Ruins of Miróbriga

Category: Archaeology > Roman City

District: Setúbal > Santiago do Cacém > Celões

Location

The Ruins of Miróbriga are located in the village of Celões, in the municipality of Santiago do Cacém. Situated on an elevated point, known as Castelo Velho (Old Castle), the ruins offer a wide view over the surrounding rural landscape, dominating the northern area of the Chãos Salgados plain. This strategic, isolated and commanding position allowed for significant visual control of the region, which was rich in agricultural, maritime, and mining resources.

A Window to Antiquity

This site bears witness to a history of human occupation spanning millennia, from the Late Bronze and Iron Ages. However, it was during the Roman period that Miróbriga experienced its greatest development. Rising to the category of Municipium during the Flavian era, the Roman city expanded and organized itself, transforming into an important regional center.

The Layout of the Roman City

Exploring the ruins of Miróbriga is to discover the vestiges of a well-structured Roman city, adapted to the terrain's topography. Its streets, many still with their original paving, led to a central urban core. It is possible to observe the remnants of residential buildings, some with indications of painted stuccoes that decorated the walls. In the heart of the city, stand out the forum, the civic, administrative, and religious center, and the complex of the public baths, a monumental ensemble with rooms dedicated to cold, warm, and hot baths, heated by the ingenious hypocaust system. The remains of an inn and a market area can also be glimpsed.

The Hippodrome: A Spectacle from the Past

One of Miróbriga's most notable elements is its hippodrome, a sports structure that is a rarity in Portuguese territory, located about one kilometer from the city center. With its impressive dimensions and strategic orientation (northeast-southwest to avoid the sun in competitors' eyes), the hippodrome would have been the stage for chariot races and other spectacles that animated the city's daily life, especially during its peak in the 3rd century AD.

Vestiges and Discoveries

The remarkable preservation of Miróbriga's ruins is largely due to the gradual abandonment of the city from the 4th century AD onwards. Archaeological excavations, which began in the 19th century under the initiative of D. Frei Manuel do Cenáculo and continued throughout the 20th century with other researchers, progressively revealed the complexity and importance of this site. The visit is enriched by the presence of a reception and interpretation center, which helps to understand the history and significance of the discovered remains.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt