Roman fort discovery in Wales links to ancient legend
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An archaeologist working in Wales discovered a Roman fort near Crymych in Pembrokeshire, potentially revealing a previously unknown Roman road network.
The researcher began investigating the area in 2002 after finding a Roman villa, spurred by a local’s question about its remote location. Subsequent surveys and excavations, including work in March and July 2026, uncovered earthworks with a typical Roman fort shape and artifacts like coins, pottery, and tools.
The site’s location near the Frenni Fawr peak led the archaeologist to connect it to Cadair Maxen, the camp of the Roman emperor Magnus Maximus, known as Macsen Wledig in Welsh, featured in the medieval Welsh stories of the Mabinogion. While no remains of Maximus’s camp have been found on the peak itself, the newly discovered fort aligns with the story's location.
Excavations revealed clay floors, rampart bases, a road surface, and a track, suggesting the fort was likely established between A.D. 74 and 78 during the campaign of Sextus Julius Frontinus. The archaeologist believes this discovery demonstrates a link between folklore and historical fact and will detail the connection in an upcoming book about Roman emperors.
