Guia Cordoba Romana 2 Edicion 2008
Guia Cordoba Romana 2 Edicion 2008
Guia Cordoba Romana 2 Edicion 2008
ndice / Index
LA CONQUISTA DE HISPANIA
LA ROMANIZACIN
13
CORDUBA IMPERIAL
18
19
ROMANISATION
POLTICA Y ECONOMA
EN BUSCA DE ROMA
IN SEARCH OF ROME
PROMINENT FIGURES
ROMAN GASTRONOMY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
DIRECTORY
68
76
83
84
85
86
VISITAS GUIADAS
86
ENLACES
87
GUIDED TOURS
LINKS
PLANO GUA
MAP
La conquista de Hispania
La conquista de Hispania por parte de Roma fue resultado de la
Segunda Guerra Pnica entre romanos y cartagineses por el control del Mediterrneo Occidental. La llegada de las tropas romanas
a la Pennsula Ibrica fue en realidad la respuesta de la Repblica
al ataque de los cartagineses desde el actual levante espaol por el
sur de Francia hasta Italia y tuvo lugar en el siglo III a.C. Fue concretamente en el ao 209 a.C., tras la batalla de Ilipa (actual Lora
del Ro), cuando se puso fin al dominio de Cartago en la Pennsula
y se consagr la presencia romana en Hispania.
In the 4th and 3rdcenturies B.C., Rome, a republic born in what is now Italy, forged
one of the strongest states of the age with the primary objective of controlling trade
on the Mediterranean Sea. In order to do so, it had to oust the rival that had controlled the Mare Nostrum up to that time: Carthage.
The push for expansion outlasted the Punic Wars and continued to the consolidation
of a state, at first Republican and therafter Imperial, in which the armies played a
fundamental role.
In the republican period, the Senate controlled the conquered territories through the
appointment of consuls, the economies of those conquered territories were administered by an elite of Roman citizens who brought to the conquered peoples a way of
life that was Roman in every respect. Later, the Empire was to control the colonies,
for that purpose using a complex administrative organisation, the Roman Magistracy.
La romanizacin
El proceso de asimilacin de la cultura romana en los territorios
de Hispania repiti el mismo esquema que en otros territorios de
la actual Europa: Indgenas que convivieron con ciudadanos romanos hasta el punto de asimilar como propio su modelo social,
econmico, religioso, poltico y cultural. En este sentido, Hispania
se convirti en una de las provincias ms romanizadas de la poca.
El latn se impuso como lengua universal, el derecho romano rigi
las vidas de los ciudadanos y la religin politesta cal entre los nativos. Sus ciudades fueron organizadas urbansticamente al modo
de Roma y en ellas nacieron importantes personajes de la vida poltica y cultural de la Repblica, primero, y del Imperio, despus.
Hispania se convirti adems en escenario de los mismos conflictos blicos que hicieron tambalearse a Roma, repitiendo incluso
el mismo proceso de cristianizacin que afect al Imperio poco
antes de su disolucin.
Columnas del templo de la calle Claudio Marcelo
ROMANISATION
The assimilation of Roman culture in the territories of Hispania followed the same pattern
as in other European lands. Indigenous peoples lived alongside Roman citizens up to the
point of assimilating their social, economic, religious, political and cultural models. Hispania became one of the most Romanised provinces of the era. Latin established itself as the
universal language, Roman law governed the lives of citizens and Roman polytheism took
root among the native people. Its cities were organised along the lines of Rome and many
important figures in the political and cultural life of the Republic and, later, the Empire
were born in those cities.
Furthermore, Hispania became the stage for those bellicose conflicts which rocked Rome, and
it saw the same process of Christianisation as affected the Empire shortly before its break up.
Plaza de La Corredera
Corduba,
de campamento a capital de la Btica
La Crdoba actual, tal y como la conocemos, es producto de la
convivencia, primero, y la absorcin, despus, del primer asentamiento de la ciudad, la Corduba prerromana, ubicada sobre la
Colina de los Quemados (actual Parque Cruz Conde) y la ciudad
fundada por el general Claudio Marcelo en el siglo II a.C. en la
zona que hoy constituye el centro comercial de la ciudad, esencialmente llana y protegida por laderas y una serie de arroyos.
6
De aquella primera Corduba republicana quedan pocos testimonios dada la abundante construccin de la zona, que ha impedido la excavacin arqueolgica en profundidad. De hecho, desde
que Roma eligi esa zona para fundar la ciudad, Crdoba nunca
la ha abandonado como s pasara con la Corduba prerromana.
Pero la segunda razn de la escasa conservacin f sica (referencias bibliogrficas existen y no pocas) de la Corduba republicana
radica precisamente en su propio devenir histrico pocas dcadas
despus. El asedio al que someti Csar a la ciudad que decidi
tomar partido por los hijos de Pompeyo en el ao 45 a.C. tras la
7
Mosaico romano
Batalla de Munda termin con las calles y edificios de la ciudad arrasados y 20.000 cordobeses muertos. Por eso, el grueso del testimonio
de Roma en Crdoba procede de la poca
imperial, cuando Corduba recuper el favor
del emperador Augusto e inici su camino
hacia la monumentalizacin propia de una
capital, la de la provincia de la Btica, y de
una Colonia Patricia.
Las primeras referencias a Corduba aparecen en los textos del gegrafo Estrabn,
que aclara el papel protagonista del general Claudio Marcelo en la fundacin de la
ciudad. Ahora bien, se desconoce la fecha
exacta y los historiadores apuntan dos
posibilidades en este sentido, que coinciden con las dos estancias del general en
Hispania: los aos 169-168 a.C. y 152-151
a.C.., si bien algunos investigadores insisten
en la existencia previa de un campamento
romano permanente en la zona que controlara el Guadalquivir y los pasos por el centro
de la actual Andaluca. Una teora rebatida sin
embargo por otros especialistas.
Sea como fuere, Estrabn aclara que la ciudad
fue fundada con ciudadanos romanos y con una
lite aborigen, probablemente la que controlara
la economa. Lo que s ha quedado probado es que
durante dcadas convivieron las dos Cordubas, si bien
el paso de los aos acab por dar como abandonado
el asentamiento de la Colina de los Quemados, organizndose la poblacin en dos vicus (barrios): el hispanus, donde vivieron los indgenas, y el forensis,
reservado a los ciudadanos romanos.
Hermafrodita de bronce, hallado en la villa romana de El Ruedo, Almedinilla
(Museo Arqueolgico)
its history. Having sided with the sons of Pompey, the city was besieged by Caesar in
45 B.C. following the Battle of Munda. The siege ended in the destruction of the citys
streets and buildings, and 20,000 dead Cordubans. For that reason, most of the evidence of Romes presence in the city dates from the Imperial period when Corduba
regained the favour of Emperor Augustus and set about erecting monuments fitting
of a capital the capital of the province of Baetica and a Colonia Patricia.
The first references to Corduba appear in the works of the geographer Strabo who
explains the leading role of general Claudius Marcellus in the founding of the city,
the exact date of which is unknown. Historians point to two possible dates which
coincide with the two stays of the general in Hispania: 169-168 B.C. and 152-151 B.C.,
although some researchers maintain that there was a permanent Roman camp in the
area which controlled the Guadalquivir and routes through the centre of what is now
10
11
En su Bellum Civile, Csar narra cmo los ciudadanos de Corduba deciden primero alinearse
con sus tropas para ms
tarde cambiar de bando
y ponerse del lado de los
amotinados contra el
legado que Csar dej
en la ciudad y dar en
consecuencia el visto
bueno al regreso de los
pompeyanos. Ese apoyo
le costara a la ciudad el
asedio de las tropas cesarianas, la muerte de
miles de civiles y militares y la venta como
esclavos de muchos de
sus ciudadanos. Para
evitar ese trgico final
resulta un buen ejemplo
el caso del ciudadano de
Corduba Escpula, al
que se refiere Csar en
su Bellum Hispaniense,
narrando cmo viendo
que las tropas de Csar
acabaran saqueando la
ciudad decidi organizar un gran banquete,
repartir sus riquezas entre sus esclavos y suicidarse antes de la llegada
del ejrcito.
