The Silures: Unbending in Wales

The Silures were a Celtic people in south Wales. Tacitus describes them as dark-haired and warlike – and especially hard to subdue.

Caratacus's last stand

After the Roman conquest of southern Britain the British leader Caratacus fled to the Silures and Ordovices and waged guerrilla war against Rome from Wales. Only after his capture (through the betrayal of the Brigantes) did the resistance break.

Tougher than any legion

Even afterwards the Silures fought on; a Roman governor is said to have threatened to wipe them out entirely – which only strengthened their defiance. Only Frontinus finally subdued them. Their capital later became the Roman Venta Silurum (Caerwent).

"Neither harshness nor mercy changed the Silures."after Tacitus, Annals 12 (public domain, own translation)

Warriors from South Wales

The Silures were a Celtic people in the south-east of today's Wales. Ancient authors describe them as especially tough and warlike – Tacitus calls them a people that could be bent neither by cruelty nor by clemency. Their mountainous land made them one of Rome's most stubborn opponents in Britain.

At the side of Caratacus

When the British leader Caratacus fled from the south-east, he found refuge among the Silures and continued the resistance from here. Only after his capture in AD 51 did the Silures fight on alone – for decades.

A people that would not bow

Rome needed almost a generation to subdue the Silures. Only the governor Frontinus finally subjected them around AD 78. Their long resistance made them in ancient literature a symbol of unbroken will to freedom.

A puzzling origin

Tacitus remarks that the Silures had dark skin and curly hair, and suspects an origin from Iberia. This ancient interpretation is not scientifically proven – but it shows that even the Romans marvelled at the diversity of the British peoples.

Venta Silurum – Caerwent

After the submission the Roman town of Venta Silurum arose for the Silures, today's Caerwent, whose walls still stand. The tribal name lives on in this place and in Welsh history.

Why this moves us

The Silures stand for the tough resistance of small mountain peoples against a world power. At GLANZ & GRAVUR we tell their story from the sources – and keep the ancient interpretation cleanly apart from secured knowledge.

The Silures stand for Celtic resistance in Wales. Continue with the Ordovices and Brigantes.

Read more with us

The Caledonians · The Ordovices · The Brigantes · The Britons · The Celtic Warriors.

Sources & literature

• Image credit (header image): “Caerleon, amphitheatre - geograph.org.uk - 5040191”, Mike Faherty, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
Tacitus, Annals 12, Agricola; quote public domain (own translation).

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