Barcino: A Roman City in Catalonia
Origins and Founding
Despite legends attributing its founding to Hercules or the Carthaginian Barca family, Barcino (officially Colonia Iulia Augusta Paterna Faventia Barcino) was established as a Roman colony by Emperor Augustus in 14 BC, following the Cantabrian Wars and administrative reforms in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula. This timing placed Barcino’s founding later than other Roman cities in present-day Catalonia.
The city was built on a small hill called Mons Taber, situated on a fertile plain between the Llobregat and Besòs rivers, near the Collserola mountain range. The land was divided through centuriation, a system of land distribution among settlers, resulting in intensive agricultural activity with numerous villas. Wine production was prominent, with much of it exported, alongside the cultivation of cereals and fishing, particularly for oysters. Other resources included iron mines in Montjuïc and sandstone, a key construction material for Barcino’s buildings.
Urban Layout and Infrastructure
Barcino’s initial extent was limited, enclosed by walls with towers and four gates, covering around 10 hectares. The city adhered to the typical Roman grid layout, adapted to the hill’s topography. The two main streets, the cardo maximus and decumanus maximus, intersected at the forum, forming the city’s central axis. The cardo maximus ran perpendicular to the coast, corresponding to the present-day Carrer del Bisbe and Carrer de la Llibreteria, while the decumanus maximus followed the mountain-sea axis, aligning with Carrer del Call and Carrer de Regomir. Side streets (cardines and decumani minores) were initially spacious, featuring drainage systems and forming a grid pattern.
Population and Housing
The first settlers were primarily of Italic origin, with the population reaching around 2,000 inhabitants at its peak. Despite its relatively small size compared to other Augustan foundations, Barcino boasted impressive public spaces. This suggests it was conceived as a significant administrative and religious center, encompassing other urban centers and existing villas in the Laietana region.
Remains of various types of houses (domus) have been discovered, particularly around the forum (now Plaça del Rei) and along Carrer del Bisbe. Notably, excavations beneath Plaça de Sant Miquel revealed houses with beautiful mosaics, including the famous mosaic of the Three Graces. Later, these houses were replaced by insulae, multi-story apartment buildings.
Public Buildings and Infrastructure
Public buildings, such as the ones found under Plaça de Sant Miquel, were often donated by wealthy families. One such family, the Minicii, played a prominent role in Roman Barcino, belonging to the senatorial class. A member of this family, Lucius Minicius Natalis, even participated in the Olympic Games in 129 AD.
The forum, located at the intersection of the cardo maximus and decumanus maximus, covered a large area encompassing the present-day Palau de la Generalitat and surrounding streets. A grand temple, likely dedicated to the imperial cult, was built in the late 1st century AD. This rectangular temple featured a hexastyle peripteral design with two columns in antis. Today, four columns, the podium, and part of the eastern corner remain.
Two aqueducts supplied water to the city, converging near the present-day Plaça Nova, where remains have allowed for a reconstruction of an arcade surrounding them. Sections of the aqueducts have also been discovered beneath Carrer de Duran i Bas. The names of some streets (e.g., Arcs, Volta dels Fusters) still reflect the presence of these aqueducts. Water was sourced from the Collserola mountains and the Besòs river.
Necropolis and City Walls
As was customary in Roman cities, areas near access roads were designated for burials. The necropolis near Plaça de la Vila de Madrid contains 85 funerary elements from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, including simple burials (cupae), stelae, altars, and tile or amphora coverings.
Among the most impressive Roman remains in Barcelona are the city walls. The original walls were significantly reinforced in the 4th century AD, a period of economic prosperity for the city amidst political and military instability in the empire. The walls were heightened to 9 meters, doubled in width to 4 meters, and fortified with numerous towers, reaching a total of 78. The four gates were also rebuilt, with the two decumanus gates partially preserved. The reconstruction utilized materials from abandoned tombs and buildings, some of which have been recovered.
Barcino’s rich history and archaeological remains offer a fascinating glimpse into Roman urban life and its enduring legacy in present-day Barcelona.