Emerita Augusta
Emerita Augusta, also called Augusta Emerita (full name Colonia Iulia Augusta Emerita ), was a Roman city in southwestern Spain, which developed into the present-day Mérida.
Location
In the Roman Empire, the city capital of the province of Lusitania and the most westerly province capital of the empire was Roman. The city lay at the junction of major north -south Roman road Via de la Plata across the river Guadiana. For several centuries, until the fall of the Roman Empire, Mérida was an important economic, military and cultural center.
History
Augusta Emerita was founded in BC by Publius Carisius, probably in the order of Emperor Augustus, as a colony for veterans of the Roman legions V Alaudae and X Gemina end of the year 25. The name emerita (Latin for " earned ", " obsolete " ) was in this sense program. The city was founded was part of a reorganization of the Spanish provinces by the emperor as a result of campaigns against the Cantabrians and Asturians in the northwest of the peninsula. Over time, numerous representative buildings were erected: the theater, amphitheater, circus, temples, bridges and aqueducts.
How many Roman towns founded in the Mérida region experienced in the first two centuries after Christ, a golden age, which is reflected primarily in the stone monuments. Several dedications to gods and emperors as well as honorary inscriptions of magistrates and soldiers clarify its status as a provincial capital. Slightly under -represented compared to other Roman cities in the Iberian Peninsula, the local officials.
As early as 250 AD, there is evidence of a Christian community in Augusta Emerita, such as a letter of Cyprian to the municipalities of Asturica, Legio and Emerita. In early Christian times Emerita occupied a prominent position, in late Antiquity it became the seat of a diocese. The Roman era Merida ended with the conquest of the Iberian peninsula by the Vandals and the Visigoths in the 5th century. The series of imperial inscriptions ends with an inscription of Emperor Theodosius I.
Building received
Roman bridges and roads
Bridge over the Guadiana
The Puente Romano ( "Roman Bridge") is a Roman bridge over the Guadiana River, which until the 1990s in use. They can be regarded as the origin of the city, in a way, because it was part of one of the main arteries of the Roman colony in Spain, the decumanus maximus. The location of the bridge is carefully selected and located on a shallow part of the river, in which it also is a small river island that divides the river. The now existing bridge runs since a renovation in the 17th century in one piece across the river. Originally it spanned the river in two groups of sheets, which were connected to a wooden support structure. Parts of the original bridge was destroyed in 1603 flood. Then it was decided to combine the two arch groups using other sheets in the middle. The bridge is 792 m long with now one of the longest, resulting in substantial parts bridges from Roman times.
Bridge over the Albarregas
With a length of 145 m, it is not as long as the about the same time, built over the river Guadiana. It is part of the main street of Merida called cardo maximus, the second major route of the city. This Cardo Maximus is as part of the Via de la Plata ( " Silver Street " ) in ancient and modern times, one of the most important north -south connections in Spain have been (Sevilla - Merida - Salamanca- Lugo). This illustrates the superior strategic position Merida for the Roman Empire, located at the intersection of two interregional trade routes in the north-south and east-west direction.
Forum
The remains of the Forum are part of a building program, the provincial capital, which should probably copy the Forum of Augustus in Rome. Similar construction programs are in Tarraco ( capital of the province of Hispania Tarraconensis ) and Cordova ( capital of the province of Baetica ) by finds parts of the architecture and statue fragments to accept. The well-known in the stretch, but not larger excavated plant was located at the intersection of two main streets in the city center.
Of particular importance are the discoveries of statues, which is why the forum is also referred to as " marble Forum ". These is a group of six togati, which all come from the same workshop and have in the execution parallels in later representations of the iulisch -Claudian imperial family. The architectural close to Forum of Augustus is evidenced by findings of several so-called clipei showing Medusa heads or Ammon. A Ascanius statue, which is now in the Archaeological Museum in Madrid Nacional de España, is expected as well as in Rome, have been part of the representation of the flight of Aeneas from Troy.
Toga, now in the Museo Nacional de Arte Romano, Merida
Arch of Trajan
The so-called Arco de Trajano was not a triumphal arch, but a city gate. It is located near the present city center and spans the cardo maximus - in ancient times one of the main thoroughfares of the city. The visible today limestone was formerly covered with marble. The clear width of the arch is nine meters. The origin of Trajan is unsecured. Two phases are tangible, most of which can be dated to the first founding years of the city, and the second to the first half of the 2nd century.
