Caerleon

Before the excavations of 1926 to 1928, carried out under the guidance of Sir Mortimer Wheeler; the Amphitheatre was an oval-shaped mound with a hollow in the middle, known locally as King Arthur's Round Table. The excavations revealed that it was used like others in the Roman Empire, not only for 'shows' but also for troop training. The arena in Roman times was covered with sand, a surface more suitable than the present smooth grass for the variety of activities and spectacles (sometimes bloody and violent) which took place here. It is interesting to note that the Amphitheatre, completed about the same time as the Colosseum in Rome in 80 AD, was capable of holding 6,000 spectators - the size of the complete garrison.

Today Caerleon is an attractive small historic village with a good selection of pubs, restaurants, and craft shops,but around A.D. 75 it was called Isca, and was the base of the 2nd Augustan legion.

The 5,500- strong legion established a 50 acre fort and the remains of the barrack blocks are the only examples currently visible in all of Europe.

It is now one of the most important sites of the Roman occupation in Britain.

There are remains of the barracks, fortress walls, baths, and the amphitheatre.

The amphitheatre held 6,000 spectators and was the scene of bloodthirsty entertainment involving wild beasts and gladiators.

There is also a legionary museum which tells of the history of the town, and also there are exhibits of the relics that have been found during excavations.

There is a £2 admission charge at the baths, although entrance to the Legionary museum is free. There are not many shops, but do look for an alley called Roman Gate where there are some nice craft shops and a collection of trees that have been carved into fantastic sculptures. This alleyway is called "Roman Gate" because it was the entrance to the Roman garrison.

Parking in the town leaves a lot to be desired, I usually take the sign for the amphitheatre car park.