Calle San Pablo (Va Augusta)
dured over the centuries, albeit with several extensions. According to archaeological
studies, the first walls of Cordoba were hexagonal in shape with a perimeter of 2,650
metres, enclosing an area of 47 hectares.
While the date of construction of the citys first bridge is uncertain (some researchers
date it to the second century B.C.), there is a clear reference to it in the chronicles of
the war of 45 B.C. Today, however, the Roman Bridge of Cordoba does not display any
original elements dating from the period.
There are references to Corduba in numerous other chronicles of the age such as
Ciceros writings in which he tells of a trial held by a Praetor in the citys Forum and
in texts signed by Julius Caesar himself. They of course refer to Cordubas role as
Caesars enemy aligned with the sons of Pompey during the civil war that devastated
Rome in the first century B.C.
12
Corduba imperial
Es precisamente tras la ruina total de mediados del siglo I a.C.
cuando Corduba inicia su poca de mayor esplendor gracias a la
reconstruccin de la ciudad; la apertura de la muralla hacia el sur,
pasando la ciudad intramuros de 47 a 78 hectreas y a disponer
de nuevas puertas de entrada, y el inicio de las obras para la construccin de gloriosos edificios de espectculos y de nuevos foros,
que daban cabida a los centros pblicos propios del imperio y que
tuvieron carcter administrativo, judicial y religioso.
Es en la poca imperial cuando Corduba es definitivamente consagrada como capital de la provincia de la Btica, tras las reformas
administrativas llevadas a cabo por el emperador Augusto, que,
a pesar de su pasado pompeyano, devuelve su favor a la ciudad
consagrada como Colonia Patricia y eligindola como lugar para
el descanso de militares veteranos.
In his Bellum Civile, Caesar tells how the citizens of Corduba initially decided to align
themselves with his troops only to switch sides later and join with the rebels against
the legate whom Caesar had left in the city, consequently approving the return of
the Pompeians. That support cost the city a siege by Caesars troops, the deaths of
thousands of soldiers and civilians, and the sale into slavery of many of its citizens. A
good example of the steps people took to avoid that tragic fate is the case of Scapula
to whom Caesar refers in his Bellum Hispaniense. Caesar tells us that on seeing how
Caesars soldiers were set to sack the city, Scapula decided to hold a great banquet,
distribute his wealth among his slaves, and commit suicide before the army arrived.
IMPERIAL CORDUBA
It was immediately after the total destruction of the middle of the 1st century B.C.
13
that Corduba entered its era of greatest splendour thanks to the reconstruction of
the city: the wall was opened up towards the south, increasing the area of the city
within the walls from 47 to 78 hectares, and new gates were constructed. Building
work began on majestic buildings dedicated to entertainment and on new forums
which formed public centres fitting of the Empire, and which were of administrative,
judicial and religious character.
Corduba was confirmed as the capital of the province of Baetica in the Imperial age,
following the administrative reforms implemented by Emperor Augustus who, despite the citys Pompeyan past, showed favour towards the city by confirming it as
Colonia Patricia and choosing it to settle military veterans in their retirement.
As Colonia Patricia, Corduba enjoyed an important degree of administrative autonomy from the 1st century B.C. onwards. The highest authority in the city was the
14
local, made up of the decurions members of the richest and most prestigious families who were responsible for issuing decrees, appointing priests, approving the
citys budget, authorising public works and granting honours to citizens. The organisation of the city was a mirror image of the capital, Rome, with the same political
figures and characters, as well as the same social classes: nobles and decurions, free
men, slaves and prosperous freed slaves. Two of the most important figures in the
citys history belonged to the ranks of the Corduban nobilty: Lucius Annaeus Seneca
and his nephew, the poet Lucanus.
POLITICS AND THE ECONOMY
The thriving economy of Corduba was based on mining (in the mountains), trade via the
15
16
17
17
Poltica y economa
La actividad econmica de Corduba bas su grandeza tanto en la actividad minera de la sierra como en el comercio a travs del Guadalquivir,
la ganadera y la agricultura, concretamente en el cultivo de cereales y el
olivo. En este sentido habra que subrayar la importancia de la produccin olecola cordubense documentada incluso en el MonteTestaccio
de Roma, donde millones de vasijas de aceite testimonian el comercio
entre la capital de la Btica y la metrpolis.
La relevancia poltica de Corduba continuar a lo largo de los siglos II
y III. Una de las mejores pruebas de ello la constituye el hecho de que
el emperador Maximiano Hercleo eligiese la ciudad para organizar
desde ella las campaas blicas contra los ataques que reciba el Imperio desde el Norte de frica y la costa atlntica. El mayor testimonio de
aquella poca lo constituye el
Palacio de Maximiano Hercleo descubierto en Crdoba a
principios de la dcada de los
noventa del siglo XX y todava
en estudio. En la primera mitad
del siglo IV, Corduba continu
dando al Imperio algunas de las
figuras claves de su poltica. En
este sentido destaca el Obispo
Osio, consejero del Emperador
Constantino, quien convirti el
cristianismo en la religin oficial del Imperio romano.
El fin de la Corduba romana
llega entre los siglos V y VI,
cuando, tras las invasiones
brbaras, la ciudad queda bajo
el control de los reyes visigodos, no sin antes protagonizar
varias rebeliones.
Mosaico en el Museo Arqueolgico
Guadalquivir, and pastoral and arable farming, specifically the cultivation of cereals
and olives. The importance of olive oil production in Corduba must be underlined.
It is evidenced by Monte Testaccio in Rome where millions of empty olive oil amphorae from Baetica bear witness to the trade between the Roman metropolis and
Corduba.
Corduba continued to be politically relevant in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. One of
the best illustrations of that fact is the choice of the city by Emperor Maximian as
a base from which to organise campaigns against assailants who were attacking the
Empire from North Africa and the Atlantic coast. The greatest testimony to that age
is the Palace of Maximian, discovered in Cordoba at the start of the 1990s and still
being studied. In the first half of the 4th century, Corduba continued to provide the
Empire with key political figures. Bishop Osius enjoyed prominence as councillor to
18
En busca de
19
En Busca de Roma
Roma
Constantine, the emperor who established Christianity as the official religion of the
Roman Empire.
The end of Roman Corduba came in the 5th and 6th centuries. After the barbarian
invasions, the city remained under the control of the Visigothic kings despite several
attempts at rebellion.
IN SEARCH OF ROME
It is not easy to recognise Cordobas Roman past simply by searching for large monuments
like those which endure in the city from other periods. However, by allowing enough time
to explore, and making use of this guide and the suggestions it contains, residents and
visitors alike can discover the splendour of Cordobas Roman past.
20
1. El Puente Romano
El Puente Romano de Crdoba constituye una de las mejores pruebas de cmo una ciudad puede ir adaptndose al tiempo aprovechando el legado de civilizaciones pasadas. Fueron los ciudadanos
romanos en el siglo I a.C. quienes construyeron por primera vez un
21
Thus, Corduba possessed a bridge built according to the architectural model of the
period although there is barely any data about its original structure. The bridge that
can be crossed today does not in fact retain any visible element from that era, having
been subjected to numerous repairs. The first important repairs known were ordered
by Caliph Al-Hakam II in 971 and the last took place between 2006 and 2007. Nevertheless, none of them changed the original appearance of the bridge, conserving it as an
authentic symbol of the city which was Cordoba and which its citizens of today have
inherited. The crossing over the River Guadalquivir was fundamental to the development of Corduba, just as it continues to be today.
The bridge was a fundamental part of the road network that connected Corduba with
the major cities of Hispania, being the point of entrance of the Va Augusta (designed
to link Rome and the other cities of the Empire) into the Colonia Patricia. The current
22
Puente Romano
national highway IV follows the route of the road that ran between Corduba and Gades
(Cadiz).
It is not the only route that has continued to be used over the years. The communications network designed by Rome to facilitate the transport of mined products from the
mountains and the movement of livestock from the countryside remains practically
the same today. Corduba had two principal roads: one to Malaca (Malaga) - the current
highway 331; and another to Emerita (Merida) - the current highway 432.
2. The milestones of the Patio de los Naranjos
Inscriptions found on milestones, great blocks of stone that marked the distances between cities have been vital for historians when reconstructing the road network.
