Valeria, Spain (Roman City)
The Roman city of Valeria was an important Roman city, and one of the three Roman cities (with Segobriga and Ercávica) that comprise the province of Cuenca. It is located near the modern town of Valeria (Cuenca, Castilla-La Mancha).
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History
It was founded on land conquered from the pre-Celtic peoples, between 93 and 82 BC, since when it has preserved the name that refers to its founder 'Valerius Flaccus'.
Site
Valeria is located in a limestone gorges of the tongue between the river and Gravel beds at an altitude of a thousand meters.
Archaeology has revealed one of the most complete Roman fora situated on a plateau. The remains indicate that it was a Municipium.
The urban development of Valeria dates to the first century, when construction of the forum was undertaken. The centre of the site comprises a series of public buildings of different heights around a large square platform on which the forum stood, and buried in the platform are cisterns.
The basilica is located to the north while on the west side are the 'Exedra' (Hall of the imperial cult) and 'Cryptoporticus'. To the south lies a monumental staircase to the forum, a series of shops and the most iconic building of Valeria, the Nymphaeum, almost 100 meters long. The ensemble is bounded by streets.
On the southern side of the Forum structures is located House of the Adobe. Another example of private urbanism is the "Casa del Hoyo"
Excavation began in the 1950s, but more scientifically since 1974. Since then, systematic excavations have focused primarily on the space occupied by the forum as well as on private villas.
The Roman city had a good water supply through an articulated system of aqueducts carved into the rock.
The objects found at this site are in the Museo de Cuenca, including the treasure of Valeria consisting of silver coins dating from the period after Second Punic War about 185 BC.
References
Coordinates: 39°48′30″N 2°09′01″W / 39.8083°N 2.1503°W