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Archaeologists Discover Oldest Roman Forum in Iberian Peninsula

A team of archaeologists in Zaragoza, Spain, have discovered the oldest Roman forum found in the interior of the Iberian Peninsula. The forum is located at the site of La Cabañeta, a former Roman settlement in the municipality of El Burgo de Ebro.

By Nick Nutter on 2023-09-14 | Last Updated 2024-02-13 | Titbits and News from the Mare Nostrum

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La Cabañeta Yacimiento Arqueológico

The forum is believed to have been built in the last third of the 2nd century BC, making it one of the earliest Roman forums in the region. It is a rectangular structure measuring approximately 50 meters by 30 meters, and it is thought to have been used for public gatherings, commercial transactions, and legal proceedings.

The forum is in a good state of preservation, and the archaeologists have been able to identify a number of features, including a central courtyard, a raised platform, and a series of columns. They have also found a number of artifacts, including pottery, coins, and jewellery.

The discovery of the forum is a significant archaeological find, and it is expected to shed new light on the early development of Roman civilization in the Iberian Peninsula.

Quote from archaeologist Borja Díaz

"This is a very important discovery," said Borja Díaz, a researcher from the Institute of Heritage and Humanities (IPH) of the University of Zaragoza who is co-directing the excavation. "It is the oldest Roman forum found in the interior of the Iberian Peninsula, and it provides us with a unique glimpse into the life of a Roman city in this region."

Experts believe that the square, ‘of monumental dimensions,’ was part of an unknown city razed to the ground in 70 B.C. during the Sertorian civil war.

The Sertorian War

The Sertorian War was a bloody military conflict that took place in Hispania, between the years 82 B.C. and 72 B.C. and between the two factions that disputed power in Rome: the populares of Quintus Sertorius and the optimates of Quintus Caecilius Metellus and Gnaeus Pompeyus Magnus. The various peoples that inhabited the Iberian Peninsula at that time took part on one side or the other due to the dangers that threatened them, while trying to avoid the destruction of their settlements or the murder of their compatriots. And this was exactly what happened to a city located in the current municipality of El Burgo de Ebro (Zaragoza, Spain), which was completely destroyed around 70 B.C., just two generations after being built. The destruction of a city could be total if its people had chosen the wrong side. The name of this Roman city on the banks of the Ebro remains unknown, although some experts believe that it could be Castra Aelia, a second line Roman camp that became a city with a huge forum, after the defeat of the Celtiberians in Numancia.

The future of the site

The archaeologists are continuing to excavate the site, and they hope to learn more about the forum and the surrounding settlement. They also hope to open the site to the public in the future.

"This is a very exciting discovery, and we are eager to learn more about it," said Díaz. "We hope that the site can be opened to the public in the future so that everyone can enjoy it."