BattlefieldsFrontinus's Campaign against the Silures
Roman Period

Frontinus's Campaign against the Silures

74–78
Glamorgan, Wales
Also known as: Roman Conquest of South Wales · Julius Frontinus vs Silures
Era
Roman Period
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Glamorgan, Wales
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Silures
Forces
Silures c. 10,000–15,000 in pitched battle.
VS
Victor
Rome (Sextus Julius Frontinus)
Forces
Rome (Frontinus) c. 8,000–12,000
Outcome
Silures finally defeated; Caerleon (Isca) legionary fortress established; south Wales pacified
The Battle

History & Significance

Julius Frontinus — who later wrote two important military treatises — finally broke the Silures after decades of resistance. He used the combination of a new legionary fortress at Caerleon (Isca Silurum) to serve as a permanent base, and methodical campaigning to destroy Silurian food stores and strongholds. The Silures had been fighting Rome intermittently since 47 AD — twenty-seven years. Frontinus described his campaign as "suppressing a force of savage tribes". He then attacked the Ordovices before Agricola completed the job.

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