medieval-atlas/events-to-about-850/46

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Roman frontiers The hall to the expansion of the Roman empire in the first century led to the development of frontier controls. The first map reveals the limitations of our knowledge concerning Agricola's troop disposition across the Forth Clyde isthmus. The next 2 maps illustrate the development of Roman frontiers in this north-western province orlhe empire over a period of 60 years. The nonnal spacing of forts within the military zone might be about a day's march (fourteen or so miles), The role of the units in these forts was to control and protecllhe new provincials. The first step towards the development of a frontier was the addition of intermediate siles along the outer strand of the network. reducing the spacing to about seven miles, to which was added an extra element -the timber watchtower -to increase the army's control of movement acro)')' the frontier. Under Hadrian a new feature appeared, the linear barner 10 funher hinder low intensilY lhreats, ie Hadrian's Wall: it was, however. nol unlil later in his reign tha! major military forces were deployed along the barrier itself, operating in most instances from forts placed astride the Wall and in the event of attack combining 10 form a mobile field army. The design of Ihe Antonine Wall reveal), a closer integra!ion between the army units and the Wall. Forts were placed on the Wall from the beginning but during building operations their number in creased from an original six to at least 17 resulting in a closer spacing between forts than on any other Roman frontier. Fin"o!Fort" Mumrills o Cadcler -MoIIIOS 0 5 I I Roman miles km, 0 5 I '? ~ I I 0 5 o Fort (possible) miles• Small fort Roman frontiers, Forth-Clyde Isthmus: Agricola's troop dispositions D18, WSH, LJFK, GSM Huntingtower . Moss Side . Witch Knowe orny HIli Parkneuk Ardunie Ki hill Gask House Railh Roundlaw Muir 0 'Fauld esterton Kaims Castle Shielhill N. Shielhill S. Greenloaning Glenban • Fort • Fortlet • Tower • Doune Peel . Roman miles o , 2 ? t knI' 2 :3 o 2 miles Roman frontiers: Gask Ridge sites D18, WSH, LJFK, GSM 46

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