Gelli-gaer Roman fort

Gelli-gaer Roman fort stands in the village of Gelli-gaer in Caerphilly County Borough. The remains lie at grid reference ST133972 on gently sloping ground. The fort once covered nearly three acres and was built straight from stone, unlike most Roman forts in Wales. A bathhouse stood just east of the fort and is regarded as one of the best examples found in Wales. Archaeologists dug here between 1899 and 1901 and uncovered an inscription naming Emperor Trajan’s fifth consulship in 103 AD. The inscription credits the Second Augustan Legion with building the fort. Experts believe the garrison left around 196, but the site was repaired and reused shortly afterwards. Legio II Augusta had earlier built Caerleon’s legionary fortress and left its mark across southern Wales. The fort’s stone construction shows how the Romans adapted to local materials rather than importing earthworks. Visitors today walk over low grassy mounds that mark the fort’s former walls. The bathhouse foundations remain visible beside the fort, giving a sense of daily Roman life. CADW looks after the site so the remains stay protected for future generations. The fort is registered as a Scheduled Monument with the unique number GM016.