Origin of the limes

[D B Campbell]

... the first buildings with stone foundations can be dated to the forties (Xanten, hospital).

Of course, we now know that Augustan legionaries were building in stone at Waldgirmes. That simply means that Augustus meant to stay in Germany. So I suppose Claudian legionaries building in stone at Xanten means that they meant to stay at Xanten. (Xanten is, of course, one of the jumping-off points for invasion in Germany, though.)

I see your reasoning, Jona. Why did Claudius' legionaries decide to rebuild in stone, after fifty years of timber building on the site. I don't know the answer to that question. In combination with the anecdote that Claudius was not happy with Corbulo campaigning across the Rhine might help to build a case for Claudian conservatism. But this was the man who invaded Britain!

Is it perhaps a case of holding back in one area in order to concentrate on another? This, after all, was Augustus' technique -- keep the Parthians happy in order to concentrate on expansion in the west. Or Trajan's -- retrenchment in Britain in order to concentrate on expansion in Dacia and the east. In that case, I would say that it's Hadrian who stands apart.