Antonine Wall Distance Slabs

The academic article “They think it’s all over. The face of victory on the British frontier” by David J. Breeze & Iain Ferris examines the Antonine Wall distance slabs, unique sculptured and inscribed stones created by Roman soldiers during the construction of the Antonine Wall in the mid-2nd century AD. The authors explore what these monuments reveal about Roman ideology, military identity, propaganda, and the end of Roman occupation in southern Scotland.

1. Purpose and Political Context

The slabs were produced during the re-occupation of southern Scotland under Antoninus Pius. Although the emperor never visited Britain, these stones publicly associated the new frontier with his authority. Ancient writers emphasised his role in the victory, and the slabs reinforced this message visually and textually.
They therefore acted as an official celebration of conquest, legitimising Antoninus’ rule and projecting Roman dominance far from Rome.

2. What the Slabs Record

Each slab typically included:

The emperor’s name and titles
The legion responsible for building that section (II Augusta, VI Victrix, or XX Valeria Victrix)
The recorded length of wall constructed

This creates the only detailed, inscribed record of the building of a Roman frontier anywhere in the Empire.

3. Artistic Themes

Many slabs contain elaborate imagery, more ambitious than that found on Hadrian’s Wall:

Triumphal battle scenes such as the famous Bridgeness slab, showing combat, killing, and defeated barbarians
Captive figures representing conquered peoples
Religious or ceremonial moments, including sacrifice
Symbols of military units, such as the boar or Capricorn
Depictions of soldiers building, reinforcing their dual identity as both warriors and engineers

The authors argue that these scenes helped soldiers see themselves reflected in the art, creating a sense of shared identity and pride.

4. Representation of “Barbarians”

The conquered peoples shown on the slabs are stylised and generic rather than ethnographic. This emphasises the ideological message rather than the reality of the campaign: Rome triumphant, enemies subdued.

5. Comparison to Other Artistic Traditions

The article draws parallels with:

Earlier Roman imperial monuments
Use of spolia (reused sculptures) in monuments such as the Arch of Constantine
Later traditions of military art, especially First World War artists, who also created works expressing soldiers’ experiences and collective identity

These comparisons situate the distance slabs as part of a long tradition of using imagery to communicate military meaning.

6. The Fate of the Slabs

When the Antonine frontier was abandoned in the 160s AD, some slabs appear to have been carefully buried rather than simply discarded.
This may represent a form of: