A Spanish farmer long believed that a Roman forum once stood on his land. He has now been proven right

In the late 18th century, Juan Vegazo, a farmer and amateur historian in Ubrique, in the southern Spanish province of Cadiz, had a grand theory: buried in the rocks and dirt of a nearby hill were the remains of an ancient Roman forum.

News of the excavations at Pompeii revived interest in Roman culture throughout Europe and inspired Vegazo to purchase the limestone hills and begin excavations. He discovered inscriptions associated with second-century emperors, a name for the city, Ocuri, and laid the foundation for future archaeologists to uncover defensive walls, baths and a mausoleum.

Yet Vegazo’s vision of the past remained incomplete. Until now. More than 300 years later, Vegazo was vindicated by a team of archaeologists from the University of Granada. In collaboration with the city of Ubrique, researchers have discovered architectural elements in Ocuri that indicate a large, public forum that would have served as a place for gatherings, socializing and speeches. The finding implies that Ocuri was larger and more important than previously thought.

The archaeological site in Ubrique. Photo courtesy of the University of Granada.

Key to the discovery is a 15-meter-long wall believed to have enclosed the Roman forum, as well as architectural elements of major and public buildings. Among these buildings is a large ceremonial site, as evidenced by the discovery of a monumental altar, column shafts and bases, and pedestals for statues. Researchers believe the site supported religious practices related to water that blended Roman and local customs.

“The excavations outline a space crucial for understanding the arrival and consolidation of the Romans in the southern Iberian Peninsula, as well as their hybridization with the communities that had already settled in the area,” says the Department of Prehistory and Archeology of the University of Granada. said in one statement.

Roman archaeological ruins in Ubrique, Cadiz. Photo: Cristina Candel / Cover / Getty Images.

Due to its strategic hilltop location, a settlement was long believed to predate the Romans. Researchers suggested that the recording was both physical and cultural. Researchers now believe the site was inhabited until the late 4th century AD, based on coins discovered – in particular a coin marked with a Christogram, one of the earliest forms of Christian iconography and pioneered by Constantine I in 312 AD.

This continued presence in the southern reaches of Spanishas the area was known after its annexation in 19 CE, was partly due to the trade benefits it offered. The discovery of North African goods, including ceramics, not only shows the extent of Ocuri, but also suggests strong and lasting (at least until the end of the 3rd century) economic ties on the peninsula.

In addition to Roman discoveries, researchers also found evidence of medieval defensive structures.