Myrtilis Iulia
Encyclopedia
Myrtilis Iulia was the roman name given to present day Mértola
, Portugal.
During Classical Antiquity
, Mértola was inhabited by Phoenicians, Carthaginians and finally the Romans
, who called it Myrtilis Iulia.
The strategic location of Mértola, on a hill by the Northernmost navigable part of the Guadiana river, was crucial in its early development. Agricultural products grown in the villa
e nearby and valuable minerals (silver
, gold
and tin
) obtained from the lower Alentejo region were sent from the fluvial port of Mértola via the Guadiana to Southern Hispania
and the Mediterranean. The town was raised to the status of a Municipium
in times of Emperor Augustus and was connected by road to the important Roman city of Pax Iulia.
During the Migration Period
, Mértola was invaded by Germanic tribes of the Sueves and the Visigoth
s. In this period (5th-8th centuries) commerce was reduced but still active, as evidenced by Greek tombstones from the 6th-7th centuries found in Mértola, which suggests the presence of Byzantine
merchants in the town.
Mértola
Mértola is a municipality in southeastern Portugal next to the Spanish border. It has a total area of 1,292.87 km² and a total population of 8,712 inhabitants . In terms of land area, it is the sixth-largest municipality in Portugal. The resultant population density of 6.74 persons/km² is the...
, Portugal.
During Classical Antiquity
Classical antiquity
Classical antiquity is a broad term for a long period of cultural history centered on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ancient Greece and ancient Rome, collectively known as the Greco-Roman world...
, Mértola was inhabited by Phoenicians, Carthaginians and finally the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, who called it Myrtilis Iulia.
The strategic location of Mértola, on a hill by the Northernmost navigable part of the Guadiana river, was crucial in its early development. Agricultural products grown in the villa
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
e nearby and valuable minerals (silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
and tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
) obtained from the lower Alentejo region were sent from the fluvial port of Mértola via the Guadiana to Southern Hispania
Hispania
Another theory holds that the name derives from Ezpanna, the Basque word for "border" or "edge", thus meaning the farthest area or place. Isidore of Sevilla considered Hispania derived from Hispalis....
and the Mediterranean. The town was raised to the status of a Municipium
Municipium
Municipium , the prototype of English municipality, was the Latin term for a town or city. Etymologically the municipium was a social contract between municipes, the "duty holders," or citizens of the town. The duties, or munera, were a communal obligation assumed by the municipes in exchange for...
in times of Emperor Augustus and was connected by road to the important Roman city of Pax Iulia.
During the Migration Period
Migration Period
The Migration Period, also called the Barbarian Invasions , was a period of intensified human migration in Europe that occurred from c. 400 to 800 CE. This period marked the transition from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages...
, Mértola was invaded by Germanic tribes of the Sueves and the Visigoth
Visigoth
The Visigoths were one of two main branches of the Goths, the Ostrogoths being the other. These tribes were among the Germans who spread through the late Roman Empire during the Migration Period...
s. In this period (5th-8th centuries) commerce was reduced but still active, as evidenced by Greek tombstones from the 6th-7th centuries found in Mértola, which suggests the presence of Byzantine
Byzantium
Byzantium was an ancient Greek city, founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC and named after their king Byzas . The name Byzantium is a Latinization of the original name Byzantion...
merchants in the town.