Venta Belgarum Venta Belgarum Venta Belgarum was a town in the Roman province of Britannia Superior, the civitas capital of the local tribe, the Belgae, and which later became the city of Winchester. The name comes from Common Brittonic "*Uentā", meaning "town, place", plus the Latin genitive plural "Belgarum" "of the Belgae (tribe)". The settlement was apparently established around AD 70, partially on the site of Oram's Arbour which had been abandoned for some years. It became the tribal capital of the Belgae who had probably held several Iron Age hill forts in the near vicinity of the site (St Catherine's Hill,
Venta Silurum to the emerging Kingdom of Gwent (called initially "Kingdom of Guenta"), and the town itself became known as "Caer-went" or "the castra/fort of Venta/Gwent". Tradition holds that Caradog Freichfras of Gwent moved his court from Caerwent to Portskewett around the 6th century. The town lacked substantial defences until the mid 4th century when stone town walls were built. A small garrison may have been based in the town during this period. Large sections of the defensive walls are still in place, rising up to 5 metres in height in places. The walls have been described as "easily the most impressive