Cardiff Roman Fort
51°28′56″N 3°10′53″W / 51.4822°N 3.1814°W / 51.4822; -3.1814
Cardiff Roman Fort was a coastal fort in the Roman province of Britannia Superior, of which Roman Wales was a part. Its original Latin name is uncertain. Its remains are incorporated into Cardiff Castle in the modern capital city of Wales.
Name
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/33/Cardiff_Castle_%28Roman_wall%29.jpg/220px-Cardiff_Castle_%28Roman_wall%29.jpg)
The fort's name is uncertain. It could have been Tamium as appears in the Ravenna Cosmography, although this may have been a river name and thus refers to the River Taff. Alternatively it may be Bovium (corrected from Bomio) of the Antonine Itinerary.
Early forts
Prior to the building of the extant fort, there were at least two previous Roman forts on the site. The first was probably a vexillation camp built during attempted conquest of the Silures tribe around AD 55. About twenty years later, after a period of abandonment, a new smaller Roman auxiliary fort was constructed and was possibly occupied, along with a civilian vicus, until the reign of the Emperor Hadrian. From the late 2nd to the mid-3rd century, civilian timber buildings associated with iron working occupied the site.
Carausian shore fort
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Portchester_castle_02.jpg/220px-Portchester_castle_02.jpg)
Around 290, a 9-acre (3.57 hectare) shore fort was built on the site, not unlike the almost complete example at Portchester in Hampshire. Its walls were ten feet thick and it was positioned to control access to the upper reaches of the River Severn. There may have been associated watch towers on the now eroded cliffs to the west. This is believed to have been the Emperor Carausius' response to increased Irish raids. Its military/naval force eventually moved elsewhere about 370.
Post-Roman legends
The ruinous fort appears as the residence of 'King Ynwyl' in the story of Geraint and Enid, a medieval romance associated with the Mabinogion. Geraint was possibly a 5th-century King of Dumnonia.
References
- Notes
- ^ Goodall 2008, p. 3
- Bibliography
- Arnold, Christopher J.; Davies, Jeffrey L (2000). Roman & Early Medieval Wales. Stroud: Sutton Publishing.
- Goodall, John (2008) [2003], Portchester Castle, London: English Heritage, ISBN 978-1-84802-007-8
- Rivet, A. L. F.; Smith, Colin (1979). The Place-Names of Roman Britain. London: B. T. Batsford.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Cardiff Roman Fort on the Roman Britain website
- Aerial photo of the site taken in 1988
- v
- t
- e
- Cardiff Singer of the World
- Welsh Singers Competition
- BBC National Orchestra of Wales
- Welsh National Opera
- Wales Millennium Centre
- Motorpoint Arena Cardiff
- St David's Hall
- Cardiff City Hall
- New Theatre
- Sherman Theatre
- Chapter Arts Centre
- Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
- National Youth Orchestra of Wales
- Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra
- Nofit State Circus
- Music of Cardiff
- Tramshed
- Clwb Ifor Bach
- Spillers Records
- Cardiff University Students' Union
- Bute Park
- Catatonia
- The Automatic
- Jem
- Funeral for a Friend
- Lostprophets
- Bullet for My Valentine
- Stereophonics
- Manic Street Preachers
- Super Furry Animals
- Kids in Glass Houses
- Los Campesinos!
- Mclusky
- We're No Heroes
- The Hot Puppies
- The Oppressed
- Budgie
- Shakin' Stevens
- Charlotte Church
- Shirley Bassey
- Gorky's Zygotic Mynci
- Only Men Aloud!
- Under the Driftwood Tree
- Underworld
- Young Marble Giants
- Cardiff Big Weekend
- Cardiff Film Festival
- Cardiff Comedy Festival
- Cardiff Design Festival
- Sŵn
- National Eisteddfod
- Urdd Eisteddfod
- Iris Prize
- Party in the Park
- Tsunami Relief Cardiff
- Michael Forever – The Tribute Concert
- Welcome to Wales
- Armed Forces Day
- Millennium Stadium concerts
- Cardiff Arms Park concerts
- Sparks in the Park
- Tafwyl
- Red Dragon Centre
- Mermaid Quay
- Millennium Plaza
- The Glee Club
- Eastside
- Café Quarter
- Arcades
- St David's
- Queens Arcade
- Capitol Centre
- Central Market
- Castle Quarter
- The Hayes
- Howells
- Mermaid Quay
- Retail Parks