Alabum is identified with the Roman fort at Llandovery in Carmarthenshire, situated on the upper reaches of the River Tywi. Established in the Flavian period (c. AD 75–78) during the Roman conquest of the Silures and Demetae, it was a roughly 2-hectare auxiliary fort guarding the route between Y Gaer (Brecon) and Carmarthen (Moridunum), with occupation evidence extending into the second century and possibly later reuse.
Source: Pleiades — A Community-Built Gazetteer and Graph of Ancient Places. View the Pleiades record →
The fort controlled a strategic node on the cross-Wales road network linking the Usk valley to the southwest peninsula, and likely supervised the nearby gold-mining operations at Dolaucothi, some 10 km to the southwest — one of the most important industrial sites in Roman Britain. Its garrison would have provided both military presence in a recently subdued tribal region and security for bullion movement.
Excavations and geophysical survey have revealed the standard playing-card plan with timber buildings, defensive ditches, and an associated vicus (civilian settlement) outside the walls; finds include Flavian-Trajanic pottery and tile, with the fort apparently reduced or abandoned by the mid-second century as the frontier consolidated. The site lies partly beneath the medieval churchyard of Llanfair-ar-y-bryn, which has limited the extent of modern excavation.
Alabum is identified with the Roman fort at Llandovery in Carmarthenshire, situated on the upper reaches of the River Tywi. It is recorded in the Pleiades gazetteer of ancient places as a fort site from the Roman period in Britain.
Alabum is classified as a Roman fort — a military site in the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer. Roman Britain's archaeology encompasses thousands of sites ranging from legionary fortresses and marching camps to villas, temples and towns.
Several Roman sites lie within a short distance, including Unnamed aqueduct(s) at Dolaucothi, Wales (11.7 km), Gold Mines at Dolaucothi, Wales (11.7 km), Pumsaint Roman Fort (ancient Louentinon?) (12.5 km). Aubrey Research maps over 2,200 Roman sites across Britain, drawn from the Pleiades ancient world gazetteer.
Aubrey Research generates detailed historical reports for any location in Britain, incorporating Roman heritage, Domesday Book records, scheduled monument data, archaeological finds and much more. Enter a nearby address to begin.
Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any address in Britain — drawing on Roman heritage, Domesday records, scheduled monument data, archaeological finds and medieval history to reveal the complete story of a landscape.
Research the area around Alabum