Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A Roman frontier fortification in Britain: The Antonine Wall is a historical defensive structure built by the Roman Empire across the central belt of what is now Scotland. It served as the northernmost frontier barrier of Roman Britain for a brief period.

Usage

• The term "Antonine Wall" is used as a singular, proper noun to refer specifically to this archaeological site and historical monument. It is always capitalized.

Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The Antonine Wall was constructed primarily of turf on a stone foundation.
  • Archaeologists study the forts along the Antonine Wall to understand Roman military strategy.
  • Hadrian's Wall is more famous, but the Antonine Wall represented a more northerly Roman frontier.

Advanced Usage

• Historical Context: The wall is named after the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius, who ordered its construction. It is often discussed in contrast to the more substantial and longer-lasting Hadrian's Wall to the south.
  • While Hadrian's Wall was built to consolidate the empire's border, the Antonine Wall represented a short-lived attempt at further expansion.

Variants and Related Words

• Limes (noun): A term for a Roman frontier defense system, often a fortified boundary. The Antonine Wall is an example of a .
• Frontier (noun): A border or boundary. The wall marked the frontier of the Roman province.
• Rampart (noun): A defensive wall. The Antonine Wall functioned as a rampart.

Synonyms

• Roman frontier wall (in Scotland): A descriptive synonym.
• Antonine Frontier: A less common variant emphasizing its function.

Related Phrases

• "To man the Antonine Wall": A historical phrase meaning to be stationed as a soldier at this frontier.
  • A Roman legion was recruited to man the Antonine Wall.

Notes

• The Antonine Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is not a single continuous wall like its stone counterpart to the south but a system of defenses including a large ditch, a rampart, and a series of forts and fortlets.

Noun

1. a fortification 37 miles long across the narrowest part of southern Scotland (between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde); built in 140 to mark the frontier of the Roman province of Britain