A very Roman Wales

The main entrance to the stadium 

In the 5^th century AD the armies of Rome left Britain to the fate of Anglo-Saxon invaders.  The Welsh, having resisted these armies so fiercely had by now become so very Roman in habit and language, more so, it is claimed than any other part of Europe.  

Emperor Honorius decided that his legions in Britain were needed elsewhere. Yet Wales, was so fortified by the men of Rome, these lands to the West of the Rivers Severn and Usk remained self contained and prospered.

Just off the M4 is one of the most exciting legacies of Rome’s time in Wales.

Isca, was the site of a Roman legionary fortress the remains of which lie beneath parts of the present-day village of Caerleon just north Newport in South Wales.

On a sunny day we strolled around the widespread remains of Roman workshops, barrack blocks, granaries. 

Then crossing the road, we wandered in an unusually, a large and impressive amphitheatre. The arena is oval in shape with eight entrances still easily seen. The stadium is thought to have had a capacity of around six thousand spectators. It is probable that apart from the usual gladiatorial diversions, the legionaries probably used it for parades, displays and exercises.