Scallabis (alsoScallabi Castrum,Præsidium Iulium,Scallabis Praesidium Iulium orColonia Scallabis Iulia) was theRoman name ofSantarém, Portugal.
The first documented human occupation dates from the 8th century BC.[1] There is also evidence of trade with thePhoenicians, due to its location as a commercial outpost on theTagus river.
The Romans arrived at this region in 138 BC and settled in the city, then going by the name ofScallabis, and limited to the fortified area currently known asAlcáçova de Santarém.
A latter designation was "Scallabis Praesidium Iulium", given byJulius Caesar in 61 BC,[2] with the installation of a military camp next to the previous fortifications.[3][4] Most of the citizens were then inscribed in theSergian Romangens.
The city became one of the most important administrative centers of theLusitania province in the 1st century AD, as head of aConventus iuridicus, theConventus Scallabitanus that included cities such asOlisipo,Seilium andConímbriga.[2] It was connected by important roads to Olisipo,Bracara Augusta and was the location of a Tagus river crossing.
In 460Scallabis was conquered bySunieric (along withNepotianus andTheodoric II) as part of a campaign against theSuebi. Roman domain ended, with the city becoming part of theVisigoth kingdom.[5]
With theAlan andVandal invasions, the city became known as "Sancta Irene", the root of the current name "Santarém".
Archaeological work in theAlcáçova de Santarém area has identified aRoman temple with apodium of about 15 by 15 meters, and part of thecella, dating from the 1st century BC (probably aCapitolium).39°14′06″N8°40′34″W / 39.235105°N 8.676233°W /39.235105; -8.676233[6][7]Atheatre andbaths from that period were also identified.
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