Celtic Tribes of Wales (Ptolemy)
At this time Wales was occupied by two major and two minor tribes. The two major tribes were the Ordovices of mid-Wales extending northwest probably as far as Isle of Anglesey, and the Silures in the south. The minor tribes were the Deceangli in the northeast and the Demetae in the southwest. East of Ordovices and Silures were the Cornovii (Shropshire) and the Dobunni (Gloucester) respectively.
Ptolemy refers to the Llyn peninsula in the northwest as the ‘promontory of the Gangani’ which suggests that it was occupied by a people of the same name as the tribe (Concani or Gangani) located in southwest Ireland. He also notes the presence of the Octapitai people living in the region of St. David’s Head, Pembrokeshire, in the southwest.
Conquest (48-78)
In 43 Claudius-I (63; r.41-54) appointed Aulus 01Plautius fl.29-47) to lead the invasion of Britain. He defeated the tribes in southern Britain and was the governor (43-47) of the new province until he was replaced by Publius 01Ostorius Scapula (52; r.47-52). After the British defeat at the ‘Battle of the Thames’ in 43, the chieftain Caratacus (r.43-51) had fled westwards to take refuge with the Silures of southeast Wales.
In 48 Scapula invaded northeast Wales and in a short but successful campaign succeeded in subduing the Deceangli tribe, but he was forced to withdraw to deal with a revolt by the Brigantes, a major tribe whose land covered a large part of northern Britain.
By now Caratacus had gained control of the Welsh tribes and attacking via southeast Wales was raiding the conquered west of England. To block these incursions Scapula created c.48 legionary fortress (Glevum) on the left (east) bank of the River Severn at Gloucester.
Caratacus, his actions frustrated in the south, moved into central and northeast Wales, the country of the Ordovices. In 51 a battle was fought on the eastern border of mid-Wales. Caratacus had chosen his site carefully: a craggy hill with its summit ringed by a stone-walled fort overlooking a river.
Scapula divided his forces into columns and launched them simultaneously at different points across the river. At the walls of the fort, after locking their shields overhead to protect themselves from the constant fire of missiles thrown from above, they tore down the stonework and broke in on every side. After a desperate fight the remnants of the defenders finally yielded. Caratacus again managed to escape and sought refuge among the Brigantes. Fearing reprisals, their queen, Cartimandua (r.c.43-c.69), handed him over to Scapula who then sent the captive to Rome.
As the war seemed to be over, Scapula created a base camp to erect a chain of forts in the country of the Silures believing that he only needed to keep them quiet. In a sudden attack the Silures killed the praefectus castrorum (‘camp prefect’) the third most senior commander of the Roman legion, eight centurions and many soldiers. Scapula rushed to their support with light-armed cohorts (tenth parts of a legion) but was repulsed by the Silures and had to bring up his legionaries to drive them away. From that time the Silures kept him in constant alarm with repeated battles or skirmishes conducted by parties in search of plunder.
Scapula died in service and although the emperor Claudius quickly sent Aulus 04Didius Gallus (r.52-57) to replace him, but between Scapula’s death and the arrival of a new governor the Silures had defeated the legion under the command of Gaius 18Manlius Valens (90; fl.45-96). When Gallus arrived he put a few forts into outlying regions but his main task appears to have been consolidation and pacification of the tribes that had already been defeated.
Quintus Veranius Nepos (fl.41-57), governor (57), reversed Gallus’ policy of consolidation and began military operations against the tribes but died within a year. His successor Gaius 01Suetonius Paulinus (fl.40-69), governor (58-62) continued Veranius’ policy of aggressively subduing the tribes and was successful for his first two years in the post.
He then decided to attack the Druids, the priests and leaders of the tribes, in their sacred island of Mona, the present Isle of Anglesey. He repeated Scapula’s march through the country of the Deceangli, building fortresses as he marched steadily westwards through north Wales. By 60 he had reached the Menai Straits, a narrow stretch of water that separates the Isle of Anglesey from the mainland.
He built transports for his infantry; his cavalry were to swim or ford the shallows. His crossing was opposed by warriors, their women bearing torches running among them and druids standing by fires of human sacrifice. The Romans leapt ashore, cut down the warriors, women and priests and threw them into their own fires. Paulinus could now have cleared the whole island but he now received news that compelled him to turn back: Boudicca and the Iceni were in revolt.
04Petronius Turpilianus (fl.61-68), governor (62-63) was conciliatory and conducted few military operations. He was replaced by Marcus Trebellius Maximus, governor (63-69), and Vettius Bolanus (fl.55-76), governor (69-71), and they governed in the same peaceful manner. Marcus Petillius Cerialis (fl.60-83), governor (71-74), waged war against the Brigantes. He was succeeded by 29Julius Frontinus (c.63; fl.70-103), governor of Britain (74-78), who concentrated his efforts upon the Silures. In 75 he started the construction of the legionary fortress at Isca Augusta/Caerleon, Newport, as the headquarters for Legio II Augusta, about eight miles (13 km) west of the Llanmelin hillfort (Monmouthshire), which was probably the Silures’ capital. In 78 after a hard fought struggle the Silures agreed peace and moved a few miles south of Llanmelin to settle in Venta Silurum/Caerwent, Monmouthshire, a town founded by Julius Frontinus.On his arrival, Gnaeus 26Julius Agricola (53; fl.58-93), governor (78-84), discovered that the Ordovices had recently destroyed a body of cavalry stationed in their territory. Moving immediately against them, he advanced from the valley of the Dee and defeated the Ordovices in a great battle. He then advanced to the northwest of the country, crossed the Menai Straits without ships and completed the conquest of the island in 78.
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