Cities built by the Romans (The big list)

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A List of Roman-Founded Urban Centers.

The vast and dynamic Roman Empire, stretching across continents and encompassing a multitude of cultures, left behind a remarkable legacy in the form of its urban centers. This list explores a selection of these cities, categorized to highlight the multifaceted nature of Roman urban development:

  • Planned Foundations: These cities were established from scratch by Roman authorities, often serving strategic purposes such as military outposts or centers for veteran resettlement.
  • Transformed Settlements: Pre-existing towns and cities experienced significant growth and development under Roman rule, integrating aspects of Roman architecture, infrastructure, and administration into their existing urban fabric.

Notes

  • This is a curated list, and ongoing archaeological discoveries and historical research may necessitate updates.
  • Errors and suggestions for additions are encouraged in the comments section below.

This resource strives to offer a comprehensive overview of Roman urban centers, providing a glimpse into the diverse ways the Romans shaped the urban landscape across their vast and influential empire.

Featured image: Galatea (holding a fan) meets Polyphemus; a Roman fresco painted in the Pompeian “Fourth Style” (45-79 AD), from Portici, Italy, now housed in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (inventory no. 8983).

Thanks to /r/History for the help!

Related: Roman Emperors by Place of Birth, Roman Architectural Wonders Around Europe, Africa & Middle East

Cities founded by the Romans

Italy

Aosta (Augusta Praetoria)
Aquileia (destroyed by Huns)
Belluno (Belum)
Bologna (Bononia)
Caserta (Calatia)
Cremona (Cremona)
Ferrara (castrum bizantino was a Roman camp; Ferrara appears first in a document of the Lombard king Desiderius of 753 AD.)
Forlì (Forum Livii)
Iglesias (Ecclesia)
Lecce (Lupiae)
Macerata (Maceria or Macera)
Massa (Massa)
Monza (Modica)
Oristano (Aristius )
Pavia (Ticinum)
Piacenza (Placentia)
Pistoia (Pistorium, Pistoria or Piastoriae)
Pordenone (Portus Naonis)
Potenza (Potentia)
Ragusa (Rogos)
Reggio Emilia (Regium Lepidi)
Rimini (Ariminum)
Rome (obvious)
Salerno (Salernum)
Torino (Augusta Taurinorum)
Vicenza (Vicetia, Vincentia or Vicentia)
Concordia Sagittaria (Iulia Concordia – thanks to Ramon_Cogoleto)
Oderzo (Opitergium – thanks to Ramon_Cogoleto)

Algeria

Cherchell (Cesarea)

Austria

Schwechat (Ala Nova)
Fischamend (Aequinoctium)
Leibnitz (Flavia Solva)
Lienz (Aguntum)
Vienna (Vindobona)
Wels (Ovilava – thanks to justutis)
Enns (Lauriacum – thanks to justutis)
Zollfeld (Virunum – thanks to justutis)
Salzburg (Iuvavum – thanks to forgetaboutmary)
Zirl in Tirol (Teriolis)
Linz (Lentia)
Wallsee-Sindelburg bei Amstetten (Ad Iuvense)
Pöchlarn  (Arelape)
Traismauer (Augustianis)
Zwentendorf an der Donau (Asturis)
Tulln an der Donau (Comagena)
Zeiselmauer-Wolfpassing (Cannabiaca)

Belgium

Tongeren (Atuatuca Tungrorum, thanks to Yavanaril)

Croatia

Osijek (Mursa – thanks to djaponja)
Sisak (Siscia- thanks to djaponja)
Rijeka,Trsat (Tarsatica- thanks to djaponja)
Ploče (Pretoria- thanks to djaponja)
Metković (Narona- thanks to djaponja)
Omišalj (Fulfinum – Mirine- thanks to djaponja)
Karin (Corinium- thanks to djaponja)
Kistanje (Burnum- thanks to djaponja)
Šćitarjevo (Andautonia- thanks to djaponja)
Čitluk (Aequum- thanks to djaponja)
Crikvenica (Ad turres- thanks to djaponja)

France

Lyon (Colonia Copia Claudia Augusta Lugdunum)
Paris (Lutetia Parisiorum)
Metz (Divodurum)
Beauvais (Caesaromagus)
Châlons-en-Champagne (Catalauni)
Amiens (Samarobriva)
Besançon (Vesontio)

