Conimbriga


 The archeological site of Conimbriga is a short bus ride from Coimbra and a step back more than 2,000 years into the past. It was occupied by pre-Roman Celts, with the Romans beginning to arrive around 139 BC. The rural people integrated peacefully with the Romans, and the area grew to become an urban center with more than 10,000 inhabitants by 79 AD. Each expansion of the area was built upon the existing structures – so that some parts of the wall surrounding Conimbriga date back more than 2,000 years.  

While not the largest Roman city in Portugal, they are the most well preserved ruins. You can learn more about the history of the area here.

At Conimbriga you are met by a visitor’s center and museum as you enter from the parking lot. A short walk behind and you are suddenly among an entire village of ruins, with parts of the city wall still remaining, and large areas of mosaic tiles visible. The huge area of well-preserved tiles are impressive, as are structures such as a forum, the Roman and pre-Roman baths, aqueducts, and both humble and elaborate homes – including the Casa dos Repuxos (or House of Fountains) that includes several large fountains and large tile mosaics protected under a canopy.



It is striking to me how much the excavated site, including the tile floors, are simply open at the site where they were found. Sure, many artifacts are now in the  museum at the site, but large areas of tile are still expose on the ground of the homes and spas on site. You are simple requested to keep to the paths and catwalks, and not sit or stand on the walls. In the US, these would undoubtedly have been excavated and behind glass in a museum. It has been estimated that only about 10% of the community has been excavated so far.
The site also tells us a bit about how powerless the average people were in Roman times. The ruins show us that a new forum was built to as a sacred enclosure that framed the temple dedicated to the cult of the divinized emperor and of his family. This new, huge structure in the center of town, was made room for by simply building it atop of a large group of existing homes, displacing the current residents in order to worship the Emperor.

Another example of what seems like capricious planning, was the new defensive wall hastily built at Conimbriga in the 3rdcentury to protect the inner part of the community from invading barbarians. It was about a quarter of the size of the area surrounded by the previous wall – but a much more fortified construction. 

My imagination couldn’t help but wonder about how it was decided where the new wall would be built. The beautiful (and huge) House of Fountains, for example, would now be just outside of the protection of the new wall. How had the owner of this estate fallen so out of favor with those in power that the wall did not extend around their home? This, history does not tell us. 


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