23
Miliario de la Mezquita-Catedral
Cordoba currently retains four such milestones from the Via Augusta in the Patio de los
Naranjos of the Mezquita. They date from the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula
and Caracalla, respectively.
3. The mosaics and sarcophagus of the Alcazar
The Alcazar of the Christian Kings contains one of the most important collections of
Roman mosaics in the city. The mosaics were found in what was a nobles house during
excavation work in the plaza de la Corredera. The collection include Polyphemus and
Galatea, inspired by Hellenic literature, The Cyclops, The Medusa, Cupid and Psyche,
The Mask of Oceanus and a portrayal of an actor of tragedies, one of the first representations of the theatre, in clear allusion to the play Oedipus.
24
The Alcazars Roman collection is rounded off with a sarcophagus from the third century A.D. discovered in July 1958 during excavation of a building site in the Huerta de
San Rafael. The sarcophagus depicts the doorway to the next world, revealing a number
of Roman beliefs about death.
4. Roman tomb at the Puerta de Sevilla
One of the best-known examples of Roman Corduban funerary design is found a few
metres from the Alcazar, next to Puerta de Sevilla, a gate of the city walls. It consists
of the remains of a Roman tomb, in truth a funerary monument, found on what was
the old road to Carbula (Almodvar), now Calle Antonio Maura. It was discovered
in the 1930s and is one of the citys best examples of a Western necropolis. In this
case, only the rectangular chamber and vault remain.
25
Puerta de Sevilla
26
5. Estatua
de Sneca en la Puerta de Almodvar
En otra de las puertas histricas de la ciudad se encuentra actualmente la estatua erigida en el siglo XX en homenaje a Lucio
Anneo Sneca, el filsofo cordobs que lleg a ser consejero del
emperador Nern. (Ver captulo dedicado a personajes ilustres).
Obra del escultor Amadeo Ruiz Olmos, fue costeada por el torero
Manuel Bentez El Cordobs e inaugurada el 13 de septiembre de
1965, con motivo del aniversario de la muerte del filsofo en el
ao 65 d.C.
riod. Following Rome as a model, the capital of Baetica bestowed its citizens with
the same privileges. And performances were considered to be privileges as they had
an important religious significance during the period; they were customarily held in
honour of one of the Roman divinities and people deemed participation in them to
be almost obligatory.
The last of the recreational buildings discovered in Cordoba consists of the remains of
the Amphitheatre found at the rear of the Vice-Chancellors Building of the University
of Cordoba, before the Veterinary Faculty. It is an impressive building. A part of the wall
of the stands has been recovered and virtually all its layout has been plotted.
For years the Amphitheatre has been the great mystery of Cordoba. When its remains appeared, researchers came to the belief that it was a second circus, but the 19
funerary inscriptions of gladiators conserved in Cordoba proved that the city must
27
6. El Anfiteatro romano
Los edificios dedicados a los espectculos fueron piezas claves en
el proceso de monumentalizacin que registra Corduba tras su refundacin en poca imperial. Siguiendo el modelo de Roma, la capital de la Btica dota a sus ciudadanos de los mismos privilegios.
Y como tales eran considerados los espectculos, que tuvieron en
aquella poca un importante significado religioso, ya que su celebracin era habitualmente convocada en honor de alguna de las
divinidades de la religin romana, y los ciudadanos consideraban
casi una obligacin participar de ellos.
El ltimo de los edificios ldicos descubierto en Crdoba lo constituyen los restos del Anfiteatro hallado en la parte trasera del actual Rectorado de la Universidad de Crdoba, antes Facultad de
Veterinaria. Se trata de un impresionante edificio del que se han
logrado sacar a la luz parte de los muros del gradero y reconstruir
virtualmente toda su organizacin.
El Anfiteatro ha sido durante dcadas la gran incgnita de Corduba. Cuando aparecieron sus restos, los investigadores llegaron a
pensar que se trataba del segundo circo, pero las 19 inscripciones
funerarias de gladiadores conservadas en Crdoba probaban que
have held numerous gladitorial shows. They were hosted in an impressive Amphitheatre, the biggest in Hispania and one of the largest in the Empire which according
to initial studies had room for some 30,000 spectators and 178 metres on its greater
axis, only nine less than the famous Colosseum of Rome.
Its construction is dated to around the middle of the 1st century A.D. and it was
in use until the 4th century when the Christianisation of the Empire put an end to
Roman shows. As in other Roman cities, Cordubas Amphitheatre was reserved for
bloodthirsty spectacles. Gladiators and wild beasts took to the sand while city dignatories enjoyed from the stand.
Like the Circus and the Theatre, the Amphitheatre had seats reserved for noble citizens. The main entrance stood at the end of a road over fifteen metres wide which
was lined with arcades and had three sewers.
28
The restoration of the amphitheatre still closed to the public and the surrounding
area is one of the challenges facing the authorities and the University. They plan the
creation of a visitor centre next to the building which will contribute to a better understanding of Corduba.
7. Exit ramp to the Amphitheatre from Ximnez de Quesada street
Together with Hispanias biggest Amphitheatre, a street network and several insulae
(blocks delimited by streets), both from the High Imperial period, were discovered in
Calle Antonio Maura at the corner with Calle Ximnez de Quesada.
As regards that urban street plan, it is worth noting the discovery of three secondary
streets and a main street 15 metres wide with arcades through which one could
29
walk on both sides. Given its proximity to the public entertainment building mentioned above, it can be deduced that it was a most important route which facilitated
public access to the Amphitheatre sited outside the city walls.
Further, the road was provided with a water supply and a network of sewers (one in
the middle and one to either side) for the disposal of waste. The sewers had a wall
to either side and a small cover that was gabled in shape. Similarly, it has been established that the sewers were connected to the surface by a number of square-shaped
manholes that allowed access for maintenance purposes.
Next to the main street, three secondary streets have been documented: two narrower streets (each one four and one-half metres wide) perpendicular to the main
street and another that was four metres wide. It has ascertained that to the north
of the main street there was an insula where an industrial area was located (with
30
structures for decanting and pressing, and piping), together with other areas that can
be linked to the sites of houses.
The significance of the remains found on the site has decided their conservation and
enhanced the value of the basements of the building that the property developer
Prasa has built on the site. The developments design allows for the incorporation of
the High Imperial street, with its boundary walls, sewers and manholes, and includes
a visitor area around the perimeter.
8. Funerary monument of Puerta Gallegos
One of the citys most interesting visitor centres is dedicated to the world of Roman
funerals. It is located within one of the mausoleums found in Paseo de la Victoria. It
31
offers an overall view of the funerary practices and customs of the Roman world. Its surroundings have been planted to recreate the surroundings of a burial plot of the period.
The citizens of Cordoba, in particular noble families and freed slaves, customarily buried
their dead in large monuments sited on the main access routes into the city. That arrangement allowed them to display their nobility to people entering or leaving the capital,
which was the aim of those who ordered the construction of the funerary monuments
mentioned above: the sarcophagus kept in the Alcazar and the tomb of Puerta de Sevilla.
9. The wall at Ronda de los Tejares
Corduba was fortified from its very beginning. Its enviable location in a strategic
part of the Guadalquivir Valley dictated that its founders had to defend it against
32
possible attacks. Researchers have succeeded in ascertaining the outline of the walls
of Republican Corduba (just over two and one-half kilometres long), together with
the extension carried out after the refounding of the city in the Imperial period, the
inflection point of which is found at number 59 of Avenida de La Victoria.
The perimeter as documented coincides almost exactly with the walls that the city
has always had. Once again, the civilisations which came after Rome made full use
of the legacy of the Colonia Patricia, utilising Romes design to protect themselves.
The process that archaeologists call fossilisation of the walls is more than evident in
the current urban layout of the city. At Avenida de La Victoria and Avenida Ronda,
the walls west and north sides, respectively, remain almost intact. Currently, the remains of the walls can be seen in a bank office in Avenida Ronda.
