“He [Septimius Severus] built a wall across the island of Britain from sea to sea, and thus made the province secure – the crowning glory of his reign; in recognition thereof he was given the name Britannicus.”

“... he [Severus] defeated the enemy and then protected Britain, up to the point where the country was useful, with a wall which he built across the island right up to the ocean at both ends.”

“In Britannia he [Severus] extended a wall over a distance of thirty-two thousand paces [i.e. thirty-two miles], from sea to sea.”

“His [Severus'] last war was in Britain and, in order that he might protect with all possible security the provinces which he had recovered, he built a rampart for a hundred and thirty-two miles from sea to sea.”

“By the advice of their protectors [the Romans], they [the Britons] now built a wall across the island from one sea to the other, which being manned with a proper force, might be a terror to the foes whom it was intended to repel, and a protection to their friends whom it covered. But this wall, being made of turf instead of stone, was of no use to that foolish people, who had no head to guide them.”

“... because they thought this also of advantage to the people they were about to leave, they [the Romans], with the help of the miserable natives, built a wall different from the former, by public and private contributions, and of the same structure as walls generally, extending in a straight line from sea to sea, between some cities, which, from fear of their enemies, had there by chance been built.”

“... he was drawn into Britain by the revolt of almost all the confederated tribes; and, after many great and severe battles, he thought fit to divide that part of the island, which he had recovered, from the other unconquered nations, not with a wall, as some imagine, but with a rampart. For a wall is made of stones, but a rampart, with which camps are fortified to repel the assaults of enemies, is made of sods, cut out of the earth, and raised high above the ground, like a wall, having in front of it the trench whence the sods were taken, with strong stakes of wood fixed above it. Thus Severus drew a great trench and strong rampart, fortified with several towers, from sea to sea.”

“But the islanders building the wall which they had been told to raise, not of stone, since they had no workmen capable of such a work, but of sods, made it of no use. Nevertheless, they carried it for many miles between the two bays or inlets of the sea of which we have spoken; to the end that where the protection of the water was wanting, they might use the rampart to defend their borders from the irruptions of the enemies. Of the work there erected, that is, of a rampart of great breadth and height, there are evident remains to be seen at this day. It begins at about two miles distance from the monastery of Aebbercurnig [Abercorn], west of it, at a place called in the Pictish language Peanfahel, but in the English tongue, Penneltun [Kinneil], and running westward, ends near the city of Aicluith [literally, Clyde Rock – Dumbarton].”

“... thinking that it might be some help to the allies, whom they were forced to abandon, they [the Romans] constructed a strong stone wall from sea to sea, in a straight line between the towns that had been there built for fear of the enemy, where Severus also had formerly built a rampart. This famous wall, which is still to be seen, was raised at public and private expense, the Britons also lending their assistance. It is eight feet in breadth, and twelve in height, in a straight line from east to west, as is still evident to beholders.”