Customer Reviews:
 Excellent July 16, 2008
If you want to know about Hadrian's Wall there are two books that should be read, one is 'Hadrian's Wall' by David J. Breeze and Brian Dobson, the other is this book. While Breeze and Dobson's book gives you a brilliantly written and scholarly look at the Wall, this one should be brought for its numerous excellent illustrations by the late Ronald Embleton.
This is not only the best illustrated book on Hadrian's Wall, it is probably the best illustrated title on Roman Britain and Roman society in general. Embleton's art shows numerous scenes of Roman life from legionaries in battle, to animal sacrifices, latrines, bakeries, surgery, children at play, women at home, punishments, funeral processions, ships and dockyards, watchtowers, construction work etc. It also provides birds-eye views of the forts as they would have looked during the Roman period.
There are over 400 illustrations, and 71 of them are in full colour. It took Embleton over ten years to complete all the illustrations, but the effort was worth it considering this is a brilliant way to visualise the Roman World. They remain the best reconstructions from a historical and artistic viewpoint.
His daughter, Gill Embleton drew the maps, vignettes and inscriptions after his death, and they are of great use throughout the book.
Frank Graham provides the text, which takes a look at the sites and the archaeological finds from across the wall's length. He also combines these descriptions with the journey taken by William Hutton in the eigteenth century. These help build some narrative to the various sites found across the wall, such as the milecastles, watchtowers and forts.
Overall this is a fascinating and well written book. It would make for a great introduction to Hadrian's Wall for anyone, although you should buy the book for the illustrations alone.
An Excellent Book! December 20, 1998
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is an excellent book! The colour illustrations (of which there are many) are superb. The book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in Hadrian's Wall, or in the Romano-British period in general. There are copius explanations of finds around Hadrian's wall, which give an excellent insight into the Roman way of life. I noticed that in the Norwich castle museum in the Roman section, that Frank Embleton's illustrations are used along with some of the local Roman finds - So they must historically accurate! Buy the book!
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