Baelo Claudia

Baelo Claudia was an ancient Roman town in Hispania, located 22 kilometres (14 mi) outside of Tarifa, near the village of Bolonia, in southern Spain. On the shore of the Strait of Gibraltar, the town was originally a fishing village and trade link when it was settled approximately 2,000 years ago. Although prosperous at the time of Emperor Claudius, it went into a decline partially fueled by earthquakes and was abandoned by the 6th century. The study of its architectural remains shows that the Roman town originated at the end of the 2nd century BC, and from the beginning possessed a great wealth that made it an important economic center in the Mediterranean area.