{"id":3522,"date":"2017-11-15T08:18:20","date_gmt":"2017-11-15T15:18:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.roamintheempire.com\/?p=3522"},"modified":"2022-12-15T20:23:10","modified_gmt":"2022-12-16T03:23:10","slug":"tarraco-part-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.roamintheempire.com\/index.php\/2017\/11\/15\/tarraco-part-i\/","title":{"rendered":"Tarraco, Hispania Tarraconensis – Part I"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Western<\/a>
Western wall of Tarraco with foundations dating to the Roman foundation of the city in the late 3rd century BCE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Most Recent Visit:<\/strong> June 2016<\/p>\n

At the eventual site of the Roman colony of Tarraco was an Iberian settlement, probably called Cissa and belonging to the Cessetani tribe. Other names associated with the city are Cissis, Kesse, and Kosse. Another theory proposed is that it was a Phoenician colony with the name of Tarchon. The association of that name has also likely contributed to some belief in an Etruscan connection with the city.  In any case, a lack of archaeological evidence associated with the pre-Roman settlement has not shed any light on the exact origins, though the Iberian settlement seems to be the most likely. Polybius refers to Cissa as the location of a battle (the first between the Romans and Carthaginians in Iberia) between Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio and a Carthaginian army under the command of Hanno in late 218 BCE. The battle was won by the Romans, and as the people of Cissa were allied with the Carthaginians, the city was apparently destroyed. Shortly thereafter, the Romans are said to have set up winter camp at Tarraco, which would have been just a military camp at the time.<\/p>\n

\"Basilica<\/a>
Basilica in the colonial forum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From that point, Tarraco became a base of operations for the Romans against the Carthaginians on the peninsula during the Second Punic War, and later against the Iberians during the Roman pacification of Hispania and Lusitania. It is mentioned by Livy fairly frequently as an embarkation and disembarkation point for troops fighting in those conflicts. Pliny calls the city as much the work of the Scipios as Carthage was of the Carthaginians, so the military camp likely crew into a colony through the 3rd<\/sup> century BCE. During the Caesar-Pompey civil war, the city was apparently initially loyal to Pompey, but later changed their allegiance to that of Caesar. In 45 BCE, Caesar went a colony of non-veterans to Tarraco and bestowed the tittle of Colonia Julia Urbs Triumphalis Tarraco upon the city.<\/p>\n

\"Tower<\/a>
Tower of the Scipios.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

During his supervision of the Cantabrian and Austurian Wars in 26-25 BCE, Augustus took ill (abscesses of the liver, according to Suetonius) and spent this time in Tarraco rather than in the field. While here, Augustus gave the honorary titles of Colonia Victrix Togata and Colonia Julia Victrix Tarraconensis to the city. The previous year he had made the city the capital of the newly created province which bore the city\u2019s name; Hispania Tarraconensis. After Augustus\u2019 death, Tarraco was supposedly one of the first places to build a temple to the deified emperor, setting a precedent for the provinces.<\/p>\n

\"Pont<\/a>
Pont del Diable.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tarraco features a few more times in the historical record. It reportedly supported Galba, who was at the time the governor of Hispania Tarraconensis, in his play for the throne following the death of Nero. Septimius Severus was also governor of the province before his emperorship and restored the Temple of Augustus during his time in the city. The city, according to Pomponius Mela was the richest on the coast, and the city prospered until it was sacked by the Franks in 257 CE. The city seems to have rebuilt but was taken by the Visigoths in 476 by King Euric, though supposedly it was a peaceful occupation.<\/p>\n

Getting There:<\/strong> Tarragona is pretty well serviced by train from the surrounding cities. There are regular trains from Madrid that run anywhere from 2.5 hours on up to about 5.5, depending on the service. Trains leave Barcelona at least once every half an hour and those trains talk half an hour to an hour to get to Tarragona, most with a price of under 25 Euros. From Valencia, the trip is about 2 and a half hours on average, with some trains taking a little longer and some a little less, but the scheduled departures are not as regular. Check the Renfe website<\/a> for the exact schedule and prices.<\/p>\n