Temple of Diana
The so-called Temple of Diana was part of the forum of the city. He served the imperial cult, in which the emperors were worshiped as gods. The name " Temple of Diana " was awarded in error in the discovery. It is the only religious building in the city, which has remained in a satisfactory condition. It was built between the end of the first pre-Christian or the beginning of the first Christian century in the Augustan era. The building is rectangular and was surrounded by columns. The front showed the forum and consists of six columns. That it remained in good condition, is owed to the fact, to have been integrated into the palace of the Count de los Corbos, which was built in the Renaissance style and the remains of which can still be seen. To build mainly granite stones and columns were used.
Circus
With more than 400 meters in length and 100 meters width of the Circus ( Racecourse ) was one of the largest venues in the city and - as well as the amphitheater - a crowd puller. Because of its size, it was outside the city walls, on the edge of the path of Merida ( Emerita Augusta) to Cordoba ( Cordova ) and Toledo ( Toletum ). This Circus had a capacity of 30,000 spectators, depending their rank ( aristocrats, citizens, workers) took place in three ranks. He was probably AD, probably built at the beginning of the 1st century at the time of the emperor Tiberius. The central axis of the arena is 223 m long and 8.5 m wide. Were around them race with sidecars of two horses ( bigae ) or four horses (quad rigae ) held. The successful driver ( aurigae ) the teams were very popular and were immortalized in paintings and mosaics.
Roman Theatre
The construction was passed by the consul Marcus Agrippa Vipsanius in order and probably inaugurated between 16-15 BC, after which an inscription indicating. Another inscription, in a restoration under the Emperor Hadrian. It is one of the most spectacular buildings in the city and is since 1933 the festival venues of classical theater, with which it has regained its original function. It consists of a tribune ( cavea ) with a capacity for 6,000 spectators, which is divided into three areas: imacavea, media and summa. The two lower regions are well preserved or restored, while the upper (summa ) has suffered more. Another area is the orchestra, where the chorus was housed in performances. There is also the stage ( pulpitum ) and behind the stage building ( scaenae frons ), which served as a backdrop and offers some of the finest and most characteristic view of the theater. It consists of Corinthian marble columns, in whose interstices sculptures can be found.
The stage building has three entrances, of which the average is valva regia called the lateral valvae hospitalia. Behind the stage there is a garden with pergolas. The theater was rebuilt several times. At the end of the 1st century AD, the theater building was constructed in the time of Trajan. Another reconstruction took place between 330-340 AD In later times, the theater was no longer used and fell into disuse, either through neglect or earthquakes. Also, the stage building collapsed. At times, it even served as a quarry, the upper viewers Rank was removed (summa ). In modern times, however, the columns could be salvaged of the stage building and re-erected. In the classical theater plays are performed at the annual summer festival today.
Amphitheater
The amphitheater was more popular than the theater at large segments of society, since it held the bloody animal and gladiator fights. It was inaugurated in 8 BC. The building surrounds an elliptical arena and offers 15,000 spectators. It is structured like the theater in three ranks. Only the lowest rank is preserved, the top two were used as a quarry and removed.
Los Milagros Aqueduct
The built of prefabricated granite and brick large aqueduct ( Acueducto de los Milagros ) led water from the Proserpina dam five kilometers from the city by Emerita Augusta. The water line was partly above and partly below ground and was built under Augustus to the time of Christ. The bridge-like part with its maximum 25 -meter high pillars and arches stretched between them is relatively well preserved. The average clearance of the arches is 4.50 m, stronger deviations, however, are locally present. The actual water channel has disappeared over the centuries - it was probably dismantled by human hands.
Aqueduct Rabo de Buey
The Acueducto de Rabo de Buey in the San Lazaro brought water from the streams north of the city, the underground water pipe is in good condition. Only three of the arches over the Albarregastal are obtained as well as some. Adjacent to Roman Circus The aqueduct was replaced by a little elegant new building in the 16th century.
Additional points of interest
- Mithraeum (Temple of Mithraskults )
- Museo Nacional de Arte Romano with mosaics, grave steles, a coin collection and building remains from the Roman period
- About 100 km north is the Alcántara Bridge, a co-funded Mérida bridge connecting the city and the Roman province of Lusitania to the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula.