Magnus Maximus, the Roman emperor who ruled Britain in the fourth century, led his troops against the Picts and Scots, but a theory that he also established a military camp near Frenni Fawr hill in Wales has so far been based on folklore.
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he → rule → folklore
Now fourth-century coins, among other finds at a newly identified Roman fort in Pembrokeshire, suggest the medieval tale was rooted in reality, to the excitement of archaeologists.
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tale → identify → archaeologists
The fort was discovered by Dr Mark Merrony, a leading Roman specialist at the University of Oxford.
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fort → discover → Oxford
He heads an excavation that is bringing to life a story about Magnus Maximus, as told in the Mabinogion, a collection of medieval epic tales of myth, magic and miracles.
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that → head → myth
Merrony expressed excitement that this landscape held the only Roman military site close to where the Mabinogion places the emperor.
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Mabinogion → express → emperor
“If Magnus Maximus was there, there must have been an army there,” he said.
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he → say → ?
“It’s such a remote area but the tale mentions the easternmost peak of the Preseli Hills, which is where this site is.
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site → ’ → Hills
The presence of a heavily fortified Roman auxiliary fort may help unlock the mystery of a Mabinogion legend that has endured for nearly 1,700 years.
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that → fortify → years
In The Dream of Macsen Wledig, medieval storytellers used the emperor’s name in Welsh in recounting his rise to power.
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storytellers → use → power
They described how on his military manoeuvres, he pitched his camp at Frenni Fawr, the 395-metre (1,300ft) easternmost peak of the Preseli Hills.
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he → describe → Hills
Merrony discovered it about 2 miles (3.5km) south-west of the summit in 2024.
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Merrony → discover → 2024
Satellite imagery had shown a convincing outline in an overgrown field and, shortly after visiting it, his eye was caught by a Roman tile, which turned out to be the first of many.
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which → show → many
With financial support from Oxford University and crowdfunding, one of several planned excavations has just finished, confirming his theory of the site and its significance.
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one → plan → site
Merrony said that before the dig, his brother, Nick, had jokingly asked him to find a couple of coins to prove the Magnus Maximus theory.
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brother → say → theory
“He came back and said ‘well, are these any good?’
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these → come → ?
I said ‘you’ve got to be kidding me’.
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you → say → me
He’d found two coins dating from the late 4th century.
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He → find → century
“It is fascinating to consider that the two coins may be linked to the tale of Macsen Wledig – Magnus Maximus – in the Mabinogion, the Welsh equivalent of the Odyssey.”
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coins → consider → Odyssey
Merrony is a leading specialist in the Romano-British period.
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Merrony → lead → period
His previous discoveries include two Roman villas, at Ford in Pembrokeshire and at Cutteslowe in Oxfordshire.
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discoveries → include → Oxfordshire
He identified a Roman road along the southern shoulder of the Preselis in 2022, challenging assumptions that the Romans did not venture far into Wales.
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Romans → identify → Wales
His research will appear in Antiqvvs, a quarterly magazine dedicated to archaeology, ancient art and history.
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research → appear → archaeology
Magnus Maximus will also feature in Merrony’s forthcoming book, titled Lives of the Roman Emperors: From Augustus to Romulus Augustulus.
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Maximus → feature → Augustulus
Measuring 180 by 150 metres, the fort is on a slope with a commanding view of the surrounding landscape.
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fort → measure → landscape
It is likely to have held about 500 troops, and its discovery overturns assumptions that the area’s Indigenous Celtic tribe was on peaceful terms with the Roman invaders.
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tribe → hold → invaders
It has “a characteristic playing-card form, with rounded corners” and a perpendicular road, Merrony said.
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Merrony → have → corners
Finds at the site so far include an unusual iron stylus, many pottery shards, large quantities of Roman tiles and extensive compacted clay floors, a common feature on Roman military sites.
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Finds → include → sites
Even rut marks left by wagons have been preserved.
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marks → leave → wagons
The geophysical survey confirmed the presence of a rectangular building in the middle of the enclosure and a larger rectangular building immediately to the south.
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survey → confirm → south
“This arrangement is consistent with the placement of a headquarters building orientated east and thereby ‘facing the enemy’, and a commander’s house,” Merrony said.
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Merrony → orientate → enemy
The Aporia
