Editing Empúries

{{Short description|Ancient city on the Mediterranean coast in the south-east of the Iberian Peninsula}}{{Redirect|Emporion|the ancient trading outposts|Emporia (ancient Greece)|other uses|Emporium (disambiguation)}}
{{For|the medieval county centered on the town of Empúries|County of Empúries}}
{{Infobox ancient site
  |name = Empúries
  |native_name = Empúries {{in lang|ca}}<br />{{lang|grc|Ἐμπόριον}} {{in lang|el}}<br>Emporiae {{in lang|la}}
  |alternate_name = 
  |image = Paleochristian Basilica - Empúries - 2005-03-27.JPG
  |alt = 
  |caption = [[Early Christian art and architecture|Palaeochristian basilica]] at Empúries
  |map_type = Spain Province of Girona#Spain Catalonia vegueries#Spain
  |map_alt = 
  |map_size =
  |coordinates = {{coord|42|08|05|N|03|07|14|E|display=inline,title}}
  |location = [[Alt Empordà]], [[Province of Girona]], [[Catalonia]], [[Spain]]
  |region = 
  |type = Settlement
  |part_of = 
  |length = 
  |width = 
  |area = 
  |height = 
  |builder = Colonists from [[Phocaea]]
  |material = 
  |built = 575&nbsp;BC
  |abandoned = 
  |epochs = [[Archaic Greece|Archaic Greek]] to [[Early Middle Ages|Early Medieval]]
  |cultures = 
  |dependency_of = 
  |occupants = 
  |event = 
  |excavations = 
  |archaeologists = 
  |condition = 
  |ownership = 
  |management = 
  |public_access = 
  |website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
  |notes = 
}}

'''Empúries''' ({{langx|ca|Empúries}} {{IPA|ca|əmˈpuɾiəs||}}) was an ancient Greek city on the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] coast of [[Catalonia]], [[Spain]].  The city Ἐμπόριον ({{langx|el|Ἐμπόριον}}, Emporion, meaning "trading place", ''cf.'' [[Emporia (ancient Greece)|emporion]]) was founded in 575&nbsp;BC by [[Ancient Greece|Greeks]] from [[Phocaea]]. After the invasion of [[Gaul]] from [[Iberia]] by [[Hannibal]] the [[Ancient Carthage|Carthaginian]] general in 218&nbsp;BC, the city was occupied by the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] ([[Latin language|Latin]]: {{smallcaps|Emporiae}}). In the [[Early Middle Ages]], the city's exposed coastal position left it open to marauders and it was abandoned.

Empúries is located within the [[Comarques of Catalonia|Catalan comarca]] of [[Alt Empordà]] on the [[Costa Brava]]. The ruins are midway between the town of [[L'Escala]] and the tiny village of [[Sant Martí d'Empúries]].

== History ==
{{Further|Greeks in pre-Roman Gaul}}
[[File:Emporiae coins 5th 1st century BCE.jpg|thumb|250px|Emporiae coins, 5th-1st century BC.]]
[[File:Empúries Map.png|thumb|right|200px|Map of the ''Ruïnes d’Empúries''.]]
[[Image:Greek vessel - Empúries - 2005-03-27.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Greek kalyx krater found at Empúries]]

Empúries was founded on a small island at the mouth of the river [[Fluvià]], in a region inhabited by the [[Indigetes]] (at the present time, the mouth of the Fluvià is about 6&nbsp;km to the north). This city came to be known as the ''Palaiapolis'', the "old city" when, towards 550&nbsp;BC, the inhabitants moved to the mainland, creating the ''Neapolis'', the "new city".

After the conquest of [[Phocaea]] by the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persian]] king [[Cyrus the Great|Cyrus II]] in 530&nbsp;BC, the new city's population increased considerably through the influx of refugees. In the face of strong pressure from [[Carthage]], the city managed to retain its independent Greek character. Political and commercial agreements were concluded with the indigenous population long settled in the nearby city of Indika. Situated as it was on the coastal commercial route between Greek Massalia ([[Marseille]]) and [[Tartessos]] in the far south of Hispania, the city developed into a large economic and commercial centre as well as being the largest Greek colony in the [[Iberian Peninsula]].

