Blestium

About

Blestium (also Blestio in the Antonine Itinerary (Iter XIII)) was a small fort and iron working centre in the Roman province of Britannia Superior, part of Roman Britain. It has been identified with the site of the later town of Monmouth in south east Wales, located adjoining the confluence of the River Monnow with the River Wye. A plaque on a bank building in Munnow Street records its position.

History and remains: The reference to Blestio in the Antonine Itinerary is the only one made to the settlement in Roman sources. It was located on the road between Caerleon (Isca Silurum) and Silchester (Calleva Atrebatum), midway between the fort at Usk (Burrium) and the iron making centre at Ariconium, believed to be at Weston under Penyard near Ross-on-Wye. It is suggested that the name may derive from the Greek word βλαστος, meaning "offshoot".

It is now generally accepted that a Neronian or pre-Flavian military fort was established at Monmouth, perhaps before 55 AD, making it the earliest Roman fort in Wales. The fort was probably established, either by Publius Ostorius Scapula or his successor Aulus Didius Gallus, during the first advances of the Romans against the Silures of south...