Pons Aelius was a small Roman settlement and fort along Hadrian’s Wall, situated close to the centre of present-day Newcastle upon Tyne. It was built to guard a bridge across the river Tyne, and had a population of around 2,000 people between the 2nd and 4th centuries. Pon Aelius means ‘bridge of Hadrian‘ so it is believed that the Roman Emperor Hadrian visited the site himself and instituted the bridge on his tour of Britain. Sections of Hadrian’s wall are also to be found in parts of Newcastle.
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