Roman cities in Portugal


The territory that is modern-day Portugal would be romanized in the sequence of the Second Punic War, through the Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula.
The Romans would create some Roman cities, as well as romanize some previously existing settlements. As a general rule, cities with names ending in -briga are thought to have existed before the romanization of the territory, but that is not always the case.
Of the 32 Mansiones in the Lusitania Province mentioned in the old Itinerarium sources, only about half are currently identified.

Administrative divisions

During the era of Augustus, the Iberian Pensinsula was divided into the provinces of Lusitania, Baetica, and Tarraconensis. These provinces were then divided into conventi. The Lusitania province was divided into the conventi of Augusta Emerita, Pax Julia, and Scalabis. Yet, roman cities were more important than conventi in the Peninsula. The two main types of roman cities were the coloniae and the municipia. In the Iberian Peninsula, the terms municipia and civitas are interchangeable. In 73/74 a.C.E., the lex Flavia municipalis by Vespasian would grant all urban centers of modern-day Portugal Latin rights and the distinction between urban centers diminished over time after this law. Everday administration was done by Aediles, Quaestores and Duoviri, which communicated with the imperial government.
Villae were settlements that produced farming goods for the local markets and included multiple buildings, such as residential houses, barns, and gardens. In Lusitania, most villae were located around a few cities or spread along the southern coast.

Map of Roman cities and towns in Portugal

List of Roman cities and towns in Portugal

Latin name TypeEnglish Name
AeminiumMunicipiumCoimbra
Aquae FlaviaeMunicipiumChaves
AmmaiaVillaSão Salvador da Aramenha, Marvão
ArabrigaAlenquer
ArandisGarvão, a parish of Ourique
AretiumAlvega
Aviarium, AveriusAveiro
Baesuris, EsuriCastro Marim
Balsawest of Tavira
ElbocorisBobadela
Bracara AugustaBraga
BrigantiaBragança
CaecilianaVilla
CaetobrigaSetúbal
CalipolisVila Viçosa
Castra LeucaCastelo Branco
CilpesSilves
AravorumCivitasMarialva Castle, near Mêda
CalabrigaCivitasMonte do Castelo, Almendra
CobelcorumCivitasAlmofala, Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo
Centum CellasVillaColmeal da Torre, a parish of Belmonte
CollipoLeiria
ConimbrigaMunicipiumCondeixa-a-Nova, south of Coimbra
Conistorgis
DipoElvas
Ebora, Ebora Cerealis, Liberalitas JuliaMunicipiumÉvora
Eburobritium, EburobrittiumCivitasÓbidos
Egitandiorum, EgiptaniaMunicipiumIdanha-a-Velha
EquabonaCoina, a parish of Barreiro
Guimaranis, VimaranisGuimarães
IpsesAlvor
Lacobriga, LaccobrigaMunicipiumLagos
LamecumLamego
LancobrigaFiães, a parish of Santa Maria da Feira
LoricaLoriga, a parish of Seia
MalatecaMarateca, a parish of Palmela
Metallum VipascenseMina de Aljustrel, central Alentejo
Mirobriga CelticorumSantiago do Cacém
MondobrigaAlter do Chão
Moronnear Santarém
Myrtilis IuliaMértola
Sellium, Nabantia, Nabancia, SelleumTomar
Olisipo, Olisipo Felicitas Iulia, Felicitas Julia Olissipo, Ulyssipolis, UlisseiaMunicipiumLisbon
OssonobaFaro
Pacensis, Pax Iulia, Pax AugustaColonia, CivitasBeja
Portus AlacerPortalegre
Portus CalePorto
Portus HannibalisPortimão
Urbs Imperatoria Salacia, BevipoAlcácer do Sal
Scalabis, Scalabis Preasidium Iulium, Scallabi Castrum, Præsidium Iulium, Scallabis Praesidium Iulium, Scallabis IuliaColoniaSantarém
SirpeSerpa
SinusSines
TalabaraAlpedrinha, a parish of Fundão
TalabrigaMarnel, near Águeda
TongobrigaFreixo, Marco de Canaveses
TritiumCovilhã
Tubucci AurantesAbrantes
VeniatiaVinhais
EuraciniVillaPóvoa de Varzim
VipascaAljustrel
VissaiumViseu