Germany

Augsburg (Augusta Vindelicorum)
Bonn (Bonna)
Cologne / Köln (Colonia Agrippina)
Ellingen (Castellum Sablonetum – thanks to UnmercatorGreenland)
Frankfurt am Main (The city district Bonames has a name probably dating back to Roman times—it is thought to be derived from bona me(n)sa – thank to cpsartory)
Koblenz (Confluentes)
Mainz (Mogontiacum)
Neuss (Novaesium)
Theilenhofen (Iciniacum – thanks to UnmercatorGreenland)
Trier (Augusta Treverorum)
Weißenburg (Biriciana – thanks to UnmercatorGreenland)
Xanten (Castra Vetera)
Walting (Vetoniana)
Kösching (Castelum Germanicum)
Pförring (Celeusum)
Eining (Abusina)
Stadt Straubing in Niederbayern (Sorviodurum)
Künzing in Niederbayern (Quintanis)
Kellmünz in Schwaben (Caelius Mons)
Kempten im Allgäu (Cambodunum)
Isny im Allgäu (Vemania)
Schlögen (Ioviacum)
Mautern an der Donau (Favianis)

England

Chester (Deva Victrix)
Chester-le-Street (Concangis)
Cirencester (Corinium Dobunnorum)
Gloucester (Colonia Nervia Glevensium)
Exeter (Isca Dumnoniorum)
Lancaster
Leicester (Ratae Corieltauvorum – thanks to markw1988)
Lincoln (Colonia Domitiana Lindensium)
London (Londinium)
Manchester (Mancunium, Mamucium)
Mancetter (Manduessedum)
York (Ebocarum, thanks to PhysTom and Furthur_slimeking)
Newcastle upon Tyne (Pons Aelius – thanks to abandoned_trolley)
Corbridge (Coria – thanks to abandoned_trolley)
South Shields (Arbeia – thanks to abandoned_trolley)
Wallsend (Segedunum – thanks to abandoned_trolley)

Hungary

Komárom (Colonia Claudia Savaria)
Sopron, Ödenburg (Scarabantia)
Mosonmagyaróvár (Ad Flexum)
Győr (Arrabona)
Visegrád (Quadriburgium)
Budapest (Aquincum)
Sz?ny (Brigetio)

Israel

Caesarea (thanks to jstein97)

Netherlands

Voorburg (Forum Hadriani – thanks to LaoBa)
Nijmegen (Ulpia Noviomagus – thanks to LaoBa)

Romania

Alba Iulia (Apulum)

Serbia

Nis (Naissus – thanks to kolibri29)
Sremska Mitrovica (Sirmium – thanks to kolibri29)
Kostolac (Viminacium – thanks to kolibri29)

Slovenia

Ptuj (Poetovio)
Ljubljana (Emona)
Celje (Celeia)
Birnbaumer Wald (Ad Pirum)
Ajdovščina (Castra)

Syria

Buseira (Circesium)

Spain

Astorga (Asturica or Asturica Augusta)
Zaragoza (Cesaraugusta)
Cordoba (Corduba)
Mérida (Augusta Emerita)
León (Legio)
Seville (Hispalis)
Tarragona (Tarraco)
Huesca (Osca, Calagurris)
Valencia (Valentia)
A Coruña (Brigantium – thanks to Highlord)
Lugo (Lucus Augusta – thanks to Highlord)
Palencia (Palantia – thanks to Highlord)
Avila (Ovil – thanks to Highlorda)
Girona (Ullastret – thanks to Highlord)
Tarragona (Tarraco – thanks to Highlord)
Sagunto (Saguntum – thanks to Highlord)
Murcia (Cigarralejo – thanks to Highlord)
Baza (Baza – thanks to Highlord)
Santinponce (Italica – thanks to Highlord)
Mérida (Emerita Augusta – thanks to Highlord)
Toledo (Toletum)
Albacete (Castellar – thanks to Highlord)
Écija (Astigi – thanks to Highlord)
Astorga (Asturica – thanks to Highlord)
Santander (Portus Victoriae Iuliobrigensium – thanks to Highlord)

Switzerland

Saint-Maurice (Agaunum)
Avenches (Aventicum)
Bern
Lausanne (Lousonna)
Martigny
Nyon (Noviodunum , Colonia Iulia Equestris)
Orbe (Urba)
Yverdon-les-Bains (District. Eburodunum , Ebredunum)
Windisch AG (Vindonissa)
Augst and Kaiseraugst (Augusta Raurica – thanks to caoimhin22)
Winterthur (Vitudurum – thanks to abart)
Zurich (Turicum – thanks to abart)
Arbon in der Schweiz (Arbor Felix)

