An archaeological dig, on the banks of the River Usk, in South Wales, has uncovered a Roman port. It is near to the legionnaires' fortress of Caerleon; a place which has repeatedly been linked with King Arthur's Camelot. The local Silurian tribe held back the invaders for over 30 years. It appears likely that the newly discovered port would have facilitated the transportation of Roman soldiers into this troublesome region. It is the only known Roman port in the British Isles, outside London.
Caerleon's Port: Digging with Academics, Charities and Time Team.
Open to the public, until September 1st, 2011, this is still an active archaeological site. It was only officially recognised as a Roman port on August 23rd, 2011. The trenches are being used to investigate what lies beneath the surface of the land between Caerleon and the River Usk.
Built in the reign of Emperor Vespasian, around 74 CE, Caerleon provided the headquarters of the Legio II Augusta. This was a band of around 6,000 legionnaires, charged with taming the Silurians. The port probably dates from the same period. The existence of the port has long been suspected, but its exact location was unknown.
The archaeology is being headed by 35 staff and students from Cardiff University, but with plenty of help. The charity, Scope, sent volunteers on Monday, while field experts are also coming from all over Britain. Today, Channel 4's Time Team arrived to open up Trench Three. Surveys here have enticingly shown a large, rectanglar construction, hidden just under the surface of the soil.
Why Did the Romans Want Wales so Badly?
There is (or was) gold in the Welsh mountains. In Roman times, as now, this precious metal was the currency of choice. Controlling Wales meant being able to mine this resource and send it back into the wider empire. That, in itself, was inducement enough, but there was also pride and military strategy. Britain and Ireland were seen as the end of the world. If they could be conquered, then as the chronicler Tacitus wrote, 'the arms of Rome should be everywhere and there would be no sight of freedom.'
Moreover, mercenaries from these isles had been crossing into the Gallic areas on the continent, to fight amongst the ancestors of the French and Beligum people. Spiritual encouragement was also coming from the holy island of Mon (Anglesey), which was a stronghold of druidic training and power.
What Led to the Building of Caerleon's Fortress and Port?
The fierce British southern lowland resistance was nothing compared to what faced the invaders, as they ventured towards modern day Wales. The Roman army was supposed to be unstoppable. In 52 CE, the Silurians stopped them. This, in itself, had followed decades of Welsh counter-attack under Caradog (Caratacus to the Romans).
Eight years later, the invaders managed to make it across North Wales, into Anglesey. All of the druids and druidesses were slaughtered on the beach. But while the legionnaires were occupied there, the Iceni queen Buddug (Boudicea or Boudicca to the Romans) rose up in rebellion in the lowlands. Colchester, London and other Roman cities were utterly destroyed. Emperor Nero ordered revenge and tens of thousands of Britons were killed in the Roman backlash. Norfolk has never recovered its population levels since then.
In the decade that followed, Rome itself suffered politic trouble, with no less than eight emperors taking the laurel crown in that time. The army in Britain had no clear orders, as they survived in a hostile country. In South Wales, the Silurians were still resisting them every step of the way. It wasn't until the crowning of Emperor Vespasian, in 69 CE, brought a period of stability to Rome that orders became clear. As a soldier, he had been lauded for his conquest of lowland Britain. As an Emperor, he wanted Wales. The defeat of the Silurians became Rome's priority.
Nevertheless, it still took another five years for the Romans to push their border westward as far as the River Usk. This was a tidal river, allowing access through the Celtic Sea. It was here that they built their fortress and port. It was from here that they finally subdued the Silurians.
Uncovering the Port Today
Pottery, coins and Roman artefacts are amongst the items being recovered over the past fortnight. Even more fascinating are the floors and hypoclasts of buildings, which have been lying just a few inches under the turf for over 1,500 years. It appears that this wasn't just a mere wharf, but an actual city, stretching from the banks of the river right up to the Caerleon fortress. It is too early to tell exactly what later analysis will determine, but exciting times lay ahead for historians.
Members of the public are being given guided tours of the site, at 11am and 2:30pm, every day except Wednesdays, until September 1st, 2011.
Sources:
- Council for British Archaeology: Caerleon's 'Lost City' Excavations 2011 (blog).
- John Davies, A History of Wales, p 28-29. (Penguin, 1993.)
- Twitter: @CaerleonDig.
Jo Harrington - Jo has a BA (Hons) in History and Philosophy and a MA in History. She has a book published on the history of Wicca.
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