Discovering the Hidden Ruins of Roman Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

There might not be as many Roman remains in Lisbon as elsewhere in Portugal. However Felicitas Iulia Olisipo, as it was known, was once one of the most important trading centres of the Roman empire. Fragments of the ancient civilisation can be discovered if you look hard enough, but it may take a bit of planning to visit all of the sites.

According to legend, Lisbon was founded by the Greek hero Odysseus. It was certainly occupied by the Phoenicians and the Greeks before the Romans arrived, making it one of the oldest cities in Europe. The location on the Tagus river was ideal both as a port and as a centre for fish processing. For many centuries Lisbon’s economy was based upon garum (a fermented fish sauce that was popular in Roman times), which was manufactured here and exported around the empire.

The area now known as Baixa (the lower lying land close to the river) was the industrial part of the city with several fish factories. The houses of the wealthy and the public buildings were further away: for instance, the amphitheatre was higher up the hill in the Alfama district. Although most of the Roman city was built over in subsequent centuries, particularly during the Moorish occupation, the earthquake of 1755 exposed many previously unknown Roman ruins. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).