During the [[Punic Wars]], Empúries allied itself with [[History of Rome|Rome]], and [[Publius Cornelius Scipio (consul 218 BC)|Publius Cornelius Scipio]] initiated the conquest of [[Hispania]] from this city in 218&nbsp;BC by sending his brother [[Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus]] there with Roman troops.

After the conquest of Hispania by the Romans, Empúries remained an independent [[city-state]]. However, in the civil war between [[Pompey]] and [[Julius Caesar]], it opted for Pompey, and after his defeat it was stripped of its autonomy. A ''[[Colonia (Roman)|colonia]]'' of Roman veterans, named '''Emporiae''', was established near Indika to control the region.

From that time onwards, Empúries began to decline, obscured by the power of Tarraco ([[Tarragona]]) and Barcino ([[Barcelona]]). At the end of the 3rd century it became one of the first cities in Spain to admit Christian evangelists. In that century, too, the Greek town was abandoned while the Roman town survived as a mint and the largely ceremonial seat of a coastal county, Castelló d'Empúries,<ref>Though they later became separate, the Frankish counties of Empúries and Peralda were always held by a single individual, according to Stephen P. Bensch, ("Lordship and coinage in Empúries," in ''The Experience of Power in Medieval Europe'', [[Robert F. Berkhofer]], Alan Cooper, Adam J. Kosto, eds. 73-, p. 74.</ref> until the [[Viking]] raids of the mid-9th century. Coinage began again under count [[Hugh II of Empúries]] (1078–1117).

==Archaeological remains==
[[Image:Roman Wall - Empúries 2005-03-27.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Roman walls of Barcelona|Roman wall]] at Empúries]]
[[Image:Mosaic - Empúries (Domus) 2005-03-27.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Roman mosaic at Empúries]]
Although the precise location of the town was known since the 15th century, it was only in the 20th century that systematic excavations were carried out. The site is known as Ampurias. The first official excavations started in 1908 and were held by the Junta de Museus de Barcelona and directed by Emili Gandia i Ortega under the instructions of [[Josep Puig i Cadafalch]] and [[Pere Bosch-Gimpera]]. These excavations are still going on.

===''Palaiapolis''===
The island on which the ''Palaiopolis'' was situated is now part of the mainland and is the site of the mediaeval village of Sant Martí d'Empúries. The former harbour has silted up as well. Hardly any excavation has been done here.

After the founding of the ''Neapolis'', the old city seems to have functioned as an [[acropolis]] (fortress and temple). [[Strabo]] mentions a temple dedicated to [[Artemis]] at this site.

===''Neapolis''===
[[File:Greek mosiac at Empúries.jpg|alt=A mosaic in the Neapolis.  The Greek word "Ηδύκοιτος" ("the pleasure of lying down") is at the top.|thumb|A Greek mosaic in the ''Neapolis''.  The Greek word "Ηδύκοιτος" ("the pleasure of lying down") is at the top.]]
The Neapolis consisted of a [[Roman walls of Barcelona|walled]] precinct with an irregular ground plan of 200 by 130&nbsp;m. The walls were built, and repeatedly modified in the period from the 5th to the 2nd century BC. To the west the wall separated the ''Neapolis'' from the Iberian town of Indika.
[[File:Temple to Serapis at Empúries.jpg|alt=Temple to Serapis at Empúries|thumb|Temple to Serapis at Empúries]]
In the south-west part of the city were various temples, replacing an older one to [[Artemis]], such as a temple to [[Asclepius]], of whom a marble statue was found. In the south-east part was a temple to [[Zeus]]-[[Serapis]]. The majority of the excavated buildings belong to the [[Hellenistic period]]. In addition to houses, some of which are decorated with mosaics and wallpaintings, a number of public buildings have come to light, such as those in the [[agora]] and the harbour [[Mole (architecture)|mole]]. In the Roman period, [[thermae]] and a [[Early Christianity|palaeochristian]] [[basilica]] were built.

