Roman Villa of Tourega

The Roman villa of Tourega is in the parish of Nossa Senhora da Tourega in the Évora District of the Alentejo region of Portugal [1]. During Roman occupation of Portugal it was part of the province of Lusitania, situated a few kilometers to the southwest of Civitas Ebora Liberalitas Julia [1]. It was next to the Roman road to Salacia (present-day Alcácer do Sal) and only five kilometers from the Roman road to Pax Julia, the modern-day Beja [1]. Excavations indicate that it was in use between the mid-first century CE and the end of the fourth century and that, at least in the third century, it belonged to a family of senatorial rank [1]. The area excavated so far consists of a large thermal bath with separate facilities for men and women, with hot and cold water [1]. Excavations found numerous fragments of terra sigillata or ancient Roman pottery as well as of amphorae [1]. Almost all of the amphorae found had contained fish products and had probably been mainly used for products from the Sado River estuary [1].