Roman

The Romans first invaded Britain in around 55 B.C. under the commands of Julius Caesar. However, it was not until a hundred years later that the Romans established permanent settlements.

The highlands and moorlands of Scotland and Wales, were not as easily settled, nor did the Romans particularly wish to settle in these agriculturally poorer, harsh landscapes. The stubborn resistance of tribes in Wales meant that two out of three Roman legions in Britain were stationed on its borders, at Chester and Caerwent.

The third and fourth centuries saw a golden age of villa building that further increased their numbers of rooms and added a central courtyard. The elaborate surviving mosaics found in some of these villas show a detailed construction and intensity of labor that only the rich could have afforded; their wealth came from the highly lucrative export of grain.

One of the greatest achievements of the Roman Empire was its system of roads, in Britain no less than elsewhere. When the legions arrived in a country with virtually no roads at all, as Britain was in the first century A.D., their first task was to build a system to link not only their military headquarters but also their isolated forts. Vital for trade, the roads were also of paramount important in the speedy movement of troops, munitions and supplies from one strategic center to another. They also allowed the movement of agricultural products from farm to market.

Today, you cannot fail to notice some of the Latin words that were borrowed into the Welsh language, such as pysg (fish), braich (arm), caer (fort), foss (ditch), pont (bridge), eglwys (church), llyfr (book), ysgrif (writing), ffenestr (window), pared (wall or partition), and ystafell (room).

There is not much documented history relating to the extent of Roman activity in Pembrokeshire and itt is suggested that the Romans only came as far west as Carmarthen and did not settle in Pembrokeshire. However, it is suggested by Fenton that there was a roman villa located near to Wolfscastle.