What They Don't Say About Hadrian's Wall

Romans in Britain built Hadrian's Wall. It's often cited as the Scotland England border. Scottish history tour guide, Bruce Fummey visits Hadrian's Wall to ask some questions about Roman intentions, current perceptions and the nature of barriers.

Drone's by Kev McGrane of Overhead Images

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Scotland History Tours is here for people who want to learn about Scottish history and get ideas for Scottish history tours. I try to make videos which tell you tales from Scotland's past and give you information about key dates in Scottish history and historical places to visit in Scotland. Not all videos are tales from Scotland's history, some of them are about men from Scotland's past or women from Scotland's past. Basically the people who made Scotland. From April 2020 onward I've tried to give ideas for historic days out in Scotland. Essentially these are days out in Scotland for adults who are interested in historical places to visit in Scotland.

As a Scottish history tour guide people ask: Help me plan a Scottish holiday, or help me plan a Scottish vacation if your from the US. So I've tried to give a bit of history, but some places of interest in Scotland as well.

[Nykona-Sharrowkyn]

As a proud Englishman I don't want the wall rebuilt or destroyed, it is part of our history, oh and I love our Scottish neighbours

[geosin]

I was born and grew up in Wallsend (where the wall ended! - not many people know that.) . We had a latin teacher who was also a Roman history buff, he taught us that the wall was Hadrian's way of saying "Here endeth civilisation" (rough translation).

[BeautifuLakesStreamsBiologists]

I have often thought social media itself is a wall to prevent actual learning and knowledge since it is a cesspool of propaganda. Bruce, today you kicked out a stone of that wall to encourage actual thought. I thank you, Sir!

[geowidman]

Love the line: "There are always walls, but from time-to-time, they're just arraigned differently." Deep and simple and true, friend. Thank you.

[DonP_is_lostagain]

Visited it in 1977. Buddy who was with me wasn't impressed. I told him it looks that way because nearly 2000 years of people had been pilfering stones for their own walls. Wise words at the end too.

[dantohaku]

When travelling Scotland for 4 weeks, just months prior to covid, reaching Haidrians Wall was just one goal of the journey. But an impressive one at that. The now almost imaginary wall was such a beauty of nature as any other part of Scotland. Your mind's journey on the significance of walls then and now rendered one of your most beautiful videos to date.

[CreatureOfTheVoid]

Id love to see at least a part of it rebuilt back to its former glory as a monument to what our ancestors could achieve with even a fraction of our current tech

[faftducker]

As a proud Geordie the wall disects the city, most people born in the city would have been born in the general hospital about 50 yards north of the wall, I was and went to school south of the wall, even with the route of the wall going through sections of the rugby pitch. But it is never thought of like that. It runs along the west pad and there is chunk next to bus stops and roundabouts

[sipjedekat]

I learned from Mike Duncan that the wall was meant not so much as a static border to keep barbarians out, but to dissect the territory of hostile tribes in the area. This way they could be monitored, intimidated, and offcourse taxed. Divide and conquer on the very edge of the empire.
Great that you explain the story even more in depth. And also a profound message of contemplation at the end. Great video as always Bruce!

[craigweightman]

Thank you Bruce i've never thought of the wall as being a barrier to keep people in and not out very insightful as always. 👍

[NorrieMacTHESMOG]

I walked the whole length loved every minute of it

[stevebarlow]

Listening and watching this video, I was drawn back to my time stationed on the border between East and West Germany. The multilayer organization of that structure too was oriented much more to the east than the west. Thanks once again for a fascinating and informative talk.

[thetrainingguy]

Thank you, Bruce, for your insights! Your Roman history is spot-on, and your perspective is really thought-provoking. As a proud Scottish-American, who’s family came from Perthshire by the way, I look forward to your videos!

[leeharwood]

I'm from Newcastle. Pons alius the wall runs straight through the city nkt that you cab see it. Hadrian also built the Fort hear and the very first Tyne bridge that had the only imperial seal outside of rome I read

[russellbaston]

The wall also had a strong element of what we’d now term a “vanity project.” It was a statement along the lines, “I Hadrian, define the boundaries of the Roman Empire.”

[knmmorrison]

Very insightful Bruce, as always bringing history into the 21st century and man's ability to repeat history in whichever guise we chose. Keep up the good work

[pseudoborderscot]

Another informative and superbly edited video, thanks for posting. 👍

[rookie_]

A lot of the original wall became the road that runs alongside. Not to forget the pretty little village also called "Wall".

[liliilani]

Thus is your best one yet... I love your message at the end!
💜🤗💜🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[j_vasey]

When ppl try getting negative about either the Scottish or the English, I like to say the romans got to Newcastle and loved it so much and said that’s enough we stop here. Another great video as always. Educational and allowing for the contemplative