The territory of modern-day Portugal was Romanized following the events of the Second Punic War (3rd century BCE), through the Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula.
The Romans founded cities and Romanized some previously existing settlements. Generally, cities with names ending in -briga are believed to have predated the Romanization of the territory, although there are exceptions. For instance, Augustobriga, near Cáceres, Spain, is named after Augustus, suggesting that some -briga names might have been given to cities during Roman rule.
Out of the 32 mansiones in Lusitania mentioned in ancient Itinerarium sources, only about half have been identified.
Administrative divisions
During the era of Augustus, the Iberian Peninsula was divided into the provinces of Lusitania, Baetica, and Tarraconensis. These provinces were further subdivided into conventūs. The province of Lusitania was divided into the conventūs of Augusta Emerita (modern-day Mérida, in Spain), Pax Julia (Beja, Portugal), and Scalabis (Santarém, Portugal). However, Roman cities held more significance than conventūs in the Peninsula.
The primary types of Roman cities were the coloniae (Roman settlements established by order of the Roman government) and the municipia (settlements that typically existed before Romanization). In the Iberian Peninsula, the terms municipia and civitātes are used interchangeably.
In 73/74 CE, the lex Flavia municipalis enacted by Vespasian granted all urban centres in modern-day Portugal Latin rights, and over time, the distinction between urban centres (including municipia and coloniae) lessened following this law. Everyday administration was carried out by aediles, qaestores and duumviri, who communicated with the imperial government.
Villae were settlements engaged in producing agricultural goods for local markets, encompassing multiple buildings such as residential houses, barns, and gardens. In Lusitania, most villae were situated around a few cities (Olisipo, Ebora Liberalitas Julia, and Augusta Emerita) or dispersed along the southern coast.
Map of Roman cities and towns in Portugal
List of Roman cities and towns in Portugal
Latin name (variant(s)) Type English name (native language(s))AeminiumMunicipiumCoimbra Aquae Flaviae MunicipiumChavesAmmaiaVillaSão Salvador da Aramenha, Marvão Arabriga Alenquer Arandis Garvão, a parish of Ourique Aretium Alvega Aviarium, Averius Aveiro Baesuris, Esuri Castro Marim Balsa west of Tavira Elbocoris Bobadela, Oliveira do Hospital Bracara Augusta Braga Brigantia Bragança Caeciliana Villa (between Caetobriga and Malateca) Caetobriga Setúbal Calipolis Vila Viçosa Castra Leuca Castelo Branco Cilpes Silves AravorumCivitasMarialva Castle, near Mêda CalabrigaCivitas Monte do Castelo, Almendra CobelcorumCivitas Almofala, Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo Centum Cellas Villa Colmeal da Torre, a parish of Belmonte Collipo São Sebastião do Freixo - Golpilheira, BatalhaConimbrigaMunicipiumCondeixa-a-Nova, south of Coimbra (the inhabitants of Conimbriga fled to nearby Aeminium, the ancient name of Coimbra, in 468) Conistorgis (location unknown in the Algarve or Baixo-Alentejo) Dipo Elvas Ebora, Ebora Cerealis, Liberalitas JuliaMunicipiumÉvora Eburobritium, Eburobrittium CivitasÓbidos Egitandiorum, Egiptania, Civitas IgaeditanorumMunicipiumIdanha-a-Velha Equabona Coina, a parish of Barreiro Guimaranis, Vimaranis Guimarães Ipses AlvorLacobriga, LaccobrigaMunicipiumLagos Lamecum Lamego Lancobriga Fiães, a parish of Santa Maria da Feira Lorica Loriga, a parish of Seia Malateca Marateca, a parish of Palmela Metallum Vipascense Mina de Aljustrel, central Alentejo Mirobriga Celticorum Santiago do Cacém Mondobriga Alter do Chão Moron near Santarém Myrtilis Iulia Mértola Sellium, Nabantia, Nabancia, Selleum TomarOlisipo, Olisipo Felicitas Iulia, Felicitas Julia Olissipo, Ulyssipolis, UlisseiaMunicipiumLisbon (Lisboa) Ossonoba Faro Pacensis, Pax Iulia, Pax AugustaColonia, CivitasBeja Portus Alacer Portalegre Portus Cale Porto Portus Hannibalis Portimão Urbs Imperatoria Salacia, Bevipo Alcácer do SalScalabis, Scalabis Preasidium Iulium, Scallabi Castrum, Præsidium Iulium, Scallabis Praesidium Iulium, Scallabis IuliaColoniaSantarém Sirpe Serpa Sinus Sines Talabara Alpedrinha, a parish of Fundão Talabriga Marnel, near Águeda Tongobriga Freixo, Marco de Canaveses Tritium Covilhã Tubucci Aurantes Abrantes Veniatia Vinhais EuraciniVillaPóvoa de Varzim Vipasca Aljustrel Vissaium Viseu
References
External links As cidades romanas na Península Ibérica