Tarragona

The real founding date of Tarragona is unknown [1]. During the Roman Republic, the city was fortified and much enlarged as a Roman colony by the brothers Publius Cornelius Scipio and Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus, who converted it into a fortress and arsenal against the Carthaginians [1]. The city was first named Colonia Iulia Urbs Triumphalis Tarraco and was capital of the province of Hispania Citerior [1]. Augustus wintered at Tarraco after his Cantabrian campaign, and bestowed many marks of honour on the city, among which were its honorary titles of Colonia Victrix Togata and Colonia Julia Victrix Tarraconensis [1]. According to Mela, it was the richest town on the coast, and Strabo represents its population as equal to that of Carthago Nova [1]. The Roman ruins of Tarraco have been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO [1].