345:
72:
658:
In the present day there is practically nothing to be seen of BALSA. Almost all land became fenced private property, cutting most accesses to the public lagoon-shore, and the few known and visible archaeological remains are kept more or less hidden. With the present total lack of protection and real
654:
Archaeological collections of BALSA are scattered by several museums and private collections. The best preserved objects are from funerary spoils (good collections of sigillata, glassware, lucernes and personal objects such a complete surgeon kit), a female bust from the
Antonine epoch, 17 civic and
595:
The urban centre had an extraordinary size for a municipal town without a capital status: the urban limits spawned no less than 116 acres (47 ha) and the peri-urban area occupied at least 266 acres (108 ha). Its plan reveals a double town, or a massive development juxtaposed in two urban
564:
and glassware form a continuous series between late
Augustan wares (early Hispanic) and late African D, late Gallic and Focean, with the latest pieces dated from the 7th century. The overwhelming volume peak corresponds to South Gallic wares of the 1st century CE but the studied material is much
614:
Significant remains of Roman agrarian centuriations can still be traced in modern surveys, limited to the littoral plains where olive groves, vineyards and dry orchards are historically best adapted. The coast was formed by lagoons and estuaries, whose agro-maritime capacities were extensively
588:
Archaeological exploration has been very limited to two necropolises, two bath buildings, three fish factories and a few structures. The larger part has been done in the 19th century, with pre-scientific standards. On the other hand, a total of sixty places with Roman findings are known in the
662:
However, notwithstanding the brutal destructions of the last 30 years, BALSA still has a major archaeological potential: the foundations of about 1/5 of the town extension, including maritime suburbs, ought to be still basically preserved, either buried, silted or submerged.
584:
Several testimonies describe the existence of very extensive and dense Roman building remains before 1977. The archaeological terrain has been being heavily destroyed since then to the present days (2008) by agricultural works and the building of suburban villas.
302:
of Tavira (7 km from Roman BALSA) stands as the genetic regional urban place, first as a
Phoenician maritime colonial settlement with a strong religious character (mid 8th to end of 6th centuries BCE) and later as a
708:
A large collection of pictures, graphics and maps of BALSA, its territory and the most important archaeological findings can be browsed at the on-line bibliographical references below, marked with (
178:) about mid 1st century BCE, in Latin alphabet with marine motives (tunas, dolphins, several kinds of boats). The name BALSA, recorded in these coins is the oldest attestation of the toponym.
689:
646:
like "Pedras d'el-Rei", "Paul da Asseca", "Cacela", "Manta Rota", "Vale do Boto", "Álamo", "Montinho das
Laranjeiras" and many others belonged to the territory of BALSA.
592:
Archaeotopography revealed important and extensive urban structures: a theatre, a pier and internal harbour, a hippodrome, large hippodamic quarters and several others.
680:
314:
of Cerro do Cavaco (1 km North of Tavira, occupied from the late 4th to late 1st centuries BCE), a better defensible site that was the central place of the
348:
A Roman Cippus found in Balsa with an inscription honoring an Annius
Primitivus for having financed a naval and athlete fight. Now at display at Faro's Museum.
21:
103:. Although having been one of the biggest Roman cities of Lusitania at the time, only in 2019 did excavations finally reveal remnants of Balsa.
1159:
1183:
1050:
836:
819:
549:
516:
477:
466:
458:
447:
425:
410:
396:
381:
373:
282:
274:
996:
898:
1188:
1007:
1109:
1068:
611:
and with an approximate area of 585 square miles (1,520 km), mostly occupied by hills then rich in forests and minerals.
985:
887:
827:
962:"Séries Temporais de Balsa. Da classificação de materiais arqueológicos à conjuntura socioeconómica do passado romano"
523:
The level of
Romanisation in BALSA can also be inferred from the known personal names (39 men and 16 women): 58% have
1029:
774:
539:, these being mostly Greek names. Native name words in all forms (Celtic or Turdetanian) are a small minority (9%).
