Roman Caerleon: Fortress of the Legion

Headquarters of the Second Augustan Legion, Isca is uniquely important for the study of the conquest, pacification and colonisation of the native British tribes by the Roman army. It was one of only three permanent legionary fortresses in Britain and, unlike the bases at Chester and York, its archaeological remains lie relatively undisturbed beneath and around the modern town of Caerleon, providing a unique opportunity to study the Roman legions in Britain

Isca was founded in AD 74 or 75 during the final campaigns to subdue the fierce native tribes of western Britain, especially the Silures in south Wales who had resisted the Romans’ advance for over a generation. At this time there were about 30 legions in the Empire, each comprising over 5,000 heavily armed and highly disciplined professional soldiers who enlisted in the army for at least 20 years. The backbone of the army, legionaries were the conquerors and builders of the Roman Empire who brought with them foreign practices, traditions and ideas that would change the society and culture of Britain forever

Find out more about the innovative and ground-breaking research projects  at Caerleon in the ‘Lost City of the Legion’ booklet (click here for the booklet in English and here for the Welsh version)

Click on the reconstruction by our partners 7reasons to launch a virtual tour of the legionary fortress, or the research projects at the top of the page to explore some of Isca’s fascinating remains in more detail