Welsh: Caer Seint
Segontium, also known as Caernarfon Roman Fort, is an ancient Roman fort located in present-day Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales. It was one of the most important Roman military sites in Wales and played a strategic role in the Roman conquest and control of the region.
William Camden thought that Arthur was crowned there.
Segontium | History
Foundation and Purpose | Late 1st century AD
Segontium was established around AD 77-78 by the Romans during the governorship of Gnaeus Julius Agricola. Agricola, a Roman general and governor of Britain, recognized the strategic importance of the site in controlling the Menai Strait, a key waterway separating Anglesey from the Welsh mainland. The fort also provided a base for Roman campaigns against the indigenous tribes of North Wales.
Layout and Structure
The fort was initially built in timber but was later reconstructed in stone. It had a standard Roman fort layout, with defensive walls, gates, internal buildings, and a central headquarters (principia). The fort covered an area of around five acres and could accommodate a garrison of several hundred soldiers.
Military Garrison
Segontium was likely garrisoned by various Roman auxiliary units, including infantry and cavalry. The Roman presence at Segontium was part of the broader Roman effort to establish control over the region and maintain stability.
Roman Conquest of Wales
Segontium played a role in the Roman conquest of Wales, as Roman forces gradually extended their control over the indigenous tribes. Roman campaigns aimed to subdue local resistance and integrate the region into the Roman province of Britannia.
Abandonment
The fort was occupied for several centuries, but by the end of the fourth century, Roman influence in Britain was waning. Segontium, like many other Roman sites, was eventually abandoned, and its stones were likely repurposed for other construction projects.
See also
Caer Seint | The Legend of King Arthur
Roman Empire | The Legend of King Arthur
Source
Britannia | William Camden, 1586