On its south side, the wall ran parallel to the river, along what is now the Paseo de la
33
En el interior de la muralla, los investigadores han logrado documentar un amplio trazado de calles y plazas que siguen, como
en Roma, un armnico esquema, cruzando la ciudad de Norte a
Sur y de Este a Oeste (cardines y decumani, respectivamente), y
comunicando a travs de ellas las principales puertas de la ciudad
como Puerta Osario, en el norte, la Puerta del Rincn, en la zona
nororiental y la bautizada como Puerta Gallegos y hasta la Edad
Media conocida como Puerta de Roma, en el lado oriental, junto
al actual Ayuntamiento.
Ribera. Close by, a part of the wall from the Imperial period has been documented
in the Alcazar of the Christian Kings. The east side is the least visible because of the
high density of construction in the area and the continual extensions to the Visigothic, Arabic and Christian city that were made by building in this part of the city.
However, there are visible remains of the original wall in Calle San Fernando.
Within the walls, researchers have successfully documented an extensive layout of
streets and squares which, like Rome, followed a harmonic pattern, crossing the city
from north to south and east to west (cardines and decumani, respectively), and connecting the principal gates of the city such as Puerta Osario to the north, Puerta del
Rincn to the north east, and the gate on the west side, now called Puerta Gallegos,
which up to the Middle Ages was known as Puerta de Roma, in the east side, besides
de Town Hall.
34
35
36
Yacimiento de Cercadilla,
Palacio de Maximiano Hercleo
gical site of Cercadillas and located in the area of the train station. Covering an area
of 8 hectares and around 500 metres in length, it is the largest and most important
evidence from ancient times documented in the city.
Its construction was ordered by Emperor Maximian at the end of the 3rd century/
beginning of the 4th century A.D. in accordance with an architectural model consisting of the grouping together of the different buildings and outbuildings, arranged
around a large semicircular plaza. The main building, used for official ceremonies,
had its own hot water supply reserved for the emperor and his closest family members and supporters. Next to that official building were two halls used to receive
members of the Imperial court or high-ranking dignatories. At present, one of them
can be visited. Part of its elevation and paving again made using mosaics as in noble
households has been conserved.
37
Yacimiento de Cercadilla,
Palacio de Maximiano Hercleo
The size and originality of the palatial complex, in which new architectonic formulae
were tested, prove the political relevance of Corduba in the Late Imperial period.
Until the discovery of the Palace of Maximian in 1991, no building with such characteristics was known to have existed in Hispania. The nearest equivalents are found in
Milan and Trier (Germany).
Prior to 1991, researchers had not be able to establish that the Tetriach, the political
system that governed the Empire following Diocletians reforms and which demanded the decentralisation of the imperial residence, had relocated to such a far off
place. After more than a decade of excavations, researchers believe that the palace
located at Cercadillas served as the emperors residence in 296 and 297 A.D., prior to
the start of a new campaign to pacify northern Africa.
The site at Cercadillas is equally a most revealing source of information about the
38
Christianisation of the Roman Empire. Found among its buildings are a place of worship, an early Christian chapel dedicated to one of the Cordoban martyrs, and a Christian necropolis. Using evidence from both, it has been possible to research a good
part of the history of the early bishops of the city which, like the other capitals of the
Empire, was undergoing radical political and social change at that time.
12. Seneca and Nero in Avenida Llanos del Pretorio
Moving along Paseo de Crdoba, Avenida Llanos del Pretorio has one of the sculptures that best exemplify Cordobas Roman past. It is a copy in bronze of the statue that
depicts the relationship between Nero and his tutor, Seneca. The original, entitled
The education of Nero and created in 1904 by the Zamoran sculpturer Eduardo Ba-
39
Yacimiento de Cercadilla
rrn Gonzlez, presided over the main entrance to Cordobas City Hall for decades
until it was recently returned to the Prado Museum, the owner of the piece. The
sculpture was awarded the Gold Medal at the national exhibition in 1904.
13. Roman villa in Santa Rosa
The north of the city is home to a multitude of Roman villas, for example, the luxurious
patricians home found in the Santa Rosa neighbourhood to the north of Paseo de Crdoba, between Calle Algarrobo and Calle Cronista Rey Daz.
It is a Roman villa from the 2nd century and the best-preserved example from the
Roman era currently found in the city. Its remains are divided over two sites separated by a street.
40
The house boasts mosaics that stand out for their beauty, artistic value and state
of conservation. These mosaics which embellish the floors of several of the villas
outbuildings, give an idea of the tastes of the Roman age through their iconography:
vegetative, geometric and figurative
In particular, the two rooms that complete this villa dating from Hadrians reign the
tablinum (office) and the cubiculum (bedroom) stand out for the good state of
conservation of their mosaics.
The mosaic which decorates the floor of the tablinum is figurative and of mythological character. Chronos, the Greek god of time who in the Roman period came to
be known as Saturn, is shown in the centre. His figure appears with a cornucopia in
one hand and a cyclical hoop, symbolising the passage of time, in the other. Around
him, in the various corners of the work, appear the four seasons depicted in feminine
41
form. The mosaic, of great artistic value, is fnished off with various scenes of fights
between animals such as leopards, horses, gazelles and bulls which may be a reflection of the pastimes of the age.
The paving in the cubiculum or bedroom is covered with a mosaic in white and blue.
There is a krater in good condition at the entrance to the room. The area where
the bed was sited is framed with octagons and the decoration of that space includes
diverse geometric motifs.
The triclinium (dining room) is paved with marble opus sectile with geometric
and vegetative decoration made with materials imported from Africa and Italy, a fact
which highlights the considerable economic power of the villas owner.
Similarly, the peristilo (open patio) is conserved, measuring 7.40 by 7.40 metres, with
a perimeter platform paved with mosaics. The tesserae that decorate the patio, made
42
En especial, el tablinum despacho y el cubiculum dormitorio, las dos estancias que completan esta villa romana de poca
adrianea destacan por la buena conservacin de sus mosaicos.
El mosaico que decora el suelo del tablinum es figurativo y de carcter mitolgico. En el centro se encuentra representado Cronos,
el dios griego del tiempo que, en poca romana, vendra a ser Saturno. La figura aparece con un cuerno de la abundancia en una
mano y un aro cclico, que simboliza el paso del tiempo, en la otra.
Alrededor aparecen las cuatro estaciones representadas por figuras femeninas en los diversos ngulos de la obra. El mosaico, de un
gran valor artstico, se completa con diversas escenas de lucha de
animales, leopardos, caballos, gacelas y toros que pueden ser un
reflejo de las aficiones de la poca.
of stone, marble and limestone, make up geometric motifs of a distinctive style over
a space 2.20 metres wide.
The central patio has two large-sized mosaics. The mosaic bordering the fountain located
in the centre of the space is bicoloured and has eastern influences. A multi-coloured opus
tesellatum is revealed inside the fountain, depicting all manner of marine animal.
This open space was also decorated with 12 marble columns of which only the bases and
some other fragments can be seen, the origins of which are still unknown. Furthermore,
the remains of a swimming pool, a fountain, a nymphaeum and various water conduits
have been uncovered.
The remains have been incorporated into residential buildings to be constructed on
the two sites occupied by the Roman villa so as to preserve it in situ. Those remains
43
will be enhanced and will be ready for visits in the near future, with an entrance
separate from the rest of the building. Thus, all the elements of the Roman villa or at
least the most important parts will be accessible, as is the case in other parts of the
province, for example, the Villa del Ruedo in Almedinilla.
14. Mausoleum of the Palacio de la Merced
The interor of the Palacio de la Merced, the current seat of the Provincial Council of
Cordoba, houses one of the most outstanding funerary monuments bequeathed to
us by Roman Corduba. It is the tomb of a freed slave and doctor of a mining company
that operated in the mountains. Today, the chamber remains, with a facade three metres in length and extending back some five metres, along with an enclosure that lead
44
to a building above which was of monumental character and was most likely used for
funeral banquets. The close proximity of the tomb to one of the main gates of the city
gives an idea of the nobility of the deceased and his social importance.
15. The Roman house at Bailo
Domestic architecture in Corduba followed models laid down by Rome. Thus, in
the period when Corduba was founded, simple buildings were prevalent in the city,
often with only one floor and with thatched roofs. As the centuries went by, buildings
became more complex and a wider variety of building materials were used to construct examples like the house found during excavations prior to the construction of
the hotel Palacio del Bailo in Calle Ramrez de las Casas Deza. This Roman house
45
Patio Romano
del Hotel Palacio del Bailo
Patio Romano del Hotel Palacio del Bailo
will soon be recovered and opened to visitors. Currently, a glimpse of it can be had
through the transparent floor of one of the palaces patios.
