Most Recent Visit: July 2022 The exact date of foundation for Colonia Clunia Sulpicia (modern Peñalba de Castro) is unclear, but presumably it was sometime between the subjugation of the local Arevaci around 93 BCE and the first appearance of the settlement in the historical record in 75 BCE. The Roman settlement was not built…
Read More
Continued From Asturica Augusta, Hispania Tarraconensis – Part I Continuing out through the northeast exit of the Jardín de La Sinagoga, and then north on Calle Padres Redentoristas, is the Domus del Mosaico del Oso y los Pájaros, the Domus of the Mosaic of the Bear and Birds. Located at Calle Padres Redentoristas 19, the…
Read More
Most Recent Visit: July 2022 Located today among the modern city of Astorga, in the province of León in northeastern Spain, was once the Roman settlement of Asturica Augusta. The area of the settlement was inhabited by the Amaci, a Celtic population that was incorporated into the tribal confederation of the Astures at some point…
Read More
Continued From Numantia, Hispania Tarraconensis – Part I While I may have found the actual archaeological site of Numantia a little disappointing, one thing that was not disappointing about my Numantia experience was, located about 7 kilometers to the northeast, about a kilometer northeast of the town of Reniblas. Located there are the vestiges of…
Read More
The ancient settlement of Numantia is today located on a hill, the Cerro de la Muela, just to the south of the town of Garray in northern Spain. Habitation on the hill dates back to at least the latter Neolithic periods with more or less consistent occupation through the Chalcolithic and Iron Age. The settlement…
Read More
Continued From Casta Legionis, Hispania Tarraconensis Part I Heading back out to the street in front of the walls, Calle Ruiz de Salazar runs for about 150 meters north before ending in Plaza San Isidoro outlet. Just beyond that is an excavated area of one of the towers of the 3rd-4th century walls of Castra…
Read More
Most Recent Visit: July 2022 Located today among the city of León, in the northwestern Spanish region of Castile and León, are the remains of the Roman military fort of Castra Legionis, sometimes also referred to as just Legio. The modern city of León derives its name from Castra Legionis, more specifically the second half…
Read More
Spain has always held a bit of a special place in my consciousness. It was the first country that I visited on my first trip to Europe. It was that trip, and in part my experiences in Spain, that helped push me towards Archaeology at time when I was still pursuing a degree in another…
Read More
Most Recent Visit: June 2016 The site of modern day Barcelona seems to have been occupied well before the arrival of the Romans. According to legend, a city was founded on the location by Hercules. Another legend places the name Barcino as being derived from the Carthaginian Barcid family and was founded by Hamilcar Barca….
Read More
Continued From Tarraco Part II There are a number of interesting Roman sites in the area around Tarraco, most of them accessible with public transportation from Tarragona. The one exception to this is the Arc de Berà, an arch constructed in 13 BCE at the behest of Lucius Licinius Sura and dedicated to Augustus. This…
Read More