576:
producers are known in BALSA by their industrial brands: AEMHEL, OLYNT, LEVGEN, IVNIORVM, IMETVS F and DASIMVSTELI
626:) was controlled from BALSA territory along its better navigable part, draining several mining districts south of
545:
512:
473:
462:
454:
443:
421:
406:
392:
377:
369:
278:
270:
783:
671:
961:
742:
Vasco Gil Mantas: 1997, “As civitates: Esboço da geografia política e económica do
Algarve romano”, in
915:, Arqueologia e História, 8ª séria, VIII, Associação dos Arqueólogos Portugueses, Lisboa: p 111-129
542:
From the 3rd century comes a rare funerary monument in Greek, considered by some to be
Christian
1139:
831:
344:
216:
83:
The modern location is in the rural estates of Torre d'Aires, Antas and Arroio, parish of
8:
922:, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra. Balsa: 115, 119, 125. Balsa territory: 113, 114, 118
833:
Relatório sobre o Cemitério Romano descoberto próximo da cidade de Tavira em Maio de 1868
721:
249:
232:
152:
128:
116:
88:
974:
La producción de salsas y conservas de pescado en la Hispânia Romana (II a. C.-VI d. C.)
796:
568:
Fish preserve industries are well documented in the town and neighbourhood, as well as
1135:
1104:
1091:
554:
1001:
Huelva
Arqueológica (20). Actas del III Congreso Español de Antiguo Oriente Próximo
659:
menace of total destruction it is better they remain like that for the time being.
920:
Corpus
Signorum Imperii Romani. Corpus der Skulpturen der Römischen Welt. Portugal
76:
1113:
1033:
840:
756:
498:
144:
92:
71:
1069:“A propósito de duas inscrições romanas da Quinta deTorre d’Ares (Luz, Tavira)”
684:
140:
1177:
84:
36:
23:
1008:“Tavira Turdetana, porto do ‘Círculo do Estreito’ nos finais do séc. V a.C.”
655:
funerary epigraphed stones, statuettes, coins, architectonic elements, etc.
485:
and a large proportion of Greek and North African names. A Roman citizen of
1078:
José d’Encarnação: 2003, “Quão importantes eram as gentes!...”, in Tavira,
934:
Inventário do Museu Nacional de Arqueologia. Catálogo de esculturas romanas
693:
53:
1026:
185:, a Roman geographical region corresponding to modern Central and Eastern
1012:
Conferencia Internacional: Historia de la Pesca en el Ámbito del Estrecho
990:
Tavira, Território e Poder, Museu Nacional de Arqueologia/C. M. de Tavira
846:
Abel Viena: 1952, "Balsa y la necrópolis romana de As Pedras de el-Rei",
263:
Place Identification is attested by epigraphy found in the local, where
666:
112:
1060:
José d’Encarnação: 1987, “A população romana do litoral algarvio”, in
631:
352:
All main aspects of provincial Romanisation are documented locally: A
1117:
257:
197:
65:
61:
57:
333:
Epigraphic inscriptions reveal BALSA as a Latin Right Municipality (
724:. A growing number of studies below are being published on-line at
635:
623:
502:
338:
322:
321:
Cerro do Cavaco, the pre-Roman BALSA, did not survive the epoch of
204:(Pliny: IV 35, 118), people belonging to the ethnical group of the
100:
697:
134:
894:, 2.ª Série, Vol. IV a VI, Soc. Portuguesa de Numismática, Porto
608:
604:
494:
186:
148:
124:
96:
1036:, Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Berlin
735:
Vasco Gil Mantas: 1990, “As cidades marítimas da Lusitânia”, in
675:
490:
127:
connected with the older Phoenician occupation of neighbouring
1160:"Tavira excavations confirm existence of Roman city buildings"
950:, Museu Nacional de Arqueologia/C.M.Tavira, Lisboa: p 268-291
788:, Campo Arqueológico de Tavira e Câm. Mun. de Tavira, Tavira (
725:
869:
Alguns subsídios arqueológicos sobre a antiga cidade de Balsa
573:
253:
943:, Museu Nacional de Arqueologia; Lisboa: Several references
749:
Vasco Gil Mantas: 1997, “Os caminhos da serra e do mar”, in
759:: 1997, “Balsa, uma cidade romana no litoral algarvio”, in
181:
According to Mela (DC III 1, 7) Balsa was situated in the
75:
A 19th century reproduction of a Roman map depicting the
1082:, Museu Nacional de Arqueologia/C. M. de Tavira, Lisboa
864:, Arquivo do Instituto Português de Arqueologia, Lisboa
801:
Campo Arqueológico de Tavira e C. M. de Tavira, Tavira (
770:, Museu Nacional de Arqueologia/C. M. de Tavira, Lisboa
337:) during the 2nd century CE, most probably promoted by
318:
during the Carthaginian and Roman Republican periods.
