Greek Roman Ruins of Empúries

Empúries was an ancient Greek city on the Mediterranean coast of Catalonia, Spain, founded in 575 BC by Greeks from Phocaea. The city was originally located on a small island at the mouth of the river Fluvià. Around 550 BC, the inhabitants moved to the mainland to create the Neapolis, or 'new city', while the original site, the Palaiolis, functioned as an acropolis. After the Persian king Cyrus II conquered Phocaea in 530 BC, the new city's population increased significantly due to an influx of refugees. Despite pressure from Carthage, the city retained its independent Greek character.

Situated on the coastal commercial route between Greek Massalia and Tartessos, Empúries developed into a large economic and commercial centre and became the largest Greek colony in the Iberian Peninsula. During the Punic Wars, the city allied with Rome. Following the Roman conquest of Hispania, Empúries remained an independent city-state until the civil war between Pompey and Julius Caesar, when it was stripped of its autonomy. The city was eventually abandoned during the Early Middle Ages when its exposed coastal position left it open to marauders.

Visitors to the archaeological site can explore remains from the Hellenistic and Roman periods, including houses decorated with mosaics and wallpaintings, as well as public buildings in the agora and the harbour mole. The site features a walled precinct of the Neapolis, various temples including those dedicated to Artemis, Asclepius, and Zeus-Serapis, and a large necropolis that remained in use from the 7th century BC until the Middle Ages. The Archaeology Museum of Catalonia in Empúries offers a tour of these representative objects uncovered during excavations.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons