Augusta Emerita
The Roman capital of Lusitania survives across modern Mérida, where visitors can see its theatre, amphitheatre, bridges, aqueducts and other structures in place.
Photo: Yuntero · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Country
- Spain
- Region
- Mérida, Extremadura
- Civilisation
- Roman
- Period
- Founded 25 BCE
- UNESCO
- World Heritage ↗
Through time
The story
Augusta Emerita, also called Emerita Augusta, was a Roman colonia founded in 25 BC in present day Mérida, Spain. The city was founded by Roman Emperor Augustus to resettle Emeriti soldiers from the veteran legions of the Cantabrian Wars, these being Legio V Alaudae, Legio X Gemina, and possibly Legio XX Valeria Victrix. The city, one of the largest in Hispania, was the capital of the Roman province of Lusitania, controlling an area of over 20,000 square kilometres (7,700 sq mi).
It had three aqueducts and two fora. The city was situated at the junction of several important routes. It sat near a crossing of the Guadiana river. Roman roads connected the city west to Felicitas Julia Olisippo (Lisbon), south to Hispalis (Seville), northwest to the gold mining area, and to Corduba (Córdoba) and Toletum (Toledo).
Today the Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida is one of the largest and most extensive archaeological sites in Spain and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.
Adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What you will see
- Roman theatre
- Roman amphitheatre
- Guadiana bridge
Before you go
- Check opening hours and ticket rules shortly before your visit — they change seasonally.
- Plan for the heat. Most ancient sites have little shade; go early or late.
- Respect the barriers. Fragile surfaces are protected for the next visitors.
Discoveries from Augusta Emerita
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