853:
Maria Luísa Estácio da Veiga A. dos Santos: 1971-2,
667:
Public museums in Portugal with collections of BALSA
857:, Associação dos Arqueólogos Portugueses, Lisboa
1175:
766:Vasco Gil Mantas: 2003, “A cidade de Balsa”, in
715:
1106:Arqueo-topografia de Balsa Romana. Apresentação
1093:Atlas de Balsa e Metodologia arqueo-topográfica
1017:
135:References in Classical authors and archaeology
955:A cidade romana de Balsa (1) A terra sigillata
328:
888:“Novas moedas hispânicas de Balsa e Ossonoba”
927:Cerâmicas e vidros da Torre de Ares (Balsa)
871:, Por Terras do Algarve, Ed. Autor, Lisboa
649:
436:
430:
310:It was abandoned and replaced by the near
603:territory corresponded to modern Eastern
579:
557:(268-270 CE) discovered in a bath sewer.
1096:, Campo Arqueológico de Tavira, Tavira (
1044:Inscrições romanas do Conventus Pacensis
967:
929:, Museu Nacional de Arqueologia, Lisboa
906:
726:Association Campo Arqueológico de Tavira
343:
267:appears three times, qualifying persons
70:
1051:"Monumentos de Balsa (perto de Tavira)"
964:, Campo Arqueológico de Tavira, Tavira
903:, Campo Arqueológico de Tavira, Tavira
878:, Parque Natural da Ria Formosa, Olhão
860:Maria Maia, Manuel Maia et alii: 1977,
779:, Campo Arqueológico de Tavira, Tavira
1176:
946:v.v.a.a.: 2003: Exhibition catalogue,
941:Loquuntur saxa. Religiões da Lusitânia
939:v.v.a.a.: 2002, Exhibition catalogue.
913:Ensaio de estudo de uma Balança Romana
886:Rosa V. Gomes e Mário V. Gomes: 1983,
451:, collective construction of a circus
325:, being then replaced by Roman BALSA.
761:Noventa séculos entre a serra e o mar
751:Noventa séculos entre a serra e o mar
744:Noventa séculos entre a serra e o mar
1085:
876:Estação arqueológica da Luz (Tavira)
862:Relatórios de prospecção e escavação
730:
1046:, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra
932:José Luis de Matos (coord.): 1995,
720:Practically all bibliography is in
589:archaeological perimeter of BALSA.
505:) countryside, declares himself an
307:town (5th and 4 th centuries BCE).
298:The Late Bronze and Early Iron Age
13:
1184:Roman towns and cities in Portugal
976:, Barcelona 2001: many references
867:José Fernandes Mascarenhas: 1978,
818:Sebastião Estácio da Veiga: 1866,
14:
1200:
828:Augusto Carlos Teixeira de Aragão
798:Balsa, cidade perdida, Exposição.