To the south and east of the new city was an area that served as a [[necropolis]].

=== Image gallery ===
<gallery mode=packed>
File:Remains of ancient Greek city of Neapolis at the archaeological site of Empúries.jpg|Archaeological remains
File:Remains of ancient Greek city of Neapolis with reproduction of Aesclepius at the archaeological site of Empúries.jpg|Archaeological Remains with reproduction of Aesclepius
File:Remains of a cistern in the ancient Greek city of Neapolis in the archaeological site of Empúries.jpg|Remains of a cistern
File:Remains of Greek temple in the ancient Greek city of Neapolis at the archaeological site of Empúries.jpg|Remains of Greek temple to Serapis
File:Reproduction of the statue of Aesclepius on the remains of a Greek rampart in the ancient city of Neapolis at the archaeological site of Empúries.jpg|Reproduction of the statue of Aesclepius on the remains of a Greek rampart
File:Ancient Water filtration pipes in the city of Neapolis in the archaeological site of Empúries.jpg|Ancient water filtration pipes
</gallery>

===Roman city===
Only about 20% of the Roman city ([[municipium]]) has been excavated. The city has the typical orthogonal layout of Roman military camps, with two principal roads meeting at the [[Forum (Roman)|forum]]. The Roman city is considerably larger than the Greek one. During the [[Roman Republic|Republican period]] a temple was built dedicated to the [[Capitoline Triad]]: [[Jupiter (mythology)|Jupiter]], [[Juno (mythology)|Juno]], and [[Minerva]]. During the reign of the emperor [[Augustus]] a [[basilica]] and [[curia]] were added.

In the eastern part of the town a number of large houses have been excavated, with an inner courtyard, numerous annexes, floor mosaics, and paintings. In the 2nd century the town was surrounded by a [[Roman walls of Barcelona|wall]] without towers. An [[amphitheatre]] and [[palaestra]] were built outside the wall.

== Necropolis ==
The necropolis of Empúries remained in use for a very long period, from the 7th century BC up to the Middle Ages, but many tombs were looted. [[Martín Almagro Basch]] wrote two books<ref>Martín Almagro "Las Necrópolis de Ampurias I: Las Necrópolis Griegas" Barcelona 1953 y Martín Almagro "Las Necrópolis de Ampurias II: Las Necrópolis Romanas e Indígenas. Barcelona 1955.</ref> collecting all data on the majority of cemeteries in the area. There are four types: early Greek and Iberian, late Republican, early Roman Empire and [[later Roman Empire|late Roman Empire]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.xtec.cat/sgfp/llicencies/200203/memories/rtorne/public_html/distremp.pdf |title=Alfonso López Borgoñoz "Distribución cronològica y espacial de las necròpolis ampuritanas" en VV.AA. "De les estructures indígenes a l'organització provincial romana de la Hispania Citerior" pp. 275-298. ''Institut d'Estudis catalans''. Ítaca. Barcelona, 1998. |access-date=2011-08-07 |archive-date=2011-09-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930155746/http://www.xtec.cat/sgfp/llicencies/200203/memories/rtorne/public_html/distremp.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Early Greeks and Iberians (6th–3rd century BC)===
[[File:Empuries MaisonduPeristyle.jpg|thumb|Ruins of a [[peristyle]] home from the Greek period of Empúries]]
Burials were located in the southern and western sides of ''Neapolis''. The western sector was occupied by the so-called ''necropolis of the wall northeast''. Inhumation (Greeks) predominated while a third of burials were cremations (Iberians).

=== Late Republican (2nd–1st century BC) ===
The ancient necropolis remained in use with inhumations and cremations, possibly Greek and indigenous from the ''Neapolis''. Cremations predominated in another group, possibly of Roman origin, whose cemetery is located on the north side of the neighboring hill of Les Corts, located southwest of the city. This necropolis was in use particularly during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. Archaeologists found small mounds built with square blocks of stone with the remains of cremation in the middle.

