In this issue, we take a look at the structure built to mark off the Roman Empire's northern border in Britannia. How was this wall built, what purpose did it serve, and what was life like for those tasked with guarding and maintaining it?

Theme: Hadrian's Wall

• Lindsay Powell, 'Hadrian's foreign policy reversal - The limits of empire'.
• Matthew Symonds, 'War and trade on Rome's northern frontier - Why build Hadrian's Wall?'.
• Jo Ball, 'The Vindolanda Tablets speak - Life on the frontiers'.
• Murray Dahm, 'Signalling on Hadrian's Wall - All along the watchtower'.
• Dan Diffendale, 'Constructing Hadrian's Wall - Another brick...'.

Features:

• Jona Lendering, 'Higher than the heavens - The Leiden Amun Papyrus'.
• Aren M. Maeir, 'Making sense of entangled cultures - The Philistines'.
• Gareth Williams, 'Time telling and weather forecasting in ancient Athens - Tower of the Winds'.
• Murray Dahm, 'All roads lead to Rome - The Vicarello Cups'.
• Andreas Charalambous, 'Spells, incantations, and curses - Magic in ancient Cyprus'.
• Manon Henzen, 'Finding pepper at Hadrian's Wall - Spicing up the Roman Empire'.
• Christa Steinby, 'The Barcid Dynasty in Spain - A kingdom of their own?'.
• Russel Dewhurst, 'Plato and the ideal city - Down to the Piraeus'.
• Philip Matyszak, 'Banquets aside, what did Romans normally eat? - Dining out and dining in'.