Roman conquest of Anglesey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Roman conquest of Anglesey
Part of the Roman conquest of Britain
Anglesey within Wales.
Date 60 or AD 61 AD 77 Location Anglesey Result Roman victory
Belligerents
Roman Empire	Britons
Commanders and leaders
Gaius Suetonius Paulinus Agricola	unknown
Strength
unknown	unknown
Casualties and losses
unknown	unknown

The Roman conquest of Anglesey describes two times when the Roman Empire invaded the island of Anglesey (called Mona by the Romans). Anglesey is located in North West Wales. These invasions happened during the 1st century AD, when the Romans were taking over Britain.

The first invasion was around AD 60–61. It was led by Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, who was the Roman governor of Britannia. He successfully attacked the island. However, he had to leave quickly because of a big rebellion led by Boudica in other parts of Britain. The second invasion happened in AD 77. This time, Gnaeus Julius Agricola took control of Anglesey completely. The island then stayed under Roman rule until the early 5th century AD.

Anglesey was a very important place for the Celtic Druids. They were powerful religious leaders. Because of this, Anglesey was a center of resistance against Roman rule. After the Romans took over, there are no Roman writings that talk much about Anglesey. But archaeologists have found some interesting things. They found a Roman fort near Cemlyn Bay from shortly after the first invasion. They also found a trading settlement by the Menai Strait and a small village on a hill. Later, Roman forts were built on the coast to protect against raiders from Ireland. Even after more than 300 years of Roman rule, there is no sign of big Roman cities or fancy villas on Anglesey. This means Roman culture did not spread as much here as in other parts of Britain.

The only Roman historian who wrote about these invasions was Tacitus. His book The Annals mentions the first invasion by Suetonius Paulinus. The second invasion is described in his book The Life of Gnaeus Julius Agricola. Tacitus wrote this book to praise his father-in-law, Agricola. Agricola was actually there during both invasions, so Tacitus might have heard stories directly from him.

First Roman Invasion of Anglesey (AD 60)

The first Roman attack on Anglesey happened in AD 60 or 61. This was after Governor Suetonius Paulinus had already won many battles and built Roman forts in other parts of Britain.

Tacitus wrote that Suetonius Paulinus was a very skilled military leader. He wanted to conquer Anglesey because it had many people and was a safe place for people who were running away from Roman rule. It is also thought that the Romans might have wanted to take over the island because of the copper mines there.

How Did Roman Soldiers Get to Anglesey?

Anglesey is separated from mainland Wales by the Menai Strait. This is a narrow stretch of water. Tacitus explained that Suetonius Paulinus built special flat-bottomed boats. These boats could handle the shallow and changing depths of the water. The Roman foot soldiers crossed in these boats. The cavalry (soldiers on horses) either walked through shallow parts or swam next to their horses where the water was deeper.

It's not clear where these boats were built. Some think it might have been near Chester. The Roman army likely marched along the north coast of Wales. They would have first seen Anglesey from the Sychnant Pass.

Crossing the Menai Strait

Crossing the Menai Strait was a big challenge. It is about 8 kilometers (5 miles) long. The water can be calm at certain times, but the tides can be very strong. The currents can reach up to 7.5 knots in some rocky parts. The Romans needed to know a lot about the local tides to cross safely.

We don't know exactly where the Romans crossed. Some historians think it was near Bangor. This area has large sand flats at low tide, which would have been good for loading boats. The crossing here would have been short. Another idea is near Llanidan on Anglesey. This area has calmer currents, but the sea crossing would be longer.

One old story says that the Roman cavalry swam across at a place called Porthamel in Llanidan. There are also local field names in Llanidan, like "Area of long battle," that might point to where the Romans attacked.

The Battle at Castell Bryn Gwyn

During the invasion in AD 60 or 61, the Roman forces attacked Castell Bryn Gwyn. This was an ancient hillfort near Llanidan on Anglesey. It had been used for thousands of years. The local Ordovices tribe was defeated in battle there, and the Druids were overcome.

What Did the Romans Face?

When the Romans landed, they were met by a large group of warriors, Druids, and women. Tacitus described the scene. He said the women looked like Furies (angry spirits) with wild hair, waving torches. The Druids raised their hands to the sky and shouted curses. This sight was so strange and scary that the Roman soldiers froze. They stood still, unable to move, and were open to attack. It was very unusual for Roman soldiers to be described as scared like this.

However, the Romans quickly got their courage back. Their general encouraged them not to be afraid of "frenzied women." They attacked fiercely and won a brutal victory. The Romans destroyed the sacred groves of the Druids. They believed the Druids used to sacrifice captives and read fortunes from human organs. While no sacred groves have been found on Anglesey, some ancient ritual items have been found in a lake called Llyn Cerrig Bach.

Roman Occupation and Leaving Anglesey

The Roman army stayed on Anglesey long enough to start setting up a military base. But then, they received urgent news from southern Britain. Tacitus wrote that Governor Suetonius Paulinus heard about a sudden rebellion in the province. This was the Boudican revolt. Suetonius Paulinus quickly marched his army through enemy territory to Londinium (modern-day London).

The Roman troops left Anglesey, and the island remained free from Roman rule for 16 years.

Between the Roman Attacks

After the Boudican revolt, the Roman conquest of Wales was paused. There were five different Roman governors in Britain between Suetonius Paulinus and Agricola. Not much was written about Wales or Anglesey during this time. The Romans were busy with civil wars in their empire and dealing with the aftermath of Boudica's rebellion. They did not try to conquer more land.