As in almost all similar domus, the mosaics provide the best-preserved evidence that
we have of the houses found in the various neighbourhoods or vici of Corduba, an
excellent example of such evidence being the collection kept in the Alcazar of the
Christian Kings (see page xxx).
The number of neighbourhoods increased after the refounding of the city. In times
of war, it was necessary to seek shelter within the city walls. In times of peace, that
is, during the days of the Empire, Roman citizens and freed slaves left the protection
of the walls and built truly residential neighbourhoods outside them. One of the last
vici to be documented is in the northern part of the city in the neighbourhood of
Huerta de San Rafael.
46
47
Actualmente es objeto de
trabajos de consolidacin y
limpieza que permitirn su
apertura al pblico. La mayora de los autores coinciden en
afirmar que este templo form
parte de un gran complejo: el
Foro Provincial, levantado con
una clara vocacin propagandstica si se tiene en cuenta que
el Templo era perfectamente
visible para los visitantes que
llegaban a la ciudad por la va
Augusta. Las dimensiones del
Templo alcanzaron una planta
de 32 por 16 metros y ms de
15 de altura.
17. Los Foros Pblicos
El Foro de la Provincia no es
el nico documentado en Corduba. Segn los investigadores, la ciudad cont al menos
con otros dos grandes foros:
el de la Colonia, situado en
la unin de las actuales calle
48
Restos del
Forum Adiectum
en el Colegio de Abogados
result of the new demands of the refounded city. The increase in administrative and
commercial activity obliged the local authorities to enlarge the infrastructure used
in public life. According to experts, that was achieved through the building of a new
forum that would have been dedicated to the dynasty reigning in the first century
A.D. The new forum was set around a large square, part of the paving of which has
been found in Calle Braulio Laportilla.
Further, excavations carried out in the surroundings of Altos de Santa Ana brought
numerous statues and pedestals to light. Some are kept in the nearby Museum of Archaeology and they prove the existence of a third place of worship. Experts cannot agree if it
was dedicated to Diana or, once again, to the imperial cult. The new forum was organised
around a big temple whose podium has been found in Moreria street, in the present seat of
the Colegio de Abogados.
49
In Corduba, there were also an important number of other public squares where the day
to day lives of the citizens were played out. One of the most important of those discovered
is located in the area of Puerta del Puente, at the southern extreme of the Colonia Patricia.
18. Junio Galion street
The social relevancy of the family Annei to which belonged Seneca and Lucano supposes
one of the milestones of the Roman past of Cordova. Its historical recognition has not
been scanty, though in occasions has remained darkened by both big mentioned figures. Because of that, it turns out to be prominent to find in full historical hull of the
city a street dedicated to other one of the big prominent figures of the family: Lucio
Junio Anneo Galin, to whom in the decade of the sixties the city dedicated one of
the most curious alleys that remained sadly closed from the eighties until scantily a
50
few years ago when there was carried out a rehabilitation of its environment that
managed to return to it the whole captivation that had in the past.
The street Junio Galin, placed between the streets San Fernando and San Eulogio,
recalls the figure of the major brother of the philosopher Lucio Anneo Seneca and of
the geographer Marco Anneo Mella, father of the poet Lucano. June Galin, he was
a proconsul in Acaya in times of the emperor Claudio, where he had the opportunity
to free Paul of Tarsus (Saint Paul) of the death that Jews had sentenced him. About
him Seneca was speaking in his work Quaestiones Naturales, where congratulated of
his human qualities and he was managing to describe him as a universally dear man.
19. The Circus
51
As in the rest of the Empire, the circus games, in truth chariot races between drivers
who became stars of their age, were a reality in Cordoba until the 4th century A.D as
proven by the various epigraphical inscriptions and mosaics found around the city
and, most importantly, the structures in the garden of the Palacio de Orive at No. 2,
plaza de Orive. Those structures correspond to the walls that supported the stands
of the first Circus of Corduba. It was a building of a symmetrical design like other
circuses in Hispania, for example, the circus at Tarraco.
Cordubas Circus ran from the Temple in Calle Claudio Marcelo in reality it was
part of the enormous religious, political and social complex that was the Forum of
the Provincia to the vicinity of the plaza de la Corredera, an area where equestrian
shows were held for centuries. It was in use from from middle Ist century aC to the
52
19. El circo
Los juegos circenses, en realidad carreras de carros donde los aurigas se convertan en las verdaderas estrellas, fueron una realidad
al menos hasta el siglo IV d.C., en Corduba como en el resto del
Imperio. As lo prueban varias inscripciones epigrficas y mosaicos hallados en diferentes puntos de la ciudad, pero sobre todo
las estructuras encontradas en el huerto del Palacio de Orive, que
corresponderan a los muros que sustentaban la grada del primer
circo de Corduba. Un edificio que tuvo un diseo simtrico al de
otros circos de Hispania como el de Tarraco (actual Tarragona).
El circo de Corduba discurra desde el Templo de la calle Claudio
Marcelo en realidad formaba parte del enorme complejo religioso, poltico y social que supuso el Foro de la Provincia y el
entorno de la actual plaza de La Corredera, rea donde se mantuvieron los espectculos ecuestres durante siglos. Estuvo en uso
desde mediados del siglo I d.c. hasta finales del siglo II. A partir de
entonces los juegos se trasladaron a un segundo circo del que si
bien se conoce su existencia por la documentacin escrita no han
sido hallados restos arqueolgicos que confirmen su ubicacin.
end of the IInd century. At that time the games were transferred to a second circus of
which there is documentary evidence but no archaeological remains have been found
which confirm its location.
21. Togaed statue in the plaza de Sneca
Sculpture was one of the most important art forms in the history of Rome. The proliferation of statutes in cities of the Republic and, later, the Empire was a major feature
of the adornment of them with monuments, and Cordoba was not outside that process. Images of gods, emperors and noble citizens decorated its streets and squares,
and provided an excellent method of disseminating propaganda.
Today, the majority of those statues have disappeared or are kept in the Museum of
53
Archaeology, although there is one example visible to the passer-by which gives an
idea of the value attached to sculpture in the Roman world. It is a togaed sculpture
realised in white marble and sited on a pedestal of modern execution in the plaza
de Sneca. It is popularly known as El Descabezado (The Headless). The costume worn by the unknown person (his face is missing and there is no epigraphical
inscription to facilitate identification) is the same as customarily worn by Roman
magistrates. Around the end of 1st century (the date usually attributed to the piece by
experts) and the beginning of the 2nd century, such statues became fairly common in
Rome. The bodies were mass-produced and later the bust of the person it was wished
to portray was put on top of them.
21. The Theatre
54
55
21. El Teatro
Los espectculos romanos comprendan adems la modalidad escnica (ludi scaenici). Los teatros eran construidos siguiendo un
mismo modelo: grada semicircular (cavea) cerrada por un edificio
para la representacin teatral (scaena). Un esquema que repiti el
Teatro Romano de Corduba, localizado y en parte recuperado bajo
el Museo Arqueolgico, en la plaza Jernimo Pez. En la actualidad, las excavaciones arqueolgicas han logrado sacar a la luz el
30% de la superficie total del Teatro, aunque slo se ha localizado
parte de la cavea, desconocindose por ahora cmo era la scaena.
De momento slo son visitables los restos conservados dentro del
museo, aunque en breve se abrir al pblico una parte importante
de la excavacin anexa.
56
Although it may appear that traces of Corduba are scattered about, some disappeared,
some hidden, and an important number under restoration, a different and contrary
picture is presented by the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology of Cordoba. Hundreds of pieces present themselves to the visitor as irrefutable proof of the illustrious
history and glorious monuments of Roman Corduba, starting with the remains of the
Theatre under the Renaissance palace that houses the Museum. A scale model of the
Theatre is the first piece on display.