Portugal

Coimbra (Municipium Aeminium – thanks to PunchingClouzot)
Póvoa de Varzim (Villa Euracini)

Tunisia

Haïdra (Ammaedara)

Wales

Caerleon (Isa Augusta – thanks to Schmillt)
Loughor (Leucarum)
Usk (Burrium)

Cities not founded by the Romans but have gained importance with the Romans

Italy

Altino (Altinum – thanks to Ramon_Cogoleto)
Ascoli (Asculum)
Avellino (Abellinum)
Bari (Barium)Brescia (Brixia)
Milano (Mediolanum)
Padova (Patavium)
Pompei
Capua
Como (Comum)
Bolzano (Bauzanum)
Cuneo (Cuneus)
Firenze (Florentia)
Ravenna
Verona
Reggio Calabria (Regium Iulium)
Rieti (Reate)
Viterbo (Castrum Herculis)
Civitavecchia (Centumcellae)
Terni (Interamna Nahars)
Lodi (Laus Pompeia)
Mondragone (Sinuessa, Petrinum – thanks to porcellus_ultor)

Algeria

Tébessa (Theveste)

Austria

Bregenz (Brigantia, Brigantium)

Bulgaria

Vidin (Bononia)

Croatia

Senj (Senia- thanks to djaponja)
Split (Salona – thanks to Sp3ctr3)
Vinkovci (Cibalae)

England

Bath (Aquae Sulis) – thanks to BigRedS
Canterbury (Durovernum Cantiacorum) – thanks to Furthur_slimeking
Colchester (Camulodunum)
St Albans (Verulamium) – thanks to BigRedS
Salisbury (Old Sarum, Sorviodunum – thanks to oh_him )

France

Boulogne-sur-Mer (Bononia)
Harfleur (Caracotinum)
Nimes (Nemausus)
Strasbourg (Argentoratum o Argentorate)
Reims (Durocortorum, thanks to njm1314)

Germany

Passau (Castra Batava, Batavis, before known as Boiodurum)
Regensburg (Castra Regina)

Libya

Lebda (Leptis Magna – thanks to porcellus_ultor)

Macedonia

Skopje (Scupi)

Netherlands

Alphen aan den Rijn (Castellum Albanianae)
Katwijk (Lugdunum Batavorum)
Leiden (Matilo)
Nijmegen (Oppidum Batavorum)
Maastricht (Trajectum ad Mosam)
Utrecht (Trajectum ad Renum)
Valkenburg (Praetorium Agrippinae)
Velsen (Flevum o Phleum)

Serbia

Belgrade (Singidunum)

Syria

Bosra (Nova Trajana Bostra)

Spain

Alicante (Lucentum)
Almuñecar (Firmium Julium Sexi – thanks to Highlord)
Ampurias (Emporiae)
Barcelona (Barkeno, Barcino, Colonia Iulia Augusta Faventia Paterna Barcino)
Lérida (Ilerda)
Lugo (Lucus Augusti)
Cartagena (Carthago Nova – thanks to El_Kyle)
Granada (Elvira – thanks to Highlord)
Malaga (Malaca – thanks to Highlord)
Cádiz (Gades – thanks to Highlord)
Huelva (Onuba – thanks to Highlord)
Salamanca (Salmantica – thanks to Highlord)
Segovia (thanks to Highlord)

Switzerland

Sion (Sedunum)
Chur (Curia Raetorum)

Portugal

Évora (Ebora Cerealis – thanks to porcellus_ultor)
Lisbon (Olisipo – thanks to porcellus_ultor)
Braga (Bracara Augusta – thanks to PunchingClouzot)
Bragança (Brigantia)
Leiria (Collipo)
Elvas (Dipo)
Alvor (Ipses)
Lamego (Lamecum)
Loriga (Lorica)
Santiago do Cacém (Mirobriga Celticorum)
Porto (Portus Cale)
Portimão (Portus Hannibalis)
Covilhã (Tritum)

Turkey

Istanbul (Nova Roma ; Byzantium)
Zeugma, Commagene (Zeugma)

Cities with Roman legendary origins

China

Liquian (the legendary lost roman legion built this town fleeing from Persia)

Source

Psitrend , Wikipedia , Reddit

Special thanks to all Reddit.com/r/History users for their suggestions and support!

Cities built by the Romans

Last Updated on 2024/03/27

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