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Corduba was founded by the General Claudius Marcellus between 169 b.C and 152 B.C., settled, as we shall see in the paragraph relating to urban design, in front of the Guadalquivir River (in the part which it ceases to be navigable) in a perfect strategical situation. During the early years, the romans lived with the primitive people and in villages near the city, but it was slowly disappearing.
The new city, was set on the higher hill, and since the beginning it was the main city of the Hispania Ulterior (the far Spain), which speaks of the importance of our city since ancient times. Then there were internal struggles in Rome, struggle among Caesar and Pompeius’s sons, that ended with the end of the Republic Period. The city took the Pompeian party, the losing side, so that reprisals were not expected, and Córdoba, which then it had more than 20.000 residents, was severely punished, starting a long period of recession. This situation led to a situation of decadence.
When Augustus arrived the things changed because he brought a lot of ex warriors, who were given a lot of plots in the North, assigning them large plots of land. In this period Córdoba is named Patrice Colony, despite their political background, which is the higher status for a roman city (also were Carthago Nova, or Astigi Tarraco in Hispania).
In the I Century A.C. the city changes because of this change in status: the walls became wider and there is a period of great splendour: beautiful monuments are built: the Forum of Augustus in Rome, the Provincial Forum, the Central Port, situated close to the Christian Kings Alcazar; and the Roman Bridge, giving access to the city from the south, or the first aqueduct that assured water supply permanently.
Due to the relationship with the Emperor, it was built a temple, the Roman Temple of Claudius Marcellus Street. The completion of this complex as a central public square in official activities - says Desiderio Vaquerizo - was conceived as a tribute to the city to the Emperor and his family, dedicated to his worship.
In addition to this many domus and insulae were built as well: they were like little sections. On the other hand, we can not forget the monumentality that took landscape funeral, to the experts, it had nothing to envy to the capital of Empire. Along the first few tracks that come with leaving the city, retaining the best example is that of the Mausoleums of Galician Door, and we will see below in more detail.
This spendour of the city is kept till the first crisis of the III Century. In this period very few buildings are built and poor materials are used, so the workshops are in crisis and thus begin to have more space and reused old houses because of lack of new construction. This leads to the loss of the provincial capital of Córdoba.
The unique bulding made in that period was the Palace of Emperor Maximian: the palace was built for the Emperor Maximianus Herculius whenever he visited the city.
We made a short analysis of the urban development of the city. Next, and as usual, we made a short itinerary of the most important monuments that have been preserved. |
