Caerleon Roman Fortress and Baths facts for kids
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| Location | Caerleon, Newport, Wales |
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| Type | Archaeological museum |
| Owner | Cadw |
The Caerleon Roman Fortress and Baths are the amazing remains of a huge Roman army base in Caerleon, near Newport, in South Wales. This place was once home to thousands of Roman soldiers! It's special because it's one of only three main Roman army bases (called "legionary fortresses") ever found in Roman Britain. The others are in York and Chester.
Because Caerleon wasn't built over much in later times, it's a fantastic place for archaeologists to study Roman life. Today, you can visit several parts of the old fortress. These include a museum run by Cadw (the Welsh government's historic environment service), the remains of the fortress bath-house, a well-preserved amphitheatre, parts of the soldiers' barracks, and the National Roman Legion Museum.
Discovering Caerleon's Roman Past
Caerleon has a long history of people being interested in its Roman ruins. Over the centuries, many have explored and studied this important site.
Early Discoveries and Writings
One of the first people to write about Caerleon's Roman ruins was Gerald of Wales in the 1100s. He was a writer and traveler who described the city as "the city of Legions." He mentioned huge palaces, hot baths, temples, and theaters, all within strong walls. Even though some of his descriptions might have been a bit imaginative, he showed that Caerleon was a very important historical place.
Later, in the 1700s, drawings showed crumbling towers and Roman stonework still standing. This proves that parts of the ancient fortress survived for a long time.
The First Diggers: Antiquarians
In the 1840s, people started digging around Caerleon. These early explorers were called "antiquarians" because they were interested in old things. They found many Roman objects.
To keep these finds safe, the Caerleon Antiquarian Association was started in 1847. Their goal was to dig more and create a museum for all the treasures. John Edward Lee was a key person in this group. He led early digs, including one at a bathhouse outside the main fortress.
The idea of a museum became urgent as more items were found. In 1850, the museum opened to the public. It displayed newly found artifacts and items donated by local people. This museum eventually grew into the National Roman Legion Museum we know today.
Modern Archaeology Begins
In the early 1900s, more organized digs began. Groups from outside Caerleon started exploring. They found parts of the fortress walls and even began to uncover the amphitheatre in 1908.
Uncovering the Amphitheatre and Barracks
After World War I, a new group called the Caerleon Excavation Committee formed. They were led by Mortimer Wheeler, a famous archaeologist. In 1926, they started a huge project to dig out the entire amphitheatre. They removed tons of soil over 14 months! This work revealed the original floor, entrances, and seating areas. Once finished, the site was given to the government to be protected.
From 1927 to 1929, the committee also dug at a place called Prysg Field. Here, they found the western corner of the fortress walls and many barracks blocks where soldiers lived. After the digs, these barracks remains were made into a public park. These digs helped confirm where the fortress walls were and how they were built. They also showed that the original wooden barracks were replaced with stone ones around 115 AD.
The Museum's New Home
In 1930, the Caerleon Antiquarian Association gave their museum to the National Museum of Wales. In 1987, the old museum building was mostly taken down. A new, much bigger National Roman Legion Museum was built in its place, keeping only the classical entrance.
Recent Discoveries: Post-War Archaeology
The 1970s brought new waves of archaeological work.
Exploring the Fortress Baths
From 1977 to 1981, archaeologists led by J. David Zienkiewicz excavated the fortress baths. These baths were likely the only stone building in the fortress when it was first built in 75 AD. Today, you can visit parts of these baths, which opened to the public in 1980 and are looked after by Cadw.
Life Outside the Walls: The Canabae
From 1984 to 1990, archaeologists focused on the "canabae." This was the civilian settlement that grew up around the fortress, outside its walls. Led by Edith Evans, these digs showed that the civilian town was much larger and more varied than people thought. It was a busy garrison town, meaning it grew because of the army base.
New Finds in the 21st Century
More recently, from 2007 to 2010, teams from UCL and Cardiff University dug at Priory Field. They found a large building that seemed to be used for storage by the Roman army. They unearthed thousands of items, including pieces of Roman armor! They also found a stone inscription saying the building was built by Flavius Rufus, a high-ranking Roman soldier.
In 2011, another dig explored the area between the amphitheatre and the River Usk. They found evidence of a Roman port, which is very rare in Britain! They also found huge public buildings with large courtyards. These buildings might have been used for managing the legion or as meeting places for troops arriving at the port.
Visiting the Roman Baths
The Roman Baths Museum is located inside the old fortress walls, very close to the National Roman Legion Museum. These were the main baths for the Roman soldiers. The museum has a covered walkway that lets you see parts of the bathhouse remains.
The baths had different rooms for bathing:
- A frigidarium (cold bath)
- A tepidarium (warm bath)
- A caldarium (hot bath)
There was even an open-air swimming pool! The museum uses projected images to show what it might have looked like when Roman soldiers were using the baths.
Within a short walk of the baths museum, you can also see:
- The most complete Roman amphitheatre in Britain.
- Sections of the fortress walls.
- The only remains of a Roman legionary barracks on display anywhere in Europe at Prysg Field.
Images for kids
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The entrance to the National Roman Legion Museum.
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Remains of the Roman barracks at Caerleon.
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See also
