About this episode
The episode explores the history of Hadrian's Wall and the communities that lived along it after the Romans left Britain.
When the Romans left Britain in the early 5th century AD, Hadrian’s Wall did not simply collapse into ruin. Its forts and ramparts endured, becoming strongholds for the communities who continued to live along this ancient frontier. Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Rob Collins to explore the fascinating story of Hadrian’s Wall after the end of Roman rule. Who were the people who remained on the frontier? How did life change in post-Roman Britain? And what happened to the soldiers, families and settlements that had called the Wall home for generations? MORE The Fall of Roman Britain Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Hadrian's Wall Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aidan Lonergan, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. All music courtesy of Epidemic Sounds The Ancients is a History Hit podcast. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, plus early access ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
People in this episode
Host: Tristan Hughes
Guest: Professor Rob Collins
Topics covered
- Hadrian's Wall
- Roman Britain
- post-Roman life
- historical communities
- Roman rule
Keywords
- Hadrian's Wall
- Roman Britain
- post-Roman communities
- historical forts
- Tristan Hughes
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: History Hit
Places: Britain, Hadrian’s Wall
More episodes of The Ancients
- The Pharisees · June 11, 2026 · 47 min
- The Rosetta Stone · June 7, 2026 · 45 min
- Neanderthal Art · June 4, 2026 · 1h 9m
- Spartacus · May 31, 2026 · 1h 16m
- Iron Age Britain · May 24, 2026 · 60 min
- Prehistoric Greenland · May 21, 2026 · 1h 8m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Ancients podcast page.