San Pedro Paseo - Roman Marbella.
We are all for lazy summer days on one of the many beautiful beaches in Marbella, delicious meals in the fabulous restaurants of the area or people watching in one of the glamorous hot-spots that make the Costa del Sol ever popular for foreign visitors. For many, Marbella emerged on the international scene with the beginning of mass tourism in the 1970s.
Yet this area is rich in ancient history too, the evidence of which is right under our noses. One of the most striking examples of this is to be found at the end of the San Pedro Paseo! Here, evidence of the ancient Roman colony of Cilniana can be found, a settlement which was destroyed by an earthquake in the 4th Century AD. According to the Málaga Council Tourism site (www.malaga.es/en/turismo), historians have connected this colony to the Roman city of Salduba, a name that is frequently referenced in the area to this day. ‘Las Bóvedas’ (The Vaults) archaeological site offers is a fascinating glimpse into an ancient past.
The Roman construction here is a third century thermal building, one of the most distinctive preserved from these times. The central octagonal room almost certainly housed an octagonal pool, with rooms of the same shape arranged around the outside. Within the 7,000m2 site, ruins can be found of other buildings, including basins used for salting fish, an important industry in the area, as well as garum factories. This ‘Roman ketchup’ was a type of fermented fish sauce based on anchovies and formed an integral part of the Roman diet. This vital product was manufactured in the Málaga region and exported to many parts of the Roman empire. The recently inaugurated museum has some fascinating finds relating to this essential Roman activity, as well as many artefacts relating to the Roman history of this region.At Altavista Property, we can’t offer ancient Roman dwellings, however we can offer every type of property available today, from holiday apartments to grand villas. Contact us today to discuss your property requirements.
