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What did Black Roman soldiers do on Hadrian’s Wall?

‘There were Africans in Britain before the English came here.'

Plaque to the first recorded African community in Burgh on Sands, Cumbria. 

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Septimus Severus: Roman Emperor

Septimius Severus was a Libyan born Roman emperor from 193 to 211CE

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In his last years he was in the furthest part of the Roman Empire, in the north of Britain. Lots of his time were spent inspecting Hadrian's Wall and he even ventured further north, into what the Romans called Caledonia - Scotland. 

Battles

Septimius Severus led his army into Scotland as far as Melrose, battling with Caledonians. 

 

He eventually moved back to Hadrian's Wall. 

 

He later went further south to Eboracum (York) and there he died. 

Roman Emperor Septimius Severus
Glyptothek, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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Cypress Boughs

One day, while back at Hadrian's Wall, a Black Roman soldier was carrying Cypress boughs (branches) and ran into the emperor. Severus told the soldier to go away. The Boughs were seen as a bad omen. A sign of death. 

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Cypress boughs were used as a mark of respect to someone who had just died. Sometimes a bough would be placed outside a house to alert people that someone had died there. Sometimes dead bodies were laid on Cypress boughs. 

 

Over to You!

This tale tells us that soldiers had jobs other than fighting. Let's look at other roles. 

What was it like to be a soldier on Hadrian's Wall

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Hadrian's Wall today. Photo by T. Graham

Did you know? 

30, 000 people worked in the army and in civilian roles on Hadrian's Wall. 

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Roles ranged from guarding and maintaining the wall to every role that a society would need. 

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Roman society, including the one at Hadrian's Wall, included enslaved people working in a variety of skilled and unskilled roles.  

Gather the information here, and look up these great websites on Hadrian's Wall:

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Draw / paint  a picture of a typical day at Hadrian's Wall for a solider or another role. 

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Then show your work off to someone at home. Take into school and show your history teacher!

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