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Wales

Wales, a country within the UK, has two official languages, English and Welsh, with 538,300 Welsh speakers. It has a rich history dating back at least 29,000 years, transitioning from hunter-gatherer societies to farming and later experiencing Roman influence. Despite Roman rule's decline, Wales has preserved its cultural identity, blending ancient traditions with influences from Celtic and Roman cultures.

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9 views1 page

Wales

Wales, a country within the UK, has two official languages, English and Welsh, with 538,300 Welsh speakers. It has a rich history dating back at least 29,000 years, transitioning from hunter-gatherer societies to farming and later experiencing Roman influence. Despite Roman rule's decline, Wales has preserved its cultural identity, blending ancient traditions with influences from Celtic and Roman cultures.

Uploaded by

boomlabs9
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Wales, a country within the United Kingdom, has two official languages, English and Welsh.

While most
residents speak English, Welsh remains dominant in parts of the north and west, with 538,300 speakers
across the nation. Wales is home to four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, three of which are located in the
north. The name "Wales" derives from Old English Wealh, meaning foreigner, while the Welsh name
Cymru comes from the Brythonic word combrogi, meaning "fellow-countrymen."

Wales has been inhabited for at least 29,000 years, with continuous settlement beginning after the last
ice age, between 12,000 and 10,000 years ago. Early Mesolithic hunter-gatherers from Central Europe
migrated to Britain, which at the time was connected to Ireland and mainland Europe. By 8,000 years
ago, rising sea levels created the Irish Sea and turned Britain into an island. During the Neolithic period,
beginning about 6,000 years ago, inhabitants transitioned to farming, clearing forests for agriculture and
constructing monuments such as Pentre Ifan and Bryn Celli Ddu. Bronze and Iron Age Celtic cultures
followed, integrating maritime trade and innovations like metal smelting.

By the time of the Roman invasion in AD 48, Wales was divided among tribes such as the Ordo vices,
Silures, and Demetae. The Romans, after 30 years of resistance from native tribes, established military
control, though Roman influence remained limited to certain regions, such as south Wales. Caerwent
and Carmarthen became Romanised towns, and the period saw significant mining of resources like gold
and lead. Latin became the official language, although Brythonic persisted among the population.
Christianity also gained traction during Roman rule, particularly after the Edict of Toleration in 313.

In 383, Roman rule began to decline when General Magnus Maximus withdrew troops to pursue power
in Gaul, transferring local authority to native leaders. Welsh genealogies credit Maximus as a founding
figure of Welsh royal dynasties and the father of the Welsh nation. His legacy is celebrated in Welsh
tradition and monuments like the Pillar of Eliseg. Through its rich history, Wales has maintained its
cultural identity and heritage, blending ancient traditions with Roman and Celtic influences.

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