Hispania>Tarraconensis>Astvrica Avgvsta (Astorga, Spain)

Author: * Caradoc Durotriges - 1 Post on this thread out of 4 Posts sitewide.
Date: Mar 22, 2004 - 06:25

ASTVRICA AVGVSTA

INTRODUCTION	In recent years the Roman town of Asturica Augusta (Astvrica Avgvsta) has been the object of a series of rescue excavations which have begun to transform our understanding of one of the most important towns in the north-western corner of Hispania Tarraconensis. Astvrica, originally founded as a military camp for Augustus during the wars against the Cantabric and the Astvrian people. Astvrica Avgvsta became home to veteran Roman legionnaires; the layout of streets in the old quarter, parallel and perpendicularly, witnesses their origin even today. It became capital of the "conventurs juridici" of the Citerior (the name given to the judicial districts into which the provinces of Hispania were divided in the early years of the Roman Empire). Excavations have revealed some evidence for the nature of the Augustan town, and point to the influence of the military origin of the town in the street pattern and drainage system. However there is little doubt that the Flavian period is the key to our understanding the monumental development of Astvrica. This is particularly true of the forum and basilica, which were built at this time. Other public buildings uncovered in recent years include a set of public baths. Excavations have also revealed a number of private residences, of early Imperial date, some of which were richly decorated with mosaic floors and painted wall-plaster. The urban vitality of the town seems to have come to an end in the middle of the third century AD. A wall-circuit was constructed around the town and public and private buildings were progressively abandoned, even though the town remained an important population centre during later antiquity.
THE SILVER WAY	Rome took care of establishing ways of communication between its different posts, with the purpose of conquering and Romanising, as well as holding back barbarian invasions. Having founded Gijon (Gigia), Oviedo (Lucus Asturum) and Leon (Legio VII Gemina) it was necessary that they be intercommunicated and linked to Astvrica Avgvsta, the septentronial extreme of the Silver Way as well as establishing a route out to sea; thus in the days of Emperor Augustus the road was extended northwards with the Gijon-Astvrica Avgvsta branch. But the Silver Way's "natural" purpose was to reach from Emerita Avgvsta to Hispalis (Sevilla) and the southern ports, joining the North and the South of the Iberian Peninsula; the Emerita - Hispalis branch closes this communication way for many Hispanian cities in the west, and continues doing so two thousand years later by means of National Road 630 between Gigia (Gijón) and Hisapalis (Sevilla), which coincides almost exactly with its original layout. The Silver Way was built from Gigia to Hispalis, taking advantage of the natural passages which for thousands of years had been used by the inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula.
The Roads	Communication with the north, reaching Gigia, allowed the merchandise, minerals and troops concentrated in Astvrica Avgvsta a passage out to sea. Beginning in Emerita Avgvsta there were numerous Roman roads linking with the South, the most important one being the road reaching Hispalis, from where the riches mentioned above were directed towards the Mediterranean in order to reach their final destination, Rome. But since "all roads lead to Rome", once peace was installed, north to south was how the carts went, transporting minerals and all sorts of products to Emerita Avgvsta, which were then taken to Mediterranean ports and sent to Rome. In the 2nd century seven Roman roads converged at Astvrica Avgvsta, it was an important communications centre, for here is where the roads from Lusitania and the Cantabric coast (the branches of Santander, Coruña, Padron, and Barga) came together and reached Gigia (Gijon), via Leon (Legio). The gold, silver and iron from the rich mineral deposits in Gallaecia and Astvrias, but also agricultural products and goods shipped from Britania and Hibernia, were all gathered in Astvrica Avgvsta, and then transported along the Roman road , the Silver Way, to Emerita Avgvsta. The great Trans-Pyrenean route that, beginning in Bvrdigala (Bourdeaux) crossed Roncesvalles, Pompaelo (Pamplona) and Logroño, also reached Astvrica Avgvsta, and was later to become the Way of Santiago; the fact of its being a crossroads, a station for pilgrims, and an Episcopal city, have give Astvrica Avgvsta a great monumental richness, although from the Roman days it only conserves an ergastulum or prison and the walls that fortified the city during the Lower Roman Empire. In San Martin de Torres, on the "Pico de las Eras", is the "Mansio of Bedunia", with its fortified jetty over the Orbigo river, and there are also remains of an aqueduct and what might have been a Roman Theatre. Before ending the journey of the Route of Silver through Legio (León), we must not forget the Roman villa of Los Villares (in Quintana del Marco), where the famous "mosaque of Hylas" was discovered.
MANSIOS AND MILLIARIES	Under Augustus branches or secondary roads were made, and every 20 kilometres along all Roman roads "mansios" were set up. These were establishments in which to spend the night, rest or deposit goods. Of the 600 "mansios" inventoried in the peninsula, 14 are along the Silver Way between Astvrica Avgvsta and Emerita Avgvsta. They also laid down milliaries or milestones, which were landmarks that told about the emperor under whom construction had taken place and the distance in miles from the city of origin. The Roman mile equals, 1,480 metres. Thanks to the milliaries we know that, after Augustus, the emperors Tiberius, Trajan and Hadrian dedicated special attention to the Silver Way. Remains of its construction and exhaustive investigations have allowed its layout to be determined with almost absolute precision. The way along which minerals and war, settlements and peace were exchanged - the Roman road that linked Merida and Astvrica Avgvsta - still describes one of the most exciting itineraries in Spanish geography.
Epilogue	Astvrica Avgvsta, actually Astorga, is the capital of La Maragateria, a Spanish district made up of 40 towns spread out over an area of 400 square kilometres, overlooked by Mt. Teleno (2,189m). It is striking due to its marked personality and the peculiarity of its customs, which might be of Celtic, Berber or Mozarabic origin, the attribution's are manifold. Regardless of their origin, the "Maragatos" conserve very particular manifestations in their family rites, solemn weddings and the colourful costumes and dances.

S.P.Q.R.