470:and other unidentified monuments
293:
1055:Revista Archeologica e Histórica
618:The major fluvial road of river
497:) with a daughter in Pax Iulia (
56:coastal town in the province of
1189:Phoenician colonies in Portugal
925:Jeannette U. Smit Nolen: 1994,
737:Les Villes de Lusitanie romaine
690:Museu Paroquial de Moncarapacho
535:and the remaining 27% a single
389:belonging to the QUIRINA tribe
1152:
1027:Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum
881:
850:, 25, Madrid, p. 261-285
848:Archivo Español de Arqueologia
808:
106:
1:
1145:
936:, Lisboa: Several references
855:Arqueologia Romana do Algarve
824:, Livraria Catholica, Lisboa
716:Bibliography (in development)
672:Museu Nacional de Arqueologia
1064:, XVII, C. M. de Faro, Faro
1018:Epigraphy and social studies
979:
897:Alexandre V. Cesário: 2005,
843:, Imprensa Nacional, Lisboa
607:, bordering the province of
429:), evergetism (spectacle of
286:and the political community
7:
1129:
1119:Blog imprompto.blogspot.com
1103:Luís Fraga da Silva: 2011,
1090:Luís Fraga da Silva: 2005,
1042:: José d’Encarnação: 1984,
997:“O culto de Baal em Tavira”
960:Luis Fraga da Silva: 2010,
911:Raúl da C. Couvreur: 1958,
795:Luís Fraga da Silva: 2008,
782:Luís Fraga da Silva: 2007,
773:Luís Fraga da Silva: 2005,
329:Status, society and economy
227:(IAA: 426,1) . Referred as
10:
1205:
1062:Anais do Município de Faro
957:, C. M. de Tavira, Tavira
948:Tavira, Território e Poder
874:Cristina T Garcia.: 1989,
813:
768:Tavira, Território e Poder
615:exploited in Roman times.
553:, and a hoard of coins of
363:, local prominence of the
256:at the southmost limit of
79:. Balsa can be seen on it.
703:
565:limited topographically.
1067:Maria Alves Dias: 1989,
1057:, Lisboa, p. 33-38
1014:, Puerto de Santa Maria
650:Archaeology and heritage
638:). Several better known
527:or are women with Latin
37:37.0855497°N 7.6938629°W
1164:www.theportugalnews.com
1075:, IV s. n° 6/7, Lisboa
953:Catarina Viegas: 2006,
757:Jeannette U. Smit Nolen
681:Museu Municipal de Faro
162:and its lead divisors (
1073:O Arqueólogo Português
972:L. Lagóstena Barrios,
918:Vasco de Souza: 1990,
580:Urbanism and territory
437:
431:
416:balsensium dispensator
349:
250:Marcianus of Heracleia
153:Marcianus of Heracleia
80:
42:37.0855497; -7.6938629
968:Alimentary industries
907:Materials and objects
785:Balsa, cidade perdida
347:
248:It was considered by
111:Balsa is a pre-Roman
74:
986:“Fenícios em Tavira”
335:ius Latii Municipium
217:Antonine Itineraries
208:(Ptolemy: II 5, 2).
531:. 71% have a Roman
151:(GH: II 5, 2), and
139:It is mentioned by
33: /
1140:Balsa Roman Circus
1112:2012-02-14 at the
1080:Território e Poder
1032:2010-04-08 at the
1006:Maria Maia: 2004,
995:Maria Maia: 2003,
984:Maria Maia: 2003,
839:2012-07-22 at the
350:
245:(RAC: IV 43, 30).
194:stipendiary oppida
192:It was one of the
81:
64:Pacensis (capital
1136:Circus (building)
1086:Archaeotopography
1049:E. Hübner: 1887,
731:Synthesis studies
555:Claudius Gothicus
481:), imperial cult
414:, public slaves (
260:(M. H.: II, 14).
147:(HN IV 35, 116),
1196:
1168:
1167:
1156:
763:, IPPAR, Lisboa
753:, IPPAR, Lisboa
746:, IPPAR, Lisboa
440:
434:
358:ordo decurionica
115:with a probable
48:
47:
45:
44:
43:
38:
34:
31:
30:
29:
26:
1204:
1203:
1199:
1198:
1197:
1195:
1194:
1193:
1174:
1173:
1172:
1171:
1158:
1157:
1153:
1148:
1132:
1114:Wayback Machine
1088:
1034:Wayback Machine
1020:
982:
970:
909:
900:Moedas de Balsa
884:
841:Wayback Machine
821:Povos balsenses
816:
811:
733:
718:
706:
669:
652:
582:
572:factories. Six
562:terra sigillata
385:, magistrates (
331:
296:
200:, Siege of the
155:(PME: II, 13).
