Conímbriga facts for kids
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A view of the ruins of the Roman settlement of Conímbriga
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| Alternative name | Ruins of Conímbriga |
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| Location | Coimbra, Baixo Mondego, Centro, Portugal |
| Coordinates | 40°5′58″N 8°29′26″W / 40.09944°N 8.49056°W |
| Type | Ruins |
| Site notes | |
| Archaeologists | unknown |
| Ownership | Portuguese Republic |
| Public access | Public Ramal da EN342, near the village of Condeixa-a-Velha |
Conímbriga is one of the biggest Roman settlements ever found in Portugal. It was named a National Monument in 1910, which means it's a very important historical site. You can find it near the town of Condeixa-a-Nova, about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) away. It's also about 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Coimbra, which was once a Roman town called Aeminium.
Conímbriga was a city surrounded by strong stone walls, about 1,500 meters (4,900 feet) long. To get inside, people passed through special arched entrances with two doors. These entrances were once protected by towers. Along the walls, there were passages to help drain water away.
Inside the city, there were many buildings. These included a main square (called a forum), a large public building (basilica), and shops. There were also public baths (thermal spas), water channels (aqueducts), and different types of homes. Some homes were tall apartment-like buildings called insulae, while others were large houses with courtyards, known as domus. Famous domus include the Casa dos Repuxos (House of Fountains) and the Casa de Cantaber. There was even an early Christian church (paleo-Christian basilica).
Today, there's a visitors' center at Conímbriga. It has a restaurant, a gift shop, and a museum. The museum shows off many items found by archaeologists. These include old coins, tools for surgery, everyday items, and pottery.
Contents
History of Conímbriga
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How Conímbriga Started
Like many old places, Conímbriga was built up over a long time. People first lived here around 900 BCE (Before Common Era). At that time, the area was home to the Castro culture, who built fortified villages. Before the Romans arrived, the native Conii people lived here.
The name Conímbriga comes from two old words. Conim was used by local people to mean "a place on a rocky hill." Briga is a Celtic word meaning "citadel" or "fortress." This spot was important because it was on a road connecting two other Roman cities: Olisipo (modern Lisbon) and Bracara Augusta (modern Braga).
Roman Arrival and Growth
Around 139 BCE, the Romans began to arrive in this area. Conímbriga was already a settled place. The Romans brought their way of organizing cities. Because the local people in Lusitania (ancient Portugal) were peaceful, they quickly adopted Roman ways. Conímbriga soon became a rich and busy town.
Between 69 and 79 CE (Common Era), during the rule of Emperor Vespasian, Conímbriga became a Roman municipium. This meant it had its own local government. New building projects began. Based on the size of the amphitheater, the city likely had about 10,600 people living there. Many new Roman settlers came from Italy and married local people.
The famous Casa dos Repuxos (House of Fountains) was started in the 2nd century CE. By the end of the 3rd century, the city's old walls were replaced with stronger ones. Many of the city's large homes were also built or updated around this time. An early Christian church was built in the 4th century.
Sadly, between 465 and 468 CE, invaders called the Sueves attacked and destroyed the city. Many people left, and some were even taken as slaves.
Conímbriga After the Romans
After the Roman period, Conímbriga was still important for a while. A bishopric (an area led by a bishop) was set up here between 561 and 572 CE. However, by 589 CE, the bishop's seat moved to Aeminium, which later became the city of Coimbra.
For many centuries, Conímbriga was mostly forgotten. In the 18th century, old church records started mentioning it again. This led to the first formal studies and excavations in 1873. Archaeologists began to uncover mosaics and plan out the ancient city.
Modern Discoveries
In 1911, a museum was created to hold the items found at Conímbriga. In 1930, the Portuguese government bought the land and started official excavations. More work was done in the 1950s and 1960s to rebuild and protect the ruins.
The Conímbriga Monographic Museum opened in 1962. Later, archaeologists from the University of Bordeaux helped uncover the center of the Roman city. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, more work was done to protect the mosaics, expand the museum, and make the site better for visitors. This included building a new roof over the Casa dos Repuxos in 1986 to protect its famous mosaics.
In the 1990s and 2000s, there were projects to update the museum and improve visitor facilities. They even rebuilt parts of the forum and southern baths.
What Conímbriga Looks Like
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The ruins of Conímbriga are located on a flat, triangular piece of land. This land is surrounded by two deep valleys. Even though Conímbriga wasn't the biggest Roman city in Portugal, it is the best preserved. Experts believe that only about 10 percent of the city has been dug up so far!
City Layout and Buildings
The city shows how it changed over time, from the Iron Age to the 5th century. There were three main periods of building:
- Early Roman Period (1st century BCE): This included an early forum (main square) with shops, public baths, an aqueduct, and pre-Roman homes.
- Later Roman Period (1st century CE): The forum was rebuilt, new baths were added, and the city plan was updated.
- Late Roman Period (3rd century CE): The city's walls were rebuilt and made stronger.
Many homes were remodeled and reused over time. Most homes were insulae (multi-story buildings) with open courtyards. Larger homes, called domus, like the Casa dos Repuxos and Casa de Cantaber, had fancy courtyards with columns. Many buildings, both private and public, were decorated with beautiful mosaics, sculptures, and painted walls.
Baths and Walls
There are three different bath complexes within the city walls: the Great Southern Baths, the Baths of the Wall, and the Baths of the Aqueduct. A cool feature of these Roman baths is the network of stone heating ducts under where the floors used to be. These ducts would have carried hot air to warm the rooms.
An amphitheater was also found, dating from the end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty (early Roman emperors). It was built into a natural dip in the land north of the city. This amphitheater could hold about 5,000 people. Some local homes were even built using parts of its structure.
The city walls are very strong and look like they were built quickly. They are made of large, rough stone blocks, many taken from other buildings. The walls are between 5 meters (16 feet) and 6.5 meters (21 feet) tall.
Other Structures
From the time of the Suebic occupation, there is an early Christian church (paleo-Christian basilica). This church was actually a transformed Roman domus.
Archaeological teams have uncovered and even partly rebuilt some very large public buildings. Because the city was built in layers, it's sometimes hard to know exactly what the earliest structures looked like before they were changed or replaced.
See also
In Spanish: Conímbriga para niños
- Aeminium
- Lusitania
