The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1920-07-30
SEEKING CAESAR
IN ROMAN RUINS

went. Gelligaer. Castell COLLEEN and
Caersws. So far. however. nothing
has been done in the northwest cor
ner Of the principality, that region Of
Gwynnedd which occupies SO large a
space in the history Of medieval
Wales. The proposed excavation Of
Segontum may enable this gap to he
filled with accurate If not extensive
information.
The Roman fort of Segontium took
its name from the river (now the
Saint) on which it stood. and occu-
pied the higher ground behind the
present town of Carnarvon. where in
a later age was built the church of
Llanheblig. 1t was known to the
Welsh as "Caer Saint or "Y Gaer
YIN Arfon." While inferior in import
ance to the legionary stations at lsca
and Deva. 1t was a fortress of some
consequence. covering about five and
half acres and serving. as l have
said. as the terminus Of the military
road which ran through North Wales.
And may add that from AbergIas-
lyn and Gortnadoe. in the neichbor-
hood Of Carnarvon. Prince Mador ap
Owain Gwyne,ld is said in Welsh
legend to- have mustered his forces
and sailed in ten ships for the coloni-
Zation of North America. toward the
end of the twelfth century.
A Belgian Garrison.
An inscription of about 200 4. n
| chronicles the fact that at that time
the water supply Of the place was pu1
in order by the first cohort Of Sunici
aud this auxiliary force. drawn OF
partly drawn from Belgium. may have
furnished the regular garrison of Sc
gontium. No attempt has hitherto
been made TO examine the site SyS.
| tematically. and. as was said by the
| late Doctor Havertieih-tllan whom
no greater authority on Roman Brit
ain livea-''rhe spade alone can de
termine the successive stages which
Roman Carnarvon may have expert
enced. This much is certain. There
| is no site in North Wales. and Onl!
! one or two others in the whole PENN
sula, which are so likely. If properly
and Systematically explored. to throw
! light on the condition of the countr.
| in the later Roman and earliest post
Roman ages
Chance finds that have already beer
made are of considerable historical
value, particularly Il taliSman Of
| ;,> ., IS hi Int M
gold-hearing magical characters and +:
Greek inscription calling on sundr!
spirits to protect one Alphianos from
evil. It is probable that il was made
| in Alexandria in the second century
What had been it's wnnderngs befor,
it was crushed among the ruins O
Segontium.
The fragment of similar charm
may be seen at York. and these make
the only two of their kind to be fOunt
in Britain.
Another find was the famous gO.,
crossbow brooch of the fourth century
which is now preserved in the Carnar
Won town library.
! In order TO secure the land for tn,
! purpose of excavation. Il number o
! people interested in WelSh'> archeol
ogy. and with one exception residen
in the counties of Carnarvon ant
Anglpsey. purchased the areas nea
HE "Waterworks" in order that the,
lnight be saved from the hands of tn,
builders and he Systematically tx
. piored. Three acres are within th'
, wall of the fortress. and half an acr
lies without IT, In addition to thes
two areas. il is probable that permits
sion will be obtained t" excavat
about three ana a half acres imme
I diately adjoining the main site. on tn
northwest and northeast, and tn
vicar of Carnurvon has stated that h
will put no difficulty III the way 0
carry Ing out excavation in the vicar
age garden. which lies within the wal
Of Segontium and covers about Al
acre and half. The land availabl
for excavation is therefore from thre-
and Il half to eight acres in extent, D
which the greater part lies within
the walls If the fortress. In view q
the importance and extent Of tn
work. the services Of an expert ez
ravafor will he obtained. and he vii
work under instructions from Prof. 4
{. Rosanquet The work will b
spread over two or more years. an
results will be kepnly followed b