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Roman forces reached the borders of Wales in AD 48, five years after they had begun their conquest of Britain.

At that time, of course, Wales did not exist in any meaningful sense. Its people, like those of most of Britain, spoke a Celtic language, Brythonic, the language which would eventually evolve into Welsh.

In the first century the region had at least five tribal groupings: the Deceangli in the North East; the Ordovices in the North West; the Demetians in the South West; the Silurians in the South East; and the Cornovii in the central borderlands.

In pre-Roman Britain, there existed a status quo born largely through co-operation between the dominant powers in the continent and the tribal kingdoms of Britain. According to the historian Strabo's Geography, written during this period, Britain paid more in customs and duties than could be raised through taxation if the country was conquered.

However, it was a fragile tolerance, and the Emperor Augustus had prepared invasions in 34 BC, 27 BC and 25 BC, which were called off due to incursions elsewhere or peace settlements between the two factions.

At the time, the dominant power in Britain was the Catevalleuni tribe. It controlled land ranging from Surrey to Essex, and operated a developed society structure including established international trade routes and production of its own coins. In the fourth decade AD the king of the Catevellauni was Cunobelinus, who enjoyed friendly relations with the Roman Empire.

When Cunobelinus died in c.40 AD his sons Caratacus and Togodumnus took his place. His third son Amminius, or Adminius, had previously been exiled by his father, and was aggrieved at being passed over for power.

Amminius appealed to Rome for assistance in establishing his claim to the kingdom, and persuaded Caligula that Britain was vulnerable to attack. Amminius' actions provided the perfect opportunity for Romans forces to invade, but although plans were made, troops only got as far as Boulogne in 40 AD.

Rome's perceived unwillingness to return the fugitive Amminius to his father led to a rise in anti-Roman feeling in Britain. Caligula's successor, Emperor Claudius, felt duty bound to take action.

In 43 AD, 40,000 troops, under the command of Aulus Plautius, invaded Britain. It was nominally in support of Verica, the British client king of the Empire whose kingdom had been defeated by Caratacus after 40 AD, but it allowed the Romans to establish a power base in a strategically important position.

British resistance was led by Togodumnus and Caratacus of the Catevellauni, but they were to be no match. Caratacus, then Togodumnus, were defeated on the rivers Medway and Thames.

Togodumnus died shortly after the battle. Caratacus retreated to the west, where he went on to lead the resistance in Wales. He would become immortalised as the great warrior Caradog.