Moving on from the entrance, the collection of Roman archaeology displays a multitude of architectonic pieces, many of them from the Temple in Calle Claudio Marcelo, as well as a number of statues and a collection of mosaics. These are exhibited
in the second patio of the museum and among them stand out El Cortejo Bquico
57
En la calle Rey Heredia es posible contemplar an una de las inscripciones en honor a uno de los mecenas que contribuyeron a la
construccin del Teatro, que como el Circo y el Anfiteatro acab
convertido en cantera para la construccin de nuevos edificios
una vez desaparecidos los espectculos en Hispania.
22. Museo Arqueolgico y
Etnolgico
La dispersin de los vestigios de Corduba, ocultos muchos de ellos,
desaparecidos otros y en vas de recuperacin una parte importante,
presenta su realidad opuesta en las instalaciones del Museo Arqueolgico y Etnolgico de Crdoba. Cientos de piezas se muestran al visitante como la prueba irrefutable del pasado glorioso y monumental
de la Crdoba romana, empezando por los restos del Teatro situados
58
nus. Next to her, Mitras Taurctonos, a sculpture in homage to the Persian Sun God
which reveals a certain eastern influence in the religion of Hispania, and a thorataco
sculpture which was kept for years in a private residence in Calle Morera where it
was found in the 19th century. before being moved to the museum. A colossal piece
that must have formed part of the Forum of the Colonia, it stands almost two metres
tall despite only being a torso. It depicts a heroic soldier and is believed to be a portrayal of Aeneas at the moment of his flight from Troy.
The collection of Roman sculptures is completed with a number of portraits and
depictions of the nobility of Corduba and its neighbouring cities, all pertaining to
the area that is now the Province of Cordoba, and the Emperor and his family, for
example, Druso, el menor (Drusus the Younger), son of Emperor Tiberius, and Annia Lucila (Annia Lucilla), daughter of Marcus Aurelius whose portrait is also found
59
Museo Arqueolgico
among the pieces in the Museum of Archaeology. Corduba is also revealed through
the various epigraphs that have been conserved and which provide countless details
of the social, political and religious life of the city. The homage to one of the patrons
of the various Roman shows, the seat reservation in the theatre and the diverse funerary epigraphs tell us much of the leading figures of Roman Cordoba. Indeed, the
collection of funerary remains is one of the great treasures of the musuem. One of its
rooms contains a reproduction of a columbarium and there is also an early Christian
sarcophagus of enormous historical value.
Finally, it is worth paying particular attention to the pieces which recall the ordinary lives of
Roman citizens such as the glass figures, ceramics, lamps and amphorae which transported
wine and olive oil from the Colonia Patricia to the metropolis, Rome. There is a curious
marble carving which must have formed one of the legs of a table in a nobles home which
60
Escultura Thoracata
Afrodita Agachada
the Museum keeps next to a fragment of Senecas work Invitation to Serenity which says,
We should become accustomed to ridding ourselves of pomp and to value the usefulness
of things, not their adornments.
In order to discover what daily life was like in Roman Baetica, it is obligatory to tour the
room dedicated to the villa of El Ruedo de Almedinilla, an agricultural and residential complex which belonged to Roman citizen and was built between the 1st and 4th centuries.
23. Roman quarries at Peatejada
Only three kilometres from Cordoba and thus still inside the municipal district,
on the national highway 432 which runs over the 1st-century road that connected
Corduba and Emerita Augusta (Merida), stands one of the most surprising enclaves
61
vida cotidiana de los ciudadanos romanos como las figuras de vidrio, las cermicas, las luminarias o las nforas que transportaron
vino y aceite desde la Colonia Patricia hasta la metrpoli. Curiosa
resulta la talla de mrmol que debi componer una de las patas de
una mesa de alguna casa noble y que en el Museo se conserva junto a un fragmento de la obra Invitacin a la Serenidad de Sneca
que dice Habitumonos a desprendernos de la pompa y a valorar
la utilidad de las cosas, no sus adornos.
Aunque si se trata de descubrir la vida cotidiana de la Btica romana es obligado el paso por la sala dedicada a la villa de El Ruedo de
Almedinilla, un complejo agropecuario y residencia de ciudadanos romanos que fue construida entre los siglo I y IV.
of the citys ancient cultural heritage. They are the Roman quarries at Peatejada.
Although the site has not been the subject of much archaeological research, it provides an excellent picture of mining operations in Roman times.
Given that Corduba was subject to a process of monument building as proven by
researchers, and forums, a circus, a theatre and an amphitheatre were built, it is logical to conclude that local resources were exploited to the maximum extent. The
stone from Peatejada, among others placed in the mountain, with its excellent
communications with the capital, provided the best opportunity for such maximum
exploitation.
The site at Ategua
Also within the municipal boundaries of the city of Cordoba, next to the district of
62
nfora romana
Santa Cruz, is the archaeological site of Ategua, a compendium of remains and relics
which tell of the past from the Copper Age up to the Middle Ages, although the site
still remains closed to the public.
Of the open book that is Ategua, the chapter dedicated to its Roman past is particularly prominent. Here, the Republic and the Empire have left innumerable footprints
on the land. The remains of the temple, part of a domus or Roman house, a good part
of the walls and the remains of silos used to store cereals are the principal attractions
of Ategua for those interested in Roman civilisation.
However, the best known evidence of Ateguas Imperial past is in written form: the
Bellum Hispalense, a text that some authors attribute to Caesar himself. The work
details the conflict in the mid-1st century B.C. in Hispania between the would-be
Emperor, Julius Caesar, and his bitter enemies, Pompey and his heirs. Ategua, like
63
Corduba, was allied with Pompey, and was besieged and destroyed by Caesar who, on
seeing its ample cereal reserves, realised that it provided an ideal place for his troops
to rest and recuperate. The battle for Ategua was the prelude to the historic campaign
against Corduba in which more than 20,000 Cordubans lost their lives.
THE ROMAN BAETICA ROUTE, TOURING HISTORY
The Roman Baetica Route is a non-profit association constituted by 14 town halls
and the local authorities of Cordova, Seville and Cadiz which are placed in the tracing of the former August Route. The route includes de cities of Santiponce, Carmona, La Louisiana, Ecija, Almodvar del Rio, Cordova, Montoro, Almedinilla, Puente
Genil, Osuna, Marchena, Jerez, Cadiz and Tarifa. This route crosses landscapes of
great geographical and natural interest like the Naturae Reserve of la Subbetica Cor-
64
sin embargo, ofrece una clara imagen de cmo debieron ser las
explotaciones mineras en la Crdoba romana.
Si Corduba se someti al proceso de monumentalizacin que han
probado los investigadores; si se construyeron foros, circo, teatro y
anfiteatro parece lgico que se explotasen al mximo los recursos
ms cercanos. Y la piedra de Peatejada, junto a la de otras muchas canteras situadas en el reborde de la Sierra, perfectamente
comunicada con la capital, ofreca la mejor oportunidad para ello.
dobesa, the Campia, the Nature Reserve of the Bay of Cadiz or the Valley of the
Guadalquivir. The route has also signed agreements of collaboration with the regional government of Andalusia.
Almodvar, the old Carbula
The first of those villages, Almodvar del Ro, was known as Carbula even before
the arrival of the roman troops. The town was mentioned by the Roman geographer Pliny in his works and it is believed to have had a certain fame as a commercial
port from which departed merchandise produced in the countryside. In addition to
commerce, Carbula was noted for its potteries and mines. Its importance did not go
unnoticed by the Republic which from the 2nd century B.C. onwards included the
65
El yacimiento de Ategua
En el mismo trmino municipal de la actual ciudad de Crdoba,
junto a la pedana de Santa Cruz, se encuentra el yacimiento arqueolgico de Ategua, un compendio de vestigios pasados en los
que la historia se escribe desde el Calcoltico hasta la Edad Media,
si bien an permanece cerrado al pblico.
De ese libro abierto que es Ategua destaca especialmente el captulo dedicado a su pasado romano. Son innumerables las huellas
que la Repblica, primero, y el Imperio, despus, dejaron en su
territorio. Los restos de un templo, parte de una domus o casa
romana, buena parte de su muralla incluso restos de los silos dedicados al almacenamiento del cereal son los principales atractivos
Yacimiento de Ategua
66
ting the resources around the River Almedinilla and it remained in operation until
the 7th century.
