Baelo Claudia is one of the ancient Roman cities on the Iberian Peninsula whose ruins are best preserved to this day. It is located in the immediate vicinity of the picturesque Bay of Bolonia, in the province of Cadiz in Andalusia, less than 2 hours from Marbella. This unique archaeological site is visited by over 100,000 tourists from all over the world every year.
The rise and fall of Baelo Claudia
Without a doubt, this city confirms the presence of Roman civilisation and its influence on the culture and history of southern Spain. According to historians, it was founded at the end of the 2nd century BC, during the time when Phoenician-Punic communities inhabited this area. The strategic location on the Strait of Gibraltar proved to be crucial for the development of Baelo Claudia. Contemporary archaeological excavations are only 14 km away from the place where the European continent meets Africa.
The intensive development of the city was influenced, on the one hand, by tuna fishing, processing and trade, due to the migratory movements of this species in the nearby waters of the Mediterranean Sea, and on the other hand, by its proximity to Africa. This shaped trade between the continents. The peak period of Baelo Claudia’s existence was during the reign of Emperor Claudius (41-54 AD) – the city was named in his honour. At that time, it was also equipped with new monumental buildings: a forum and a temple complex were built.
The decline of Baelo Claudia began with two earthquakes. According to the expertise of archaeologists and historians, the first episode took place in 40-60 AD, and the second in 260-290 AD.
In the 3rd century AD, the city was repeatedly attacked by pirates, both Germanic and Berber. Despite several attempts at reconstruction, Baelo Claudia never regained its former glory. Its ancient inhabitants left it in the 6th or early 7th century AD, during the so-called Visigothic period, just before the Arab invasion in 711.
Ruins of the forum and temple of the Egyptian goddess
The city plan is a typical example of Roman architecture in this region and is additionally beautifully situated on the seashore. Here we can observe a rectangular street layout based on two main arteries: the decumanus maximus, running from east to west, and the cardo maximus, running from north to south. Experts indicate that the ancient city covers an area of 13 hectares, which in its heyday was surrounded by walls with gates. Interestingly, the architecture is not lacking in African inspiration. The layout of the centre resembles that of Leptis Magna in Tripoli, where there is a similar relationship between the temples and the basilica.
The heart of ancient Baelo Claudia was the forum. The public square was crowned on the north side by three magnificent, identical temples of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva, forming the so-called Capitoline Triad. In the immediate vicinity, there was a temple dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis. The presence of this building in such an important place was due to the fact that Isis was considered the patron saint of sailors, which explains her significance in a city so strongly associated with maritime trade.
Historians do not rule out that the cult of Isis was introduced by Roman and Eastern settlers and flourished in Baelo Claudia despite political repression, symbolising the integration of Egyptian deities into the Roman religion. The presence of the Egyptian goddess of fertility and motherhood, protector of children and sailors, in the Roman pantheon may also be due to Roman Egyptomania, i.e. a fascination with Egyptian culture. It is worth mentioning that the temple of Isis was also built on the Champs of Mars in Rome. Archaeological research has also confirmed the existence of the cult of Minerva. This was made possible by the discovery of fragments of a sculpture of this goddess in one of the temples.
Baelo Claudia also preserves the ruins of private houses and shops, a garum factory (a fish sauce with a distinctive flavour), baths and a monumental theatre, as well as the remains of one of three aqueducts.
The Roman theatre in Baelo Claudia is the largest building in the city, which in its heyday could seat up to 2,000 spectators. It was built using the natural slope of the hill, which made it possible to create a stepped structure for the audience. According to researchers, the theatre was not used for sporting events. Instead, it served as a stage for artists, with a dedicated space for the orchestra and musicians.
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Almadraba, or tuna fishing and the magic of traditional Spanish cuisine
Discovering the past in Baelo Claudia
The economic success of the city was evidenced by the factories located south of the city, near the current beach, including fish salting, a real economic engine and source of livelihood for this ancient Roman centre. Archaeologists have recorded the operation of as many as eight fish salting plants, dating from the 2nd century BC to the 5th century AD. The processing of this product with such a short shelf life allowed for longer storage and export.
Another product manufactured in the city was garum – a fermented fish sauce – highly valued in classical times, which was the main export product of Baelo Claudia. According to culinary experts of the time, the sauce, rich in glutamic acid, was a kind of ‘protein bomb’ of the ancient world. In the past, the most valuable garum came from the Cadiz region, which is directly related to the availability of high-quality almadraba tuna.
Systematic excavations in Baelo Claudia began in 1917 and were supervised by French scholar Pierre Paris. The work carried out by him and his team lasted until 1921. International archaeological excavations conducted on the Iberian Peninsula uncovered most of the buildings that can be seen today.
In December 2007, a research centre and museum adjacent to the ruins of Baelo Claudia was opened. This modern facility, designed by Andalusian architect Guillermo Vázquez Consuegra, displays artefacts from this remarkable site, providing visitors with a deeper understanding of the historical significance of the ancient surroundings.
The Baelo Claudia archaeological site is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. EU residents are admitted free of charge upon presentation of their identity card, while non-EU citizens are charged £1.50. The site itself offers little shade, so it is advisable to bring hats and water. If you want to learn more about the history of this place, it is worth reserving about 1.5 hours.
It is worth noting that Baelo Claudia is not the only Roman monument in Andalusia. In Marbella, beautiful baths from the Roman Empire have been preserved, as well as the remains of houses in Rio Verde, known for their mosaics, dating back to the 2nd century. One of the most interesting remnants of the Empire are the fragments of the Puente Romano bridge, built in the 1st century AD. It was once part of the Via Augusta – the road from Rome to Cadiz. Today, it can be seen as part of a luxury hotel, into whose architecture it has been incorporated. New relics from Roman times are still being discovered – in 2022, archaeologists unearthed in Marbella after
