Empuries (also Emporiae or Emporion) was a Greek and then Roman colony on the northeastern coast of Spain. Thriving as a local and Mediterranean trading centre, it prospered from the 6th century BCE to the 2nd century CE. Several times the Romans used the port as a landing place for armies to invade and plunder Iberia and they established a military camp at the site which evolved into a small town embellished with the usual collection of Roman architectural features. The site today offers the visitor extensive ruins, notably a large portion of the city walls, a crytpoportico, forum space, and large private houses.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 550 BCEEmpuries is founded by colonists from Massalia.
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218 BCEScipio Africanus lands an army at Empuries in northeastern Spain during the Second Punic War.
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211 BCEScipio Africanus lands an army for the second time at Empuries in northeastern Spain during the Second Punic War.
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195 BCEMarcus Porcius Cato serves as consul and lands an army at Empuries in northeastern Spain to quash the Iberian revolt.
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c. 100 BCEThe Roman military camp at Empuries begins to transform into a town.
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45 BCEJulius Caesar settles legionary veterans at Empuries.