The residential area consists of various rooms around a peristyle, one of which stands
out for its size and decoration, with walls covered with marble slabs and a floor executed in a multi-coloured mosaic which is partly preserved. Currently, a scale model
is kept in the Archaeological Museum which is a reasonably faithful depiction of the
villa in those times. Further, in the patio it is possible to study a monumental fountain which gives an impression of El Ruedos importance, as is also highlighted by the
mosaics and sculptures kept in Almedinillas History Museum.
The residence at El Ruedo had reception halls and rooms, while the area reserved for
agricultural production is a testament to the ingenuity of those Roman citizens who
created a comprehensive irrigation system and developed industrial installations de-
67
Mezquita-Catedral de Crdoba
70
Almedinilla
Una de las piezas ms importantes de la Ruta Btico Romana a su
paso por la provincia de Crdoba es la Villa Romana de El Ruedo.
Situada en el municipio de Almedinilla y con una extensin cercana a los 26.000 metros cuadrados es desde el ao 2005 un Bien de
Inters Cultural especialmente protegido por la Administracin.
Se trata de un yacimiento que abarca desde el siglo I hasta el VII y
en el que es posible descubrir con todo lujo de detalles cmo fue la
vida rural en la antigedad. La de El Ruedo fue una villa convertida
en un completo complejo agrcola y ganadero, integrado por espacios residenciales y productivos, al que se aadi una necrpolis a
partir del siglo III.
Sus habitantes levantaron aquel complejo residencial y productivo
con objeto de explotar los recursos en torno al ro Almedinilla y
mantuvieron su actividad hasta el siglo VII.
La zona residencial consta de diversas habitaciones distribuidas
en torno a un peristilo, entre las que destaca especialmente una
por sus dimensiones y decoracin, con paredes que estuvieron
Montoro
Named Epora by the Romans, Monoto came to be of some importance in the 1st century A.D. Its splendid past can be discovered in its Municipal Museum of Archaeology which houses an important collection of Roman ceramics, various examples of
hand mills and diverse sculptures, including a marble bust and a thoracato statue,
dated to the end of the 1st century and declared to be Property of Cultural Interest.
Realised in white marble, the sculpture portrays a high-ranking political dignatory or
soldier standing in solemn pose. Its decoration is the reason why it has been linked
to pieces in museums in Rome and Ostia. If some researchers are to be believed, all
those pieces belong to a group of sculptures created in the same workshop during the
reign of Emperor Trajan.
71
Puente Genil
The Roman Villa of Fuente lamo, discovered in Puente Genil, constitutes some of
the best evidence of Roman settlement in the town whose founding as such is traditionally dated to the 13th century. The Villa has provided an ample collection of mosaics which bear witness to the power of the owners of the estate. They are currently
exhibited in the cloister of the old convent of La Victoria which has been converted
into the Municipal Museum of Archaeology. Its remains, located three kilometres
from the urban centre, appear to correspond to a arable/pastoral complex which
survived from the 1st century A.D. until the early years of the Muslim conquest,
although its greatest importance was in the 3rd and 4th centuries.
Fuente lamo had an area set aside for nobility, and the remains of a home with
72
Bacanal romana
Uno de los atractivos ms interesantes de la Villa Romana
de El Ruedo son las cenas y almuerzos organizados tras las
visitas guiadas al yacimiento. Unos banquetes en los que se
recrea el ambiente social y cultural de la Roma republicana e
imperial recuperando los platos del recetario de Marco Gavius Apicius (siglo I). Pescados y carnes se mezclan con frutas y especias autctonas acompaados con vino de rosas,
vino tinto afrutado y mulsum, vino caliente mielado. Mientras comen, los visitantes pueden disfrutar de espectculos
teatrales recuperados de las obras clsicas para descubrir al
visitante los mitos e historias de la antigedad.
its reception hall can be seen, along with an area dedicated to agricultural
production.
FAMOUS PEOPLE
Lucius Annaeus Seneca, the philosopher
Lucius Annaeus Seneca was a Corduban whose story and works endure 2,000
years after his death. Senaca was born in 4 B.C. into one of the most well-todo families in the city, the Annei. Son of one of the most distinguished rhetoricians in the Empire, he was educated in Rome and came to occupy some
of the most important offices in the Roman magistracy, being first appointed
Quaestor (treasury official responsible for the administration of public funds)
73
Montoro
Escultura Thoracata (Montoro)
and later tutor to the Emperor. His appointment to the former, influenced by his
family, took place in 51 A.D. Ten years later, he was exiled to Corsica on the orders of
Caligula who was troubled by the prominence that Senenca had acquired. However,
the Corduban philosopher fell back in favour with the Imperial family, becoming,
first, tutor and later councillor to Emperor Nero. .
A large sculpture that for years stood in the City Hall of Cordoba and is now found
in Llanos del Pretorio recalls that time with its portrayal of both figures. That idyllic
situation did not last for long. The alleged participation of Seneca in a plot against the
Emperor lead to the philosophers enforced suicide at home he preferred to end his
own life than be executed in 65 A.D.
Senecas philosophical works cover a wide range of subjects. He did not write a philosophical synopsis but rather set out his philosophy over all his writings, including
74
those concerning nature. Educated in the stoicism prevalent in his period, he came
to hold thoughts and beliefs from other not only different but opposite schools of
thought. His principal objective was to put men on the path to virtue, seeking to
persuade them to think and act with integrity. He never tried in his works to demonstrate a unique truth but rather to bring men nearer to a world of the upstanding.
His works can be divided into four categories: the Dialogues (10 texts of which On
Anger is particularly outstanding), the Letters, the Tragedies and the Epigrams. During his retirement from politics, he also wrote a book entitled Natural Questions.
Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, the poet
Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, born in Corduba in 39 A.D. and nephew of Seneca, was a
75
Personajes ilustres
Lucio Anneo Sneca, el filsofo
Lucio Anneo Sneca, en latn Lucius Annaeus Seneca, es uno
de los cordobeses cuya existencia y obra han logrado sobrevivir
a lo largo de la historia 20 siglos despus de su muerte. Sneca
naci en Corduba en el ao 4 a.C., en el seno de una de las familias ms acomodadas de la ciudad, los Annei. Hijo de uno de
los retricos ms apreciados del Imperio fue educado en Roma
76
leading poet of the age and one of the youngest writers to secure fame. He was made
Poet Laureate by the same Emperor Nero who appointed him as Quaestor before he
was legally old enough to hold that office. Lucanus was educated by his uncle Seneca
in Rome and by the age of 16 could recite poetry in Greek and Latin, and was the author of various works, although only Farsalia is extant, a lengthy poem that narrates
the wars between Caesar and Pompey and recalls the sieges subjected on Ategua and
Corduba by Caesar.
Despite having entered the Emperors closest circle, despite having the Imperial favour and belonging to one of Hispanias and Romes most respected families, Lucanus
was cast down by Nero who prohibited him from participating in public ceremonies.
The young poets response was to participate in the same plot against the Emperor
in which his uncle was incriminated, and like him, after being accused of treason, he
78
79
151-152 B.C., came after fighting against the Celtiberians and opening talks with
them, a move which was criticised in Rome as pacifist. It was at that time that he
retired to Corduba to rest, providing a clue as to the citys existence.
Bishop Osius
Born in Corduba in around 256 A.D, Osius of Cordoba came to be one of the most
relevant and the most influential advisers of Emperor Constantine, who was responsible for the definitive Christianisation of the empire as exemplified by the Edict of
Milan of 313 in which some authors insist Osius had a hand.
The bishop waged a lengthy battle against Arianism, a doctrine which denied the divinity of Jesus, and in 323 he is said to have presided over the Council of Nicea which
laid the framework for the catechisms of the Roman Empire. However, the coming to
80
power of Emperor Constantius, who leaned towards the theories of Arius, lead to the
exile of Osius who died far from Corduba, aged over 100.
Today, the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches revere him as a saint and celebrate his day on 27th August.
ROMAN GASTRONOMY
The cuisine in Roman epoch reached very high degrees of elaboration and refinement.