143:(DC III 1, 7),
137:
109:
41:
39:
35:
32:
27:
24:
22:
20:
19:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1202:
1192:
1191:
1186:
1170:
1169:
1150:
1149:
1147:
1144:
1143:
1142:
1131:
1128:
1087:
1084:
1019:
1016:
981:
978:
969:
966:
908:
905:
883:
880:
815:
812:
810:
807:
739:, CNRS, Paris
732:
729:
717:
714:
705:
702:
668:
665:
651:
648:
581:
578:
330:
327:
295:
294:Pre-Roman past
292:
141:Pomponius Mela
136:
133:
108:
105:
91:, district of
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1201:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1182:
1181:
1179:
1165:
1161:
1155:
1151:
1141:
1137:
1134:
1133:
1127:
1125:
1121:
1120:
1115:
1111:
1108:
1107:
1101:
1099:
1095:
1094:
1083:
1081:
1076:
1074:
1070:
1065:
1063:
1058:
1056:
1052:
1047:
1045:
1041:
1037:
1035:
1031:
1028:
1024:
1015:
1013:
1009:
1004:
1002:
998:
993:
991:
987:
977:
975:
965:
963:
958:
956:
951:
949:
944:
942:
937:
935:
930:
928:
923:
921:
916:
914:
904:
902:
901:
895:
893:
889:
879:
877:
872:
870:
865:
863:
858:
856:
851:
849:
844:
842:
838:
835:
834:
829:
825:
823:
822:
806:
804:
800:
799:
793:
791:
787:
786:
780:
778:
777:
776:Tavira Romana
771:
769:
764:
762:
758:
754:
752:
747:
745:
740:
738:
728:
727:
723:
713:
711:
701:
699:
695:
691:
687:
686:
682:
678:
677:
673:
664:
660:
656:
647:
645:
641:
637:
633:
629:
625:
621:
616:
612:
610:
606:
602:
597:
593:
590:
586:
577:
575:
571:
566:
563:
558:
556:
552:
551:
548:
547:
540:
538:
534:
530:
526:
521:
519:
518:
515:
514:
508:
504:
500:
496:
492:
488:
484:
480:
479:
476:
475:
469:
468:
465:
464:
460:
457:
456:
450:
449:
446:
445:
439:
433:
428:
427:
424:
423:
417:
413:
412:
409:
408:
403:
399:
398:
395:
394:
388:
384:
383:
380:
379:
375:
372:
371:
366:
362:
359:
355:
346:
342:
340:
336:
326:
324:
319:
317:
313:
308:
306:
301:
291:
289:
285:
284:
281:
280:
276:
273:
272:
266:
261:
259:
255:
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246:
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236:
235:
230:
226:
222:
218:
214:
209:
207:
203:
199:
195:
190:
188:
184:
179:
177:
173:
169:
165:
161:
158:Mints bronze
156:
154:
150:
146:
142:
132:
130:
126:
123:, a possible
122:
118:
114:
104:
102:
98:
94:
90:
86:
85:Luz de Tavira
78:
77:Gulf of Cádiz
73:
69:
67:
63:
59:
55:
51:
46:
1163:
1154:
1123:
1118:
1105:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1089:
1079:
1077:
1072:
1066:
1061:
1059:
1054:
1048:
1043:
1039:
1038:
1022:
1021:
1011:
1005:
1000:
994:
989:
983:
973:
971:
959:
954:
952:
947:
945:
940:
938:
933:
931:
926:
924:
919:
917:
912:
910:
899:
896:
891:
885:
875:
873:
868:
866:
861:
859:
854:
852:
847:
845:
832:
826:
820:
817:
802:
797:
794:
789:
784:
781:
775:
772:
767:
765:
760:
755:
750:
748:
743:
741:
736:
734:
719:
709:
707:
694:Moncarapacho
688:
679:
670:
661:
657:
653:
643:
639:
627:
619:
617:
613:
600:
598:
594:
591:
587:
583:
569:
567:
561:
559:
544:
543:
541:
536:
532:
528:
524:
522:
511:
510:
506:
486:
482:
472:
471:
461:
453:
452:
442:
441:
420:
419:
415:
405:
404:
401:
391:
390:
386:
376:
368:
367:
364:
360:
357:
353:
351:
341:(81-96 CE).