=== Early Roman Empire (1st century BC – 2nd century AD) ===
No burials have been found clearly from the second quarter of the 1st century BC until the reign of Augustus (about 35&nbsp;years). Cremation burials then predominated until the reign of Emperor Flavian (at the end of the 1st century AD) around a hillside where the Roman city is located.

Burial rituals changed in the 2nd century AD, with only inhumations found.<ref>[http://www.raco.cat/index.php/AnnalsGironins/article/view/54233/63723 Alfonso López Borgoñoz "Las necrópolis altoimperiales ampuritanas" pp. 711-744. ''Annals de l'Institut d'Estudis Gironins''. Vol. XXXVII, 1996 - 97 Girona, 1997.]</ref>

=== Late Roman empire (3rd – 6th century) ===
Precise chronologies are hampered by the lack of grave goods in tombs. The whole area of the ancient Greek city was filled with inhumation burials, perhaps related to the worship of the early Christian basilica or Cella Memoria, situated there. Burials are also in many of the ancient necropolis of earlier times (as Bonjoan, in use for a thousand years) and in new ones. It is possible they were related to the [[Roman villa]]e located near them. There is a monument of El Castellet and nearby tombs.<ref>[http://www.raco.cat/index.php/AnnalsEmpordanesos/article/viewFile/93233/166660 Josep M. Nolla; Jordi Sagrera "Ciuitatis Impuritanae Coementeria. Les necròpolis tardanes de la Neàpolis" Girona: Facultat de Lletres de la Universitat de Girona, Girona, 1995, 329 p. Estudi General, 15.] and [http://www.raco.cat/index.php/AnnalsEmpordanesos/article/viewFile/93272/166609 Josep M. Nolla "Tombes i cementiris del sector nord-oriental del turó d’Empúries" Arqueologia AIEE, Figueres, 33(2000), pàg. 11-20.]</ref>

== The Archaeology Museum of Catalonia ==
The branch of the [[Archaeology Museum of Catalonia]] in Empúries (MAC-Empúries) offers visitors an experience in direct contact with the archaeological remains there. A visit to the Greek city and the Roman city are complemented by a tour through the museum, which showcases representative objects from the history of the site that have been uncovered in the years of excavations in Empúries.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Generalitat de Catalunya|title=Visitmuseum · Archaeology Museum of Catalonia - Empúries|url=http://visitmuseum.gencat.cat/en/museu-d-arqueologia-de-catalunya-empuries/|website=Visitmuseum|publisher=Agència Catalana del Patrimoni Cultural|access-date=28 August 2017}}</ref> The museum has parking facilities and the site may be reached by a traffic-free coastal walk from L'Escala.

==See also==
*[[List of ancient Greek cities]]
*[[List of traditional Greek place names]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.panorama.cat/pr/full_screen/ruines_empuries_lescala.html Virtual image of the Empúries' ruins]
*[http://www.macempuries.cat/ca/ Empuries official website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060206165906/http://www.cbrava.com/empuries/empuries.uk.htm Empúries by the Web-newspaper CapCreus online]
*[https://www.livius.org/ei-er/emporiae/emporiae.html Livius.org: Emporiae] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160523032019/http://www.livius.org/ei-er/emporiae/emporiae.html |date=2016-05-23 }}

{{commons}}

{{Greek colonies of the Iberian peninsula}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Empuries}}
[[Category:575 BC]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 6th century BC]]
[[Category:Alt Empordà]]
[[Category:Phocaean colonies]]
[[Category:Greek colonies in Iberia]]
[[Category:Roman sites in Catalonia]]
[[Category:Ancient Greek archaeological sites in Spain]]
[[Category:Roman towns and cities in Spain]]
[[Category:Former populated places in Spain]]
[[Category:Roman amphitheatres in Spain]]
[[Category:Greek city-states]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in the Province of Girona]]