The cooks, considered artists, were rented together with their utensils, developing an
ambulant cuisine. The houses had in the dining room or room of the Triclinium one
of the principal rooms of the home; a room in which, beside eating, social relations,
ceremonies, debates and educations began and developed.
Always with Mediterranean products (olive tree, grapevine and cereals) presiding
81
Obispo Osio
Osio de Crdoba es el primer obispo de la ciudad. Nacido en Corduba hacia el ao 256 a.C. lleg a ser uno de los consejeros ms
relevantes y con mayor influencia en el Emperador Constantino,
responsable de la cristianizacin definitiva del Imperio, ejemplificada en el Edicto de Miln del ao 313 sobre tolerancia religiosa,
en cuya redaccin, insisten algunos autores intervino Osio.
El obispo cordobs libr una larga batalla contra el arrianismo, que
negaba la divinidad de Jesucristo, y llega en el ao 323 a presidir el
Concilio de Nicea en el que se sientan las bases de la catequizacin
del Imperio romano. Sin embargo, la llegada al poder el emperador
Constancio, ms favorable a las teoras de Arriano, determina el destierro de Osio, que muere lejos de Crdoba con ms de cien aos.
Actualmente, la Iglesia ortodoxa y la Iglesia catlica de rito Oriental lo
veneran como santo confesor, y celebran su fiesta el da 27 de agosto.
Obispo Osio
at the plates, the Roman cuisine was characterized by the use of sauces made by
varied spices and also by the employment of honey. Vegetables, fruits and fish were
completing the diet, which was feasted in special days with meats of diverse origins.
The retainers crowned with laurel or ivy, were initiating the food with an invocation
to the gods Lares.
In every table, by means of an issue of dice, the Arbiter Vivendi was chosen, in charge
of determining the number of times that people had to drink. The food consists of
four parts: the Gustatio (inlets or appetizers): the Summa Comida (principal varied
plates, which more forceful part is the Caputcenae); the Secundae Mesae (desserts);
Comissatio (afterwards) in which texts and poems were recited, debates were established and plays were represented, being this one the moment for drinking the
Mulsum (hot wine).
82
GASTRONOMA ROMANA
La cocina en poca romana alcanz grados de elaboracin y refinamiento
muy altos. Marcos Gavius Apicius fue ono de los ms famosos gastrnomos de la poca de Tiberio. Los cocineros, considerados artistas, se alquilaban junto con sus utensilios, desarrollndose una cocina ambulante.
Las casas tena en el comedor o sala del triclinium una de las principales habitaciones del hogar; una habitacin en la que, adems de comer,
se entablaban relaciones sociales, ceremonias, debates y enseanzas.
Siempre con productos mediterrneos (olivo, vid y cereales) presidiendo
los platos, la cocina romana se caracterizaba por el uso de salsas con especias variadas y tambin por el empleo de la miel. Legumbre, verduras,
frutas y pescados completaban la dieta, que era festejada en das sealados con carnes de diversas procedencias. Los comensales, coronados de
laurel o hiedra, iniciaban la comida con una invocacin a los dioses Lares.
En cada mesa, mediante una tirada de dados, se elega a los arbiter
vivendi, encargados de determinar el nmero de veces que se deba beber. La comida consta de cuatro partes: la gustatio (entrantes o
aperitivos): la summa comida (platos principales variados, cuya parte
ms contundente es la denominada caputcenae); la secundae mesae
(postres); comissatio (sobremesa)
en la que se
recitaban textos y poemas,
se establecan debates y
se representaban obras
teatrales, siendo ste el
momento de beber el
mulsum (vino caliente).
La comida es acompaada
de vino de rosas y vino
tinto. y suele durar entre
tres y cuatro horas.
The food is accompanied of wine of roses and red wine. Marcos Gavius Apicius
was one of the most famous gastronomers of epoch of Tiberio. This food is lasting
between three and four hours and, during the meal some plays are represented across
the movement (Roman pantomime) to recreate myths and legends of the epoch.
83
84
DIRECTORIO / DIRECTORY
AYUNTAMIENTO DE CRDOBA
CORDOBA TOWN HALL
C/ Capitulares, s/n. 14071 Crdoba
Tel: 957 49 99 00 - www.ayuncordoba.es
UNIDAD DE TURISMO Y PATRIMONIO DE LA HUMANIDAD
TOURISM AND WORLD HERITAGE HEADQUARTERS
C/Rey Heredia, 22. 14003 Crdoba. Tel.: 957 20 05 22
CONSORCIO DE TURISMO DE CRDOBA
CORDOBA TOURISM BOARD
C/Rey Heredia, 22. 14003 Crdoba
Tel.: 957 20 17 74 - www.turismodecordoba.org
PUNTOS DE INFORMACIN TURSTICA
TOURISM INFORMATION POINTS
Consorcio de Turismo de Crdoba:
Cordoba Tourism Board:
(Tel.: 902 20 17 74)
Campo Santo de los Mrtires
Frente al Alczar de los Reyes Cristianos.
In front of the Castle of the Christian Monarchs.
Plaza de las Tendillas
Estacin AVE-RENFE
AVE-RENFE Train Station
Junta de Andaluca:
Andalusian Regional Government (Junta de Andaluca):
Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones
Congress and Exhibitions Palace
Mezquita-Catedral
Mosque-Cathedral
C/ Cardenal Herrero, 1. Tel.: 957 470 512
Alczar de los Reyes Cristianos
Castle of the Christian Monarchs
Caballerizas Reales, s/n
Tel: 957 420 151. www.cultura.cordoba.es
Estacin de Autobuses de Crdoba (Restos de acueducto romano)
Cordoba Bus Station (Remains of roman aqueduct)
Glorieta de las Tres Culturas, s/n - Tel.: 957 404 383
www.estacionautobusescordoba.es
Palacio de Maximiano Hercleo
(Yacimiento Arqueolgico de Cercadilla)
Maximilians palace Herculeus
(Cercadilla archaeological site)
Avda Va Augusta s/n. Tel.: 957 47 90 91
Grupos: 697 95 44 45
http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/cultura/web/servicios/espacios_cultura
85
Palacio de La Merced
Palace of La Merced
Plaza Coln, 15
Tel.: 957 21 11 00
www.dipucordoba.es
Hotel Palacio del Bailo
Ramrez de las Casas Deza, 10-12
(Esquina Torres Cabrera, 23)
Tel.: 957 49 89 93
Museo Arqueolgico y Etnolgico
Archaeological and Ethnological Museum
Plaza Jernimo Pez, 7
Tel.: 957 47 10 76. www.juntadeandalucia.es/cultura/museos/MAECO/
Canteras de Peatejada
Quarries at Peatejada
Restaurante Cuevas Romanas
Calle Las Cuevas, s/n, Urb. La Colina,
Tel: 957 32 43 18
www.cuevasromanas.com
VISITAS GUIADAS
GUIDED TOURS
Paseos por Crdoba
Walks round Cordoba
Tel.: 902 201 774
ENLACES
LINKS
Ruta Btica Romana
Route Roman Andalusian
Arco de la Puerta de Sevilla, 41410 Carmona (Sevilla)
Tel.: 954 19 09 55
www.beticaromana.org
Ruta de la Crdoba Romana
The Route of Roman Cordoba
Tel.: 902 201 774
Edita:
Ayuntamiento de Crdoba. Unidad de Turismo y Patrimonio de la Humanidad
Coordinacin y textos:
Portavoz comunicacin & relaciones pblicas. (www.portavozcomunicacion.com)
Diseo y maquetacin:
Insina comunicacin creativa
Fotograf as:
Madero Cubero, Ayuntamientos de Almedinilla, Almodvar del Ro, Montoro y Puente Genil, Gerencia de Urbanismo de Crdoba, Delegacin de Cultura de La Junta de Andaluca, Holley Hayes, Aquafontis, Toni Castillo, archivo.
Traduccin:
Academia Britnica
Imprime:
Imprenta Luque
Edicin Febrero 2009
Algunos derechos reservados. Los contenidos de este web estn sujetos a una licencia de Creative Commons
(Reconocimiento-No comercial-Compartir bajo la misma licencia 3.0 Espaa License).
Para ms informacin: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/deed.es
86
PLANO GUA
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
87
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
88