Late Roman Fortifications in Spain - help

[SMC]

Hi,
Just wondering if anyone can help me out here quickly. My girlfriend has suggested we should go away to Spain in November for a few days but wants to book it this weekend to get the cheap flights. The three options are Barcelona, Alicante and Malaga. I have been to Barcelona and visited Tarragona and Girona fom there, but have neve been to the other two areas. In the regions of Malaga and Alicante are there any visible traces of Roman walls, particularly those that would have lasted into late antiquity?

I have been through Kulikowski's book on Late Roman Spain but it only makes brief references to archaeological reports on the walls and their potential dating but doesn't say if there is much visible and it doesn't cover all sites (no complaints - that was not the purpose of the book). He says there are traces of Cartagena's walls known but not if they are accessible. I would like to photograph and video any surviving remains at any sites.

So is there anybody on this board who knows about or has visited these areas. I know its short notice but I was only informed last night. Ideally I should try and get Carmen Fernandez Ochoa's and Angel Morillo Cerdan's works before I go (does any body have access to any of these?).

Hope somebody can help.

Thanks in advance,
Stephen

[Theodosius the Great]

I don't know about Alicante but according to Wikipedia, the main sites in Malaga include :

• Walls (Phoenician, Roman, Visigothic, Arab and Spanish remains of the defensive compounds of the city)
  
• Flavian Roman Theater
  
• Flavian Roman Amphitheatre (Underneath "Plaza de la Merced" Picasso's birthplace), under the former cinemas "Victoria", "Astoria" and "Andalucia").
  Harbour, one of the most important in Spain.

Maybe you can take photos and post them here ?

Incidentally I have roots from Malaga.

Have a safe trip.

~Theo

[Thersites]

Alicante: One of the best archaeological Museums in Spain plus the site at Lucentum--Tossal de Manises, a site with well-preserved Carhtaginian-Barcid walls with artillery towers and proteichisma, later rebuilt by Romans. (right in the middle of Alicante). And close by another site, Illeta dels Banyets, a Carthaginian port-of-trade

Check:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucentum
http://www.contestania.com/albufereta.htm (and hypelinks to wall, etc.)

http://www.marqalicante.com/index.php?lng=es


Cheers

[SMC]

Many thanks for the replies gents.
I should get booked for somewhere later tonight. I'm leaning towards Alicante at the minute because there are the sites at Lucentum, Santa Pola and Elche within a few miles so with any luck I might get to a one or two of them in the couple of days we are there. If I do I will post any photos on my flickr site.
Cheers,
Stephen

[recondicom]

From Alicante up to Mèrida and from there to Lugo. The best preserved wall. There is nothing like the feeling of standing up to the eagle. Eeiiiire.[attachment=0:1lj3onlv]<!-- ia0 eagle.jpg<!-- ia0 [/attachment:1lj3onlv]

[SMC]

I'd love to get to Merida but its not practical on a short break - at least not with a significant other who wants a restful holiday rather than hurtling round Sapin. I fully agree about Lugo. Was there back in 1994 and went round the walls and have also been to Astorga and Leon. At least I have them photographed but would love to get some video footage of them as well. Ideally I'd like to do a short video on late antique fortifications. I'm flying from Belfast so flight options are limited but next time I might try Dublin which has a lot more options.

Cheers
Stephen

[Iagoba]

There are also some nice late Roman wall remains in Barcelona:

[SMC]

Thanks to all who posted comments. Well tickets are booked for Nov. 21st but to Barcelona rather than Alicante. Hoping to do day trips to Gerona and to Tarragona. I've managed to get copies of some of the aticles I was looking for so hopefully I'll get some photos posted shortly after returning.

Cheers,
Stephen

[Goffredo]

roman walls of Lugo
http://www.spanisharts.com/arquitectura ... allas.html

[SMC]

Hi all,
Have just returned from the 17 degree sunshine and warmth, with hardly a cloud in the sky, of Barcelona, to find Northern Ireland is covered in snow with more on the way.
Anyhow while I shiver away at the keyboard as the house heats up, I will start sorting and converting images from Girona and Tarragona and a few new ones from Barcelona. I'll try and post some to my flickr site over the weekend and will post links when done.
Thanks to all who supplied help and info - it was much appreciated.

[SMC]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23242310@N03/

For anyone interested, I've uploaded some photos of Girona, Barcelona and Tarragona from the above trip.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Great Photos!
I can see echos of the great walls of Constantinople in some of the features in the Barcelona walls.
I look forward to spending more time looking at these!
Many thanks!

[Theodosius the Great]

It sounds like you had a good time, Stephen.
Thanks for posting your photos !

~Jaime

[Robert Vermaat]

Thanks Stephen!