The History of Wales

The Roman road Sarn Helen is named after Saint Elen whose feast day is celebrated today.

Saint Elen is said to have been the daughter of the British King Octavius and the wife of Magnus Maximus (Macsen), Emperor in Britain, Gaul and Spain. She is said to have introduced into Wales the Celtic form of monasticism from Gaul. Elen's story is told in The Dream of Macsen Wledig, one of the tales included in the Mabinogion.

Elen is also remembered for having Macsen build roads across the country so that the soldiers could more easily defend it from attackers.

She is a patron of the churches of Llanelan on the Gower and at Penisa'r-waun near Caernarfon.

Magnus Maximus was Western Roman Emperor from 383 to 388. He became part of Welsh legend as Macsen Wledig in the Mabinogion. In 383 Maximus took advantage of the increasing dissent against Roman Emperor Gratian by invading Gaul with a large army. He attempted to preserve the security of Britain by organising the peaceful settlement of the Irish Deisi tribe in Dyfed, and also organised Cunedda and the Votadini tribe from Yr Hen Gogledd (Southern Scotland) to deal with the aggressive Irish Ui Liatháin tribe in North Wales.

Maximus ruled the Western Roman Empire until he was killed in 388. There is no evidence to suggest that any Roman effort was made to regain control of the west or north so that year would be the effective end of the Roman era in Wales.

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