There were four key tribal areas in Wales at that time: Deceangli in the North, Ordovices in highlands, Silures in the South-East, and Demetae in the South-West. They were disengaged from each other and acted chaotically. Nevertheless, it took over 30 years for Rome to firmly establish its rule. 

Perhaps, the most glorious story of that period relates to Caratacus. He was the leader of the British resistance and fought the Romans since the invasion start. After defeat in the battle of the Thames Caratacus moved to the Welsh borders and mobilized Silures to act against the enemy using the guerrilla strategy. Their attacks were unexpected, fierce, and created confusion among Roman generals and soldiers. 
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After years of resistance, the Caratacus army was forced back to the North, where eventually it was defeated. The final combat happened around 50-51 AD. There are various theories regarding the actual site of the battle. The most popular version refers to the Caer Caradoc translating from Welsh as “the fortress of Caratacus”.  It’s quite easy to get there from Cardiff. Take the train from Cardiff Central to the Church Stretton. The walk from the train station to the top of the hill takes less than 1 hour. 

Silures demonstrated courage and great war spirit, but it wasn’t enough to compensate weak areas. Their army was outnumbered, lacked organization and military training. In addition, they didn’t have basic protection, such as breast-plates and helmets in comparison to Romans. Caratacus escaped but eventually was captured and brought to Rome, to face Emperor Claudius. The story tells that dignity and honor of Caratacus made such a remarkable impression at the court that he and his family were pardoned. No wonder Caratacus became an epic figure in the history of Wales and “the first national hero”.
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Despite the failure, Silures didn’t give up. The luck was on their side in 52 AD when they defeated the Twentieth Legion. It was shocking to the Roman command and they reconsidered the strategy. Firstly, a chain of recently built forts was used by Romans to deter the intrusion of local tribes. Secondly, in 60 AD the new governor Suetonius Paulinus decided to crash the resistance by attacking them at the very heart – the island of Anglesey controlled by Druids. The forces of Silures were smashed. Massive punitive campaigns followed during 74–78 AD. 

By the 78 AD, Wales was entirely conquered. Warlike attitude still existed but didn’t represent the real threat. In fact, the upper crust of the Celtic society preferred to cooperate with Romans seeing the opportunity to gain power and wealth. Actually, Romans implemented smart and efficient administration system.  It was based on self-governance principles where each tribe was treated as a “city-state”. Welsh were allowed to preserve their customs, religion and appoint own leaders. 

​At the same time, Romans kept control over the military security and defense. They developed a system of “all-weather roads” that ran across the coastline and connected different parts of Wales. In this way, the army was mobile and reacted quickly to emerging threats. Fortresses were placed at the important road network junctions. They accommodated legions to oversee the adjacent territories.  Caerleon in Monmouthshire is known “as one of the most important Roman military sites in Europe”. It hosted the Second Augustan Legion since 75 AD – around 5,500 people. Luckily, the remains of the fort were preserved and converted into the museum. I highly recommend visiting the place even before you travel to explore the famous Roman Baths in England.  

For sure Romans influenced local life and culture. On the other hand, an ordinary life outside the elite society continued much as it was before. A relatively small percentage of the population adopted new customs and language. So the presence of Romans was less obvious outside cities and military areas. 
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The end of the Roman period is related to the overall decline of the Empire. The power of Rome weakened, and so did its capability to retain distant territories.  An additional threat was coming from Irish, Frankish, and Saxon tribes who raided the shores of Britain. At this point, however, Wales was still not recognized as a separate administrative unit - the concept of its national identity and history was yet to be formed.

Welcome to the ancient land of Wales, the oldest settlement in the north-west of Eurasia 225,000 years ago. Neanderthals, the first inhabitants, adapted to the severe and cold climate, but the real development started with the end of the Ice Age around 12,000 BC. The first population of hunters lived in mobile tribes. Gradually they assembled on the coast and developed connections via the west trading roots.

And here comes the historical puzzle of who was the first nation to inhabit this territory. There is a common association with the Celts, but some researchers suggest Iberians were the indigenous inhabitants who migrated to Britain around 4,000 BC. Therefore, the Welsh might trace their roots back to Spain and Portugal.

Migration, however, is not the only curious detail. The shift towards an agrarian economy triggered further changes. People united into small social groups mastering the building craft. Some monuments from the Neolithic period survived until today. In particular, those known as "henges" - circular embanked earthworks, used as burial and ceremonial sites.

​The most popular and famous "henge" is Stonehenge in England. However, there are even more ancient sites preserved in Wales. For example, Pentre Ifan Burial Chamber dating from 3,500 BC. Located within 2.5 hours driving distance from Cardiff, it's open 24/7 and can be visited any time if you happen to pass by.

