December 16, 2025

Hadrian's Wall

13 minutes

Dead Funny History: Hadrian's Wall.

Join historian Greg Jenner for a hilarious and fascinating family adventure through ancient Britain, exploring the History of Hadrian’s Wall, one of the most iconic landmarks of the Roman Empire.

Rome meets Britain

When the Romans first invaded Britain, they weren’t prepared for the chilly weather, the fierce tribes or how long it would take to build their empire. From Julius Caesar’s half-hearted invasions to Emperor Claudius’s chilly conquest, Greg Jenner whizzes through the centuries of Roman rule with his trademark wit and sketches.

Enter Emperor Hadrian!

Then along comes the main man himself: Hadrian. The bearded emperor with a love of architecture, art, and… his boyfriend Antinous. With comedy flair, Greg tells how Hadrian rose to power, toured the empire, and decided to solve his northern problem by building a giant wall across Britain.

Hadrian’s Wall stretched 80 Roman miles, from coast to coast. A monumental feat of engineering that marked the edge of the empire. But was it an impenetrable defence, or just an ancient form of border control (with a bit of extra tax collection on the side)?

Behind the wall

Greg and the Dead Funny History cast bring the world of Roman soldiers to life, complete with bustling forts, bakeries, temples, hospitals and toga shops! There’s even a few unfortunate emperors who discovered that visiting York didn’t always end well…

With jokes, sketches and sharp historical insight, this episode turns stone and history into laughter and learning for children, families and anyone curious about ancient Britain.

The afterlife of a wall

From the Romans’ chilly retreat to the medieval locals who recycled Hadrian’s Wall into castles, churches and pigsties, Greg reveals how this monumental structure survived and how it later became a treasured World Heritage Site.

History has never been this funny

Packed with facts, puns and fast-paced fun, Dead Funny History – Hadrian’s Wall makes the Roman past lively and unforgettable. Perfect for curious kids, history-loving families, and fans of Greg Jenner’s clever storytelling.

Writers: Jack Bernhardt, Gabby Hutchinson Crouch, and Dr Emma Nagouse

Host: Greg Jenner

Performers: Mali Ann Rees and Richard David-Caine

Producer: Dr Emma Nagouse

Associate Producer: Gabby Hutchinson Crouch

Researcher: Dr Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow

Audio producer: Emma Weatherill

Script consultant: Dr Andrew Birley

Production Coordinator: Liz Tuohy

Jo Kyle: Production Manager

Studio Managers: Keith Graham and Andrew Garratt

Sound Designer: Peregrine Andrews

A BBC Studios Production

...more

View all episodes

By BBC Radio 4

4.7

29572,957 ratings