collecting levies. The strength of the wall was bolstered by the serrated hillsides surrounding it.
I'm sitting on the 15.49 to London Euston from Carlisle. It's boiling hot, the Cumbrian countryside is disappearing behind me and my jumper smells like yesterday's paper. But I'm happy, because we've just hah a hell of a week at the 
This weekend Hadrian's Wall will be put in the spotlight - quite literally - when approximately 500 beacons will illuminate the 84 mile wall in its entirety. It will surely be a memorable sight (
