Territory: N. Wales (mainly South Gwynedd and partly South Clwyd)
Tribal (or Roman) Capital: Unknown – May have been any of several sites listed below.
The Ordovices is a Celtic tribe in the North-western part of Wales and famous for their total resistance to the Roman occupation. Despite all attempts by the Romans, the Ordovices managed to retain their freedom. The resistance was mainly organized by Caratacus. Caratacus became the warlord of the Ordovices and neighbouring Silures after he lost at the Battle of Medway. When Scapula defeated Caratacus at the Battle of Caer Caradock, the Ordovices stopped being a threat to Rome, probably due to heavy losses.
It is very likely that a substantial part of the Ordovician fighting force was either destroyed or captured when the army of Caratacus was defeated, for nothing else is heard of the tribe for almost thirty years.
The Ordovices seem to have recovered their fighting strength by the last quarter of the first century however, for they rebelled against Roman occupation and destroyed a cavalry squadron. This act of war provoked an equally strong response by governor Agricola, who, according to Tacitus, exterminated the whole tribe in 77/78 CE.
The Ordovices were never to recover significantly in the aftermath of Agricola's campaigns, their lands have yielded hardly any archaeological evidence of civilian occupation which can be dated specifically to the Romano-British era. Also no other mention of the tribe appears in the historical records, but in view of the terrain of the area occupied by the Ordovices it is questionable whether Agricola could have wiped out the entire population. The name of this tribe appears to be preserved in the place name Dinorwig ("Fort of the Ordovices") in North Wales.
Most of the tribe lived either in the hillforts which are prevalent in the area, or else in the immediate environs, probably within sight of these fortified towns, to which they would retire when threatened.
Several hillforts can be attributed to the eastern half of the Ordovician territory; Castell Dinas Bran, Moel y Gaer (Llantisilio), Caer Drwyn and Caer Euni, all in the Deva valley within easy striking distance of the lowland territories of the Cornovii in the region of Old Oswestry. On the other (southern) side of the Berwyn range from these settlements, there is a hillfort at Craig Rhiwarth deep in the Tanat valley at the extreme northern tip of Powys. This fort marks the boundary between the Ordovices and their more refined neighbours the Cornovii. The neolithic chambered long cairn at Capel Garmon near Betws-y-Coed can possibly be attributed to the Ordovices, as it lies within the tribal territories.
The western part of their tribal territory included Dinas Emrys at the foot of Mt. Snowdon, Moel Goedog overlooking the mouth of the Tisobis Fluvius near Harlech, and a number of fortresses along the length of the Ganganorum Prom. (Lleyn Penninsula), from Dinas Dinlle on the north coast, overlooking the southern Menai and Mona Insula, to Castell Odo on the south-western tip.
Sources:
Wikipedia – Ordovices
Roman Britain – Tribes – Ordovices
