Segontium Roman Fort

On the environs of Caernarfon in Gwynedd, North Wales, there is a Roman fort called Segontium Roman Fort. The fort was guarded by Roman auxiliaries from modern-day Belgium and Germany, and it stood until the end of the Roman occupation of Britain. It served as the region's primary military installation and administrative hub.

Segontium Roman Fort, built approximately 2000 years ago, was a hive of activity for about 300 years. The fort, built by Agricola in 77 AD after he brutally put down a native tribe's insurrection, was intended to house about 1,000 auxiliary infantrymen and was connected to Chester and Caerleon by Roman highways.

The fort was occupied by the Romans until 394 AD, making it the longest-held Roman fort in Wales, according to excavations that uncovered coins at the location. It sought to protect the Welsh shoreline from invasion from the Irish Sea as well as regulate access to Anglesey, a fertile and mineral-rich island. The ruins are accessible now and open for free exploration.

The majority of the fort's foundations are still there even though the A4085 to Beddgelert passes through the area. Books about the area are available at other Cadw locations, like Caernarfon Castle. Around the fort, archaeologists have discovered the ruins of a village of civilians as well as the Caernarfon Mithraeum, a Roman temple dedicated to Mithras, and a cemetery.

Location: Llanbeblig Rd, Caernarfon LL55 2LN, Gwynedd, Wales