Lacobriga facts for kids
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Lacobriga was an ancient town that is now known as Lagos in Portugal. It was a very old settlement with a long history. The nearby Archaeological Site of Monte Molião is also sometimes called Lacobriga.
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What Was Lacobriga?
Lacobriga was first settled around 1899 BC by a group of people called the Conii. Later, around the seventh century BC, there is proof that Phoenician traders also visited the area. The Phoenicians were famous ancient sailors and merchants.
Carthaginian Control and Rebuilding
The town was later taken over by the Carthaginians. They were a powerful group from North Africa. A famous Carthaginian general named Hamilcar Barca recruited local Celtic tribesmen from Lacobriga to fight in the Punic Wars against the Romans.
Sadly, the original town was destroyed by a big earthquake in the fourth century BC. After this disaster, a Carthaginian captain named Boodes helped rebuild the city in 250 BC. He chose the spot where Lagos is today.
Life Under Roman Rule
Because Lacobriga had an important harbor, the Romans eventually took control of it. The town became part of the Roman province called Lusitania. This is when it became widely known as Lacobriga.
In 76 BC, a Roman general named Quintus Sertorius rebelled against the Roman government. He got help from the local people of Lacobriga, called the Lusitanians. These Lusitanians had been treated badly by other Roman generals. Sertorius and his allies defeated the Roman army of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius near Lacobriga, possibly at Monte Molião.
After the Roman Empire
When the Western Roman Empire fell apart, Lacobriga was taken over by different groups. In the 6th century, the Visigoths arrived from their kingdom in Toledo. Later, the town was occupied by the Byzantines, who were from the Eastern Roman Empire.
See also
In Spanish: Lacóbriga para niños
