Overall         2 ** interesting site, unique display of a legionary barrack block

Display         1 * one barrack block is original the other three are surface representations

Access           3 *** you can park in adjacent rugby club car park unless a match is on

Atmosphere 1 * the multiplicity of walls are confusing in the ‘real’ barrack block

Other             3 *** However all of this is part of the fabulous displays at Caerleon

In the North West of the Fortress there is a block of four barracks on view.  These constitute two-thirds of the barracks of a single Cohort.  The first line of barracks are the actual stone buildings, and are below ground level.   The other three barracks are much higher at current ground level are are modern.

The original barracks from 75AD were wooden, but the Fortress was rebuilt in stone over the next few years.  There is controversy as to whether only the bottom parts of the barracks were stone with timber top halves, or completely of stone.

The II Augusta was composed of 10 cohorts, each of six centuries composed of 80 legionaries.  The centuries were twinned reflecting the old Republican maniple, and the barrack blocks faced each other.  There were 10 contuburnia each of 8 legionaries in each century.  Each contubernium had two rooms in the barracks, one at the back with bunks and cooking equipment, and a room at the front for storage of weapons, armour and shields.

The excavated remains show 12 pairs of rooms, which allows for some to be used as store-rooms or new recruits.  At the other end of the barrack-block are the Centurion’s quarters, which combine quite lavish accommodation with the offices of the Century.

In summary this is rather a disappointing site, given what we are looking at here.  Unlike the Roman Baths where the site is brought to life through finds, light effects and models, here we are presented with the confusing multi period jig-saw of walls which make it very hard to envisage what life was like for the legionaries who built this and lived here. The best place to feel this is perhaps the admittedly auxiliary reconstructed barracks at the Saalburg.