Anoppidum (plural:oppida) is a large fortifiedIron Agesettlement.
In the 2nd and 1st centuriesBC, they were in all parts of Europe. They continued until theRomans conquered Southern andWestern Europe. InGermania, north of the riversDanube andRhine, oppida were used into the 1st centuryAD.
Julius Caesar called the largerCelticIron Age settlements he found inGauloppida. The word is now used to describe the large pre-Roman towns that existed across Western andCentral Europe.[1] Many oppida grew fromhill forts, but not all of them had an important defensive role. The main features of the oppida are:
The development of oppida was an important step in theurbanisation of Europe. They were the first large settlements north of theMediterranean that could be described astowns. Caesar pointed out that each tribe of Gaul would have several oppida, but that they were not all of equal importance. This suggests that there was some form ofhierarchy.
In conquered lands, the Romans took over the oppida to administer the Empire, and many became full Roman towns. This often involved a change of location from the hilltop into theplain.
One of the best preserved oppida is atEnserune inFrance.[2] It was occupied continuously from 6th century BC until the1st century. Other oppida are now buried beneath large cities, such as Vindobona which is covered byVienna.[3]
