The village of Numancia was famous among the Roman writers due to the persistence of its people in the battle against the Roman Empire.
Located in a strategic spot from where it commands the plain, Numancia is enclosed by the Sistema Ibérico’s mountains
It occupies the wide high La Muela de Garray hill, situated in the province of Soria, 7 km from the capital. In Spain, Numancia is the symbol of the resistance to the Roman Empire’s dominance since the city was surrounded to its complete siege in 133 BC, order commanded by the Roman Senate.
Located in a strategic spot from where it domains the entire plain of Soria, Numancia is enclosed by the Sistema Ibérico’s mountains and surrounded by the rivers Duero and Medancho. Numancia was finally besieged in the year 133 AD by Cornelius Scipio Africanus the Younger, who managed to control the Celtiberian.
The battles continued until the called Sertorian Wars in 72 AD.
Inside the site
Inside this place, the structure of the village and the layout of its streets and some remains can be observed, things that show the visitor how was the life in this site. Despite the fact that its urban layout is poorly known, this village, which occupied not more than 8 hectares, is thought of being formed by rectangular shaped-houses. These were in aligned with the wall and separated by a round street. The houses, which formed the central core, were ordered in groups.
Image taken at the inside this site with a rectangular shaped-house
Among the best preserved remains, there are the remnants of the wall and North gate, Scipio’s frame, the small Roman baths, the public building with its sewer, the water cistern with stairs, the Roman house, the Celtiberian house, the house with a arcaded courtyard, or the hand mills.
The Celtiberian house with the solar symbol denominated “Triskel”
Numancia is the archaeological site that, together with Uxama and Tiermes, has proportionated the biggest information regarding the Celtiberian sphere since it has been widely excavated. The final stages have resulted in the recent discovery and excavation of its necropolis. In 2007, the existence of another Celtiberian site was discovered, 50km from Numancia, known as Ciadueña, which, apparently, was abandoned in the 1st century AD due to a fire. Despite this, its remains have a exceptional value and will establish the base of further studies concerning the Iberian area.
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