New large Roman fort in South Wales

[Duncan Head]

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/aug/02/humongous-fort-found-in-wales-may-disprove-theory-of-celtic-roman-peace

[DBS]

I understand the chap's delight but an auxiliary fort for a cohort is only humungous in a relative rather than an absolute sense. Nor is it necessarily evidence of the Demetae being hit with an iron fist. Once the location is revealed, will be interesting how close to the coast; Irish predation might be another reason for a garrison...

[Duncan Head]

Yes, I did think he was a bit over-enthusiastic for what there was. I shouldn't really have even included "large" in the heading!

[DBS]

He is now being carried on the BBC news site, where the spin is that his fort shows Wales was fully integrated into Roman Britain.  Personally have never doubted that for relatively lowland areas such as Pembrokeshire.

[Imperial Dave]

Yes, it's a bit of a leap but full marks for finding it and enthusiasm to boot!

[Justin Swanton]

It does at least show what a wild and woolly bunch those Welsh were.

[Nick Harbud]

...and that is just our illustrious Editor.

  

[Jim Webster]

Given it's supposed be holding down a savage and barbarian population, how does it compare in size to the fort in London 

[Imperial Dave]

It's the southeast Walians who are the trouble makers

[Erpingham]

It's the southeast Walians who are the trouble makers

That's because the Romans put a legionary base just down the road from you, to keep you in order 

While I do like the finders enthusiasm, as yet we have no serious studies to show us what we are dealing with in this overgrown field.  We may be dealing with something of an adminstrative function than a combat ready garrison in bandit country.