Questioning Hadrian’s Wall

This book explores how evidential reasoning is conducted in archaeology, using Hadrian’s Wall as a case study. It collates and examines the archaeological evidence for the Wall, including how that knowledge has itself been constructed, and how it corresponds with multiple working hypotheses. Tacking between the existing interpretations and the constructed data, it draws the consistent elements together into an explanation centred around deterrence — the Wall as a means to inspire awe and enable punitive action. Examining both the theory and prevalence of deterrence in classical antiquity, the study emphasises the potential Hellenic influences on the Emperor Hadrian. The aim is to capture the ongoing debates surrounding evidence and interpretation and use these as a catalyst — rather than an obstacle — to further research, simultaneously questioning how archaeological knowledge comes into being and contributing to the continuing discussion around boundaries and bordering in the ancient world.