BattlefieldsCampaigns of Julius Frontinus against the Silures
Roman Period

Campaigns of Julius Frontinus against the Silures

74–77
Monmouthshire, Wales
Also known as: Frontinus Welsh Campaigns 74–77 AD · Final Conquest of the Silures
Era
Roman Period
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Monmouthshire, Wales
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Silures tribe
Forces
Silures c. 10,000–15,000 in pitched battle.
VS
Victor
Rome (Julius Frontinus)
Forces
Rome (Frontinus) c. 8,000–12,000
Outcome
Roman victory; Silures finally subdued; fortress at Caerleon (Isca) established
The Battle

History & Significance

After twenty-five years of guerrilla resistance, the Silures were finally broken by the methodical campaigns of Governor Julius Frontinus (AD 74–77). Frontinus's own writings (Strategemata) describe subduing them "by force of arms, laboriously triumphing not only over a brave enemy but also over difficult terrain." The legionary fortress at Isca Silurum (Caerleon) was established to hold the south, replacing the earlier base at Usk. Frontinus went on to write the definitive Roman work on military stratagems, presumably informed by Welsh experience. This entry covers the campaign period rather than a single engagement.

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