Lucentum
.jpg)
Lucentum was an ancient city in what is now Spain . It is the predecessor of today's city of Alicante . The remains of Lucentum are about 3 kilometers north of today's city center.
The oldest archaeological remains of the city date to the end of the 5th or the beginning of the 4th century BC. The actual city foundation probably goes back to the second half of the 3rd century BC. BC back. A wall was built that enclosed about 3 hectares on a hill. A second outer wall was erected about 10 meters in front of it. House remains show Punic influence. The city is probably a Carthaginian foundation; it can be identified with Akra Leuka ( Greek : Ἄκρα Λευκή = "white mountain" or "white point"), which is known from literary sources. The founding year is 325 and 324 BC. Chr. Indicated. The architecture is strongly influenced by Punic as well as Hellenistic influences.
In the 2nd century BC The place was destroyed and probably largely abandoned for a short time. This was certainly a consequence of the Second Punic War . At the end of the 2nd century BC BC the fortress was rebuilt. The character of the place at this time is unclear, but it will have had purely military functions. 201 BC The fortress was conquered by the Romans , who called it Lucentum . At the end of the 1st century BC The place was expanded to a city and received a forum . For the 1st century AD, the status as a city ( Municipium ) is documented. She received a checkerboard map. Outside the small town, suburbs emerged, especially towards the sea.
A decline can already be observed at the end of the 1st century AD. In the 3rd century the city was largely deserted. The Moors did not settle again until the 8th century .
literature
- Manuel H. Olcina Domènech: Lucentum. Orign and evolution of a Roman municipium in the Sinus Ilcitanus . In: Abad Casal, S. Keay, S. Ramallo Asensio (eds.): Early Roman Towns in Hispania Tarraconensis , Portsmouth, Rhode Island 2006. ISBN 1-887829-62-8 , pp. 105-117.
Web links
Coordinates: 38 ° 21 '52 " N , 0 ° 26' 18" W.