Hodgson has produced a new synthesis and interpretation of Hadrian's Wall, arguably the first detailed interpretation since Breeze and Dobson's Hadrian's Wall (4th edn, 2000). Written for the interested non-academic reader, it provides a highly accessible account, clearly and cogently written, supported by numerous full-colour illustrations and maps. Overall, it is an attractive, well-produced volume and provides a recommended starting point for anyone interested in Hadrian's Wall.

The most valuable aspect of H.’s work is the thorough incorporation of new discoveries and reports of old excavations, fully integrated into his understanding and interpretation of Hadrian's Wall. This includes ‘traditional’ fort excavations published in the past 20 years (e.g. Carlisle, Birdoswald, Housesteads, Halton Chesters) as well as new discoveries like the berm obstacles, and improved understanding from excavations of rural sites (e.g. Faverdale, Pegswood Moor). The structure of the work is primarily chronological, starting with an understanding of the pre-Wall situation, the Wall's anatomy and its construction. Particular themes are taken up in succeeding chronological chapters where best supported by corresponding dating evidence (e.g. rural settlement), while some themes recur across a number of chapters (e.g. units garrisoning the Wall).

The chapter that will inevitably attract much attention — the purpose of Hadrian's Wall — is located close to the end of the book. This is contrary to most works on the Wall, but has the advantage of making the reader familiar with the evidence before arguing for the monument's function and role over time. H. clearly articulates an interpretation that the Wall was initially built and intended to deal with full-scale barbarian invasion(s) (165) and does so having considered other popular hypotheses of the Wall's purpose. Significantly, this thesis is posited after having spent more pages discussing the barbarians the Wall opposed than most critical studies of this frontier monument!

There are, of course, aspects that attract critique and two that can be addressed in brief. The first is referencing. The choice of unobtrusive chapter endnotes suits a non-academic reader while still providing the more academically inclined the ability to trace the literature. H. is excellent in his referencing of primary evidence, but referral to secondary literature is sometimes lacking and occasionally misleading. This is worth stating due to the extensive secondary literature on Hadrian's Wall. While H. provides cogent and critical summaries of themes and topics, the reader is not always directed to those works where the debate is played out in greater detail even if directed to the primary evidence supporting a particular stance.

The issue of referencing secondary literature links directly to the second criticism — critical bias relative to particular themes. It is unlikely that this would be apparent to the casual or even informed reader, but for those engaged in frontier-based research it is crucial. For themes or chronologies that have not benefited from more recent scholarship, H. consistently displays a fair and balanced critique and interpretation of the evidence; in contrast, themes and chronologies that have attracted more recent research do not have as balanced a critique. It seems likely that H. has attempted to avoid unnecessary repetition when the reader can peruse further discussion of such topics independently — but the endnote referencing does not always bear this out.

These criticisms withstanding, the book is highly recommended both for its thorough incorporation of new evidence from the past 20 years and because it provides a cogent and unambiguous interpretation of Hadrian's Wall. On the whole the account is chronologically balanced (i.e. not overly infatuated with the Hadrianic era), and H. can be relied upon to provide a succinct overview of often complex debates for those readers that do not revel in the sometimes impenetrable, occasionally esoteric details of Hadrian's Wall studies. The question remains — will this become the standard ‘go to’ book for Hadrian's Wall?