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(PDF) “Puertos y ciudades portuarias de Cantabria en época romana”

“Puertos y ciudades portuarias de Cantabria en época romana”

2022, J. M. Campos Carrasco y J. Bermejo Meléndez (eds.), Del Atlántico al Tirreno. Puertos hispanos e itálicos, L’Erma di Bretschneider, Roma, pp. 331-355

Pliny the Elder mentions four portus in the north of Hispania citerior, they all located in the territory of present-day Cantabria: Portus Amanum/Flaviobriga (Castro Urdiales), Portus Victoriae Iuliobrigensium (Santander), Portus Blendium (Suances) y Portus Vereasuecae (San Vicente de la Barquera). The aim of this paper is to explain the reasons of such Roman ports concentration in a sector of the Cantabrian coastline of just 100 km long. To this end, evidences from literary sources have been contrasted with data provided by recent archaeological research. The study concludes that port activity in Cantabria was closely linked to the mining operation situated in the vicinity of the cost. Maritime transport was combined with a return commerce, as reflected in the Montans’ TSG ceramics found in Castro Urdiales. From Tiberius’ reign, this commerce benefited from the opening of land routes connecting the Cantabrian coastline with the inland of the Peninsula. In general, Archaeology reflects the integration of Cantabrian harbours in the Atlantic trade routes and its continuity during the Late Antiquity.