A Hadrian’s or a Clayton’s Wall?
by Damien F. Mackey “T hat a portion of Hadrian’s Wall remains standing today has largely been attributed to the work of John Clayton, an official in the city government of Newcastle and an antiquities scholar, in the 19th century ”. History.com Who was this Hadrian? Most of Hadrian’s life “is a garbled confection”, according to Mary Beard, a trustee of the British Museum: A very modern emperor | Books | The Guardian …. Most of it is a garbled confection, weaving together without much regard for chronology allegations of conspiracies, accounts of palace intrigue, and vendettas on Hadrian's part - plus an assortment of curious facts and personal titbits (his beard, it is claimed, was worn to cover up his bad skin). To fill the gaps, to make a coherent story out of the extraordinary material remains of his reign, to explain what drove the man, modern writers have been forced back on to their prejudices and familiaris...