Population growth and technology advancement continued during the Bronze Age, 2,500 - 700 BC. Metalworking and specialist crafts emerged. The first mines appeared in Wales as copper, tin, gold were becoming valuable assets. You can see a preserved example at Llandudno, North Wales. The Great Orme Mine is considered to be the largest prehistoric mine discovered in the world so far. Their website provides a great video and photo overview of the place. 

​The Bronze Age is associated with the spread of the Celtic culture. There are no specific time frames though. Earlier theories suggested the invasion to Britain after 700 BC. Nowadays it's assumed the arrival and assimilation of Celts occurred gradually over the longer period of time.
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Supposedly, Celtic culture originated in the area between Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Western Hungary and Eastern France.  They never formed an official empire despite their large expansion across Europe. The name comes from the Greek "Keltoi" and roman "Celtai". Greek and Romans treated them as  Barbarians - uncivilized people with unfamiliar language. 

At the same time, Celts were recognized for their great military achievements and rich material culture. Today we are fascinated by their mysterious religious practices. Complex rituals were normally performed at special sacred locations - rivers, lakes, marshlands. Llyn Fawr and Llyn Cerrig Bach are the two lakes in Wales, where ancient artifacts were discovered. They were clearly used to propitiate the gods. Llyn Fawr is a beautiful place to visit and is relatively close to Cardiff – around a 1-hour drive, not far from Aberdare. 

Continuing the topic of lakes, it's worth mentioning Llyn Y Fan Fach. A few years ago it was named as one of the 1,000 must-visit places in the world according to Lonely Planet. It's located in Brecon Beacons National Park - 2 hours drive from Cardiff. There's no particular connection with Celts. However, it's associated with the romantic medieval legend about “The lady of the lake”. So check out this hiking route if you're a fan of breathtaking scenery and active leisure.

The worsening climate contributed to social transformations during the late Bronze and Iron Age, 700 BC - 75 AD. Heavy rains and strong winds imposed harder conditions on farmers. The issue of economic and military security became the priority. The solution was found in the massive fortification of Wales. Bastions were raised on hilltops to protect locals from external invaders. Around 600 hillforts were discovered throughout the country. In particular, Castell Henllys Iron Age Fort in  Pembrokeshire. 

​Besides being a means of protection, hillforts served as a symbol for tribal power and authority. This marked the emergence of new social organizations. Yet, the new millennium promised even more significant transformations. The pre-Roman period was coming to an end and a new chapter in a history of Wales was about to begin.


References:

• Adams, G. 2006. Celts descended from Spanish fishermen, study finds. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/celts-descended-from-spanish-fishermen-study-finds-416727.html
• Devine, D. 2008. Our Celtic roots lie in Spain and Portugal. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/celtic-roots-lie-spain-portugal-2174486 
• Cadw. Pentre Ifan Burial Chamber. http://cadw.gov.wales/daysout/pentreifanburialchamber/?lang=en 
• Ross, D. Pentre Ifan. http://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=402
• Rushby, K. 2017. Hit and myth: a legendary tour of Pembrokeshire. https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/jan/23/pembrokeshire-wales-legends-tour-tombstone-trail
• Tripadvisor. Pentre Ifan. https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g2058160-d4765452-Reviews-Pentre_Ifan-Nevern_Pembrokeshire_Wales.html
• Wikipedia. Pentre Ifan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentre_Ifan
• Heneb. Archaeology at Parc Bryn Cegin, Llandygai. http://www.heneb.co.uk/llandegaiweblog/llandygaiintro.html
• Houlder, C. 2015. The Henge Monuments at Llandegai. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/the-henge-monuments-at-llandegai/7D0DB67A457ECC2CDDF044658FEC813A
• Wiles, J. 2008. Llandegaihenge Monuments and Cursus; Llandygai. http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/93620/details/llandegai-henge-monuments-and-cursusllandygai
• The History of Wales. http://thehistoryofwales.typepad.com/t/pre.html
• Wikipedia. Tre'r Ceiri. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tre%27r_Ceiri
• WalesOnline 2013. Welsh History Month: Llyn Fawr and Llyn Cerrig Bach. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/welsh-history-month-llyn-fawr-2045980
• Johnson, B. Castell Henllys Iron Age Fort. http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryMagazine/DestinationsUK/Castell-Henllys-Iron-Age-Fort/
• Johnson, B. Cromlech, the first Welsh houses. http://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofWales/Cromlech-the-first-Welsh-houses/
• Fforest Fawr. The Lady of the Lake. http://www.fforestfawrgeopark.org.uk/understanding/myths-and-legends/the-lady-of-the-lake/