During my trip to Coimbra, previously, we passed the ruins of an ancient Roman city whose remains are even today tourist attraction.
Since childhood I've heard of them, but only in 2014 that I was able to visit. The expectation was great for what I saw I must confess...
Conímbriga is one of the largest Roman settlements, classified as a National Monument. The town was at the time of the Roman invasion of the Iberian Peninsula, the main city of Escalabitano Convent, Roman province of Lusitania. It is 16 km from Coimbra.
This locality was in the road that went from Olisipo (Lisboa) to Braca Augusta (Braga). At the end of century IV, with the decline of the Roman Empire, it was built a walled waist for urban defense, whose ruins are still amenable to see. In the context of the barbarian invasions in the Iberian Peninsula in 464, the Swabians attacked the city, but the victory of the Visigoths on the latter, made Conímbriga lost his episcopal status for Emínio (Coimbra), which had better defense conditions.
The first excavations began in 1899 and between 1930 and 1944 were discovered, the public baths, three villas, especially the House of the Fountains, paved with mosaics and a central garden where they kept an entire plumbing system with more than 500 fountains. It was also revealed an early Christian basilica, a villa with private spa, a forum, that was demolished (at the time of the Flavian) to make room for a larger one. In 1962, the Museum of Conimbriga is totally dedicated to the archaeological site where it's inserted, and in it are exposed artifacts like coins and surgical instruments.
I confess that for those who aren't big fan of history and visiting the ruins, this is not a very appealing place, unlike the lovers of Roman civilization. But it's always wonderful to see what was built centuries ago without today's technology, and the importance that people attributed to certain places and objects, to know the way of life and culture of a people who came before us.
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