A Roman colonia (plural coloniae) was originally a Roman outpost established in conquered territory to secure it. Eventually, however, the term came to denote the highest status of Roman city.

History

Rome's first colonies were established at Ostia, Antium, and Tarracina in the late fourth century B.C. In this first period of colonization, which lasted down to the end of the Punic Wars, colonies were primarily military in purpose, being intended to defend Roman territory. There were colonies of citizens and colonies of Latins, which differed in size, constitution, and region. Colonies of citizens were settled on coast and known as coloniae maritimae. These were small (three hundred families), close to Rome, and enjoyed no civic life of their own. Sherwin-White suggested that they were similar to the Athenian cleruchy.

Coloniae also included towns founded by Rome to house those who held Roman citizenship. In Britain this usually meant those who had completed their military service in the Legions and were thus owed a grant of land by the state; see Marian Reforms.

Examples

Some examples are:

Modern name	Latin name	Modern country	Roman province	Foundation
Arles	Iulia Paterna Sextanoum	France	Gallia Narbonensis	45 BC by Caesar
Belgrade	Singidunum	Serbia	Moesia Superior	2nd century
Colchester	Colonia Claudia Victricensis	England	Britannia / Britannia Superior / Maxima Caesariensis	49, by Claudius
Cologne	Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensis	Germany	Germania Inferior	50
Jerusalem (on the site of)	Colonia Aelia Capitolina	Israel	Judaea	After Bar Kokhba's revolt, by Hadrian
Lincoln	Lindum Colonia or Colonia Domitiana Lindensium	England	Britannia / Britannia Inferior / Flavia Caesariensis	71, by Domitian
Narbo Martius	colonia Martia Iulia Paterna Decimanorum	France	Gallia / Gallia Narbonensis	118 BC by Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; refounded by Caesar in 45 BC
Patras	Colonia Augusta Achaica Patrensis	Greece	Achaia	After the battle of Actium by Augustus
Sétif	Sitifis Colonia	Algeria	Mauretania Sitifensis	1st century
York	Eboracum	England	Britannia / Britannia Inferior / Britannia Secunda	? Caracalla

See also

• Roman colonies in antiquity

References

Further reading

• Jona Lendering, “Coloniae”, Livius.org (2006)
• L. Adkins and R.A. Adkins, “Coloniae”, in L. Adkins and R.A. Adkins, Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome, New York, 1994.
• M. Bunson, “colonies, Roman”, in M. Bunson, Encyclopedia of the Roman Empire, New York, 1994.