Barcino: The Roman Founding and Architecture of Barcelona
Barcino: Colonia Iulia Augusta Paterna Faventia
Founding and Location of Roman Barcelona
The city of Barcelona (Barcino) was founded between 15 and 5 BC, during the era of Emperor Augustus. After Rome's victory over the Cantabrians and Astures, the project to establish a colony in the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula was restructured, leading to the founding of Barcino.
The colony was strategically located on the Via Augusta, the major road linking Rome with the entire Mediterranean coast of Hispania. Barcino received the status of a colony, hence its official name: Colonia Iulia Augusta Paterna Faventia Barcino.
Urban Planning and Layout
Barcino was built following the standard urban layout of Roman colonies. It had a roughly rectangular shape, adapted to the relief of the small hill (Mons Taber). The colony covered an extension of approximately 10 hectares, bounded by defensive walls featuring towers and four main gates.
The city was defined by two main streets:
- The Cardo Maximus (North-South axis)
- The Decumanus Maximus (East-West axis)
At the intersection of these two main thoroughfares was the Forum, the public square of the city, located in the northeast angle. Surrounding the Forum was a grid of secondary streets, known as the Cardines and Decumani minors.
The Forum and the Imperial Temple
The Forum featured a great temple, built a few years after the city's founding (1st century AD). It was a rectangular building surrounded by columns decorated with elaborate Corinthian capitals. The structure was built upon a raised support, known as a podium. The temple was likely dedicated to the imperial cult.
Today, below the Plaça del Rei, visitors can walk upon the remains of Roman mansions. This entire archaeological complex, covering more than 4,000 square meters, is preserved underground at the History Museum of the City (MUHBA).
Defensive Walls and Gates
The surrounding walls of Barcino were initially constructed in the 1st century AD. They served not only a defensive purpose but also symbolized the city's prestige. The entire wall structure is not preserved today, as during the medieval era, much of the stone was repurposed for the construction of houses and palaces.
In the current Plaça Nova, one can still see the remains of the Decumana Gate (one of the city's main entrances). This gate originally had three openings: one large central arch for carriages and two smaller gateways for pedestrians.
Aqueducts and the Necropolis
The city was supplied with water by two aqueducts. Remains of one of these aqueducts, specifically four arches, can still be seen on Duran i Bas street.
The current Plaça de la Vila de Madrid was the site of the necropolis (funeral grounds), located along one of the roads leading out of the Roman colony. A large number of tombs of various types have been discovered here. The most predominant type is the CUPA (a cylindrical stone box).