Augusta Emerita

Augusta Emerita, also called Emerita Augusta, was a Roman colonia founded in 25 BC on the site of present day Mérida, Spain. Emperor Augustus founded the city to resettle veteran soldiers from the Cantabrian Wars, including men of the Fifth, Tenth and possibly Twentieth Legions. It became one of the largest cities in Hispania and served as capital of the Roman province of Lusitania, controlling an area of over 20,000 square kilometers. The city was equipped with three aqueducts and two public forums.