334:
332:
320:
315:
311:
309:
304:
299:
297:
287:
277:
269:
268:
264:
262:
247:
243:Stacio Sacra
242:
238:
233:
228:
224:
220:
212:
210:
205:
201:
193:
191:
182:
180:
175:
171:
167:
163:
159:
157:
138:
120:
110:
87:, county of
82:
49:
18:
882:Numismatics
809:Archaeology
525:tria nomina
365:gens Manlia
354:res publica
183:Cuneus Ager
119:etymology:
107:Name origin
99:, Southern
40: /
1178:Categories
1146:References
722:Portuguese
529:dua nomina
509:of BALSA!
265:Balsensium
219:, between
117:Phoenician
113:place-name
25:37°05′08″N
16:Roman town
1003:, Huelva
992:, Lisboa
980:Pre-Roman
596:moments.
560:Imported
432:naumachia
316:Balsenses
305:Turdetani
258:Lusitania
234:Ravennate
211:Stage of
206:Turdetani
202:Balsenses
198:Lusitania
66:Pax Julia
62:Conventus
58:Lusitania
28:7°41′38″W
1130:See also
1110:Archived
1030:Archived
837:Archived
830:: 1868,
636:Portugal
628:Myrtilis
624:Guadiana
622:(modern
570:amphorae
550:II, 5171
537:cognomen
503:Portugal
487:Neapolis
478:II, 5167
467:II, 5166
459:II, 5165
438:pugilate
426:II, 5164
397:II, 5162
382:II, 5162
374:II, 5161
339:Domitian
323:Augustus
283:II, 5164
275:II, 5161
237:between
225:Ossonoba
168:quadrans
101:Portugal
814:General
632:Mértola
609:Baetica
605:Algarve
601:civitas
517:II, 105
495:Tunisia
483:IRCP 90
387:duunvir
361:IRCP 75
356:with a
312:oppidum
300:oppidum
288:IRCP 75
239:Besurin
231:in the
229:civitas
213:via XXI
187:Algarve
176:sextans
149:Ptolemy
125:theonym
121:B'LŠ...
97:Algarve
892:Nummus
704:Images
676:Lisbon
640:villae
507:incola
491:Nabeul
448:II, 13
411:II, 13
402:sexvir
172:triens
129:Tavira
89:Tavira
52:was a
1071:, in
1010:, in
988:, in
698:Olhão
574:garum
533:nomen
254:polis
221:Esuri
164:semis
160:asses
145:Pliny
95:, in
54:Roman
50:Balsa
1138:and
1040:IRCP
685:Faro
644:vici
620:Anas
599:The
499:Beja
435:and
252:the
241:and
223:and
93:Faro
1124:PIC
1098:PIC
1023:CIL
803:PIC
790:PIC
712:).
710:PIC
642:or
546:CIL
513:CIL
474:CIL
463:CIL
455:CIL
444:CIL
422:CIL
407:CIL
400:),
393:CIL
378:CIL
370:CIL
279:CIL
271:CIL
215:of
196:of
68:).
1180::
1162:.
1126:)
1116:,
1100:)
1053:,
1025::
999:,
890:,
805:)
792:)
700:)
692:,
683:,
674:,
634:,
520:.
501:,
493:,
418:,
290:.
189:.
174:,
170:,
166:,
131:.
60:,
1166:.
1122:(
696:(
630:(
489:(
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