The Roman Amphitheatre at Caerleon.
My exposure to Roman ruins had been limited to the walls of the basilica that exist under York Minster. As a result, I've never quite developed a true appreciation for the level of civil engineering that they did. Caerleon changed my impression. Since Caerleon was one of three major Roman camps on the British Isle, the level of civic development that occurred there was quite extensive. Much of it still survives, thereby giving one a strong grasp of the type of life they led.
There are four structures to visit at Caerleon: the ampitheatre, the barracks, the baths, and the museum. The ampitheatre is the most impressive structure. Enough of it remains that it is easy to imagine the gladiator contests and other events that went on there.
The barracks are a little hard to find. A sign points to them, but gives no indication as to how far they are. One has to walk about a quarter mile to get to them. The reward for this trek is the foundations of several buildings laid out in a row. One has to realize that these are the only surviving Roman barracks in Europe before a true appreciation of the site is acheived. This fact is given on the only sign detailing the site. And that was my biggest problem with the ampitheatre and the barracks. While they are impressive, there isn't enough information given at the sites to tell you what you are looking at. You have to go to the museum for that information. Better descriptions of the sites at their locations would help the understanding of them.
The baths are in the center of town. They still haven't been fully excavated. However, enough of them have been found to give the tourist a sense of their function. This sense is helped by an excellent automated display that highlights different parts of the baths.
The museum is a short walk from the baths. It has relics from the baths as well as from other excavations around town. They also have some programs designed for children. It's a pretty good exhibition on the extent of Roman life in the Caerleon area.
The ampitheatre and barracks are free to visit. A combined ticket to
the baths and the museum costs £2.50 for an adult, £2.00 for
a student or child. Be aware that if you are a member of English Heritage,
or get one of their month passes, the baths do accept English Heritage passes,
but the museum does not. So, it's probably more convenient to just buy a
combined ticket. They frequently have reenactments and other events at the
ruins. The phone number to learn the schedule of these events, as well as
the hours of opening, is 01633-422-518
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