The conquest of Wales started again when Vespasian became emperor in AD 69. Tacitus wrote about this in his book about Agricola. Agricola's predecessor, Julius Frontinus, arrived in AD 74. Tacitus only says that Frontinus defeated the powerful Silures tribe in South Wales.

Second Roman Invasion of Anglesey (AD 77)

The second invasion of Anglesey was led by Gnaeus Julius Agricola. He was the Roman Governor of Britannia at the time. This happened in late AD 77. Tacitus's story of this invasion might be a bit dramatic, especially since Agricola was his father-in-law. But it is the only written record we have of this second invasion.

The Situation When Agricola Arrived

Tacitus suggests that the tribes near the Roman border were often hostile. They were only kept from rebelling by fear of the Roman army. They also knew a lot about what was happening in the rest of Britain.

Just before Agricola arrived, the Ordovices tribe had destroyed almost all of a Roman cavalry unit in their area. This made other tribes hopeful for war. Agricola decided to act quickly, even though it was late in the year and his soldiers expected to rest.

Defeating the Ordovices on the Mainland

Tacitus describes Agricola as a brave and strong leader. He gathered a small force of experienced soldiers. The Ordovices tribe would not come down to fight on flat ground. So, Agricola led his troops up a hill to attack them. The tribe was almost completely wiped out. The exact place of this battle is not known. However, the fort of Dinas Dinorwig is on a hill near the Menai Strait. The name Dinorwig might mean "fort of the Ordovices."

Crossing the Menai Strait (Again!)

Tacitus praised Agricola's military skill. This time, the attack was a surprise. Agricola used auxiliary soldiers (non-Roman troops recruited from Britain). These soldiers were lightly equipped and knew the shallow parts of the strait. They were also skilled swimmers. They could even swim with their weapons and horses.

This unexpected attack shocked the enemy on Anglesey. They were expecting to see a fleet of ships. They thought that nothing could stop these Roman attackers. The location of this crossing is also unknown. It could have been anywhere along the Strait. The place names around Llanidan might be linked to this invasion.

Anglesey Surrenders

Tacitus wrote that Anglesey quickly asked for peace and surrendered. Agricola became very famous because of this victory.

After the Invasions

After the second invasion, the Romans controlled Anglesey for over 300 years.

Roman Military Presence

The Cemlyn Cropmark is the first Roman military site found on Anglesey. It dates to around AD 77, the time of the second invasion. This mark was seen from the air in 1990 during a dry period. Later, a survey in 2015 showed it had the features of a typical Roman fortlet (a small fort). Parts of the site were dug up, and two Roman coins were found. This supports the idea that the fortlet was built after the invasion. The fortlet overlooks Cemlyn Bay, which was a good place for ships to land. It probably helped guide ships and kept an eye on people coming to Anglesey.

Life Under Roman Control

The Romans managed Anglesey from Segontium (Caernarfon). This was a fort on the mainland, just across the Menai Strait. In most parts of the Roman Empire, local leaders adopted Roman culture. But no Roman city or signs of a Roman elite have been found on Anglesey. Archaeology has found few Roman-style buildings. At Caer Lêb on the island, there is evidence of a farm. It had some rectangular Roman-style buildings, but more traditional round houses were nearby. This suggests that farming life probably did not change much after Agricola's conquest.

Copper had been mined on Parys Mountain for hundreds of years before the Romans arrived. Copper production likely continued, and possibly even increased, for export. About 18 round copper bars have been found on the island. Eight of these have Roman stamps.

A settlement at Tai Cochion is close to the Menai Strait. It is across from Segontium. Digging at one building showed what might be Roman-style corridor housing. This was different from the round huts used elsewhere on the island. Pottery and coins show it was active between AD 100 and 300. It was probably set up as a trading post for civilians shortly after the second invasion.

Growing Dangers from the Sea

For centuries, not much changed on Anglesey. But by the mid-4th century, a fort called Caer Gybi was built. It faced Ireland and was meant to protect the island from sea attacks. The fort walls can still be seen today. Around the same time, the Parciau hill fort had many people living in it. This shows that people felt unsafe and needed to live in a protected place.

A rocky hilltop called Pen Bryn-yr-Eglwys on the northwest side of Anglesey might have been a Roman watchtower. It has a small stone platform. Its location and some Roman pottery pieces suggest it was used to watch for danger. Another possible watchtower was found inside the pre-Roman fort of Caer y Twr on Holyhead Mountain. There might also be another small fort on Bwrdd Arthur, on the eastern north coast of the island.

The End of Roman Rule

Direct Roman military control on Anglesey likely ended around AD 383. At that time, a Roman leader named Magnus Maximus took many soldiers from Britain to fight for power on the European continent. In AD 410, the Roman emperor Honorius told the remaining Roman cities in Britain that they had to defend themselves. After this, no Roman emperor appointed officials to Britain.

Anglesey After the Romans

The fort of Caer Gybi in Holyhead is now the site of St Cybi's Church. An old source from the 12th century says that Maelgwn Gwynedd gave this site to Saint Cybi in the 6th century AD.

Images for kids

• Llyn Cerrig Bach.jpg

  Llyn Cerrig Bach, a small lake where Iron Age ritual items were found.