Juliobriga

Juliobriga was the most important urban centre in Roman Cantabria, as attested by Pliny the Elder, located at modern Retortillo in the municipality of Campoo de Enmedio, Spain. Founded during the Cantabrian Wars (29-19 BCE), the city was named after the gens Julia of Emperor Augustus combined with the Celtic element -briga. Strategically positioned in the Besaya valley, it controlled trade between the Douro river and the Bay of Biscay. The city peaked between the late 1st and early 2nd century CE before declining and being abandoned by the 3rd century. Archaeological remains include the forum, streets, and a reconstructed upper-class domus.