The Roman Map of Britain Alabum Pumsaint, Carmarthenshire

Alabum (r&c 55) next

Ifor Williams: 
    Derivation: "Alabum, presumably a Latinized form of British alabon, a neuter. Two Welsh words may be derived from such a form, (1) alaf, 'herd, cattle; wealth'; (2) alafon, in the context alafon dwyfron, the a. of the breast, probably the breastbone, cf. clwyd dwyfron (Corn. cluit duivron = pectus), Ir. , cliath, used of wickerwork, hurdle, flank of animal or man; so cf. names like Clwyd. A possible root is *alebh, *alobh, seen in Gk. lofoV, 'ridge, hill, crest; cockscomb'."

    In this situation (1) alaf as 'wealth' is preferable and ties to the Roman fort at Pumsaint (SN6540) which guarded the gold-mining at Dolau Cothi. Breeze rejects a derivation from alafon, which is no consequence in this case.

    It is possible that the entries Alabum (R&C 55) and Cicutio for Cutio (R&C 56) are improperly divided and represent a single site, the 'wealth (repository or source?) on the Cothi'.