Termantia, the present-day locality of Tiermes, is an archaeological site on the edge of the

Duero The Douro (, , , ; ; ) is the largest river of the Iberian Peninsula by discharge. It rises near Duruelo de la Sierra in the Spanish province of Soria, meanders briefly south, then flows generally west through the northern part of the Meseta ...

valley in

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

. It is located in the sparsely populated ''

municipio A ' () or ' () is an administrative division in several Hispanophone and Lusophone nations, respectively. It is often translated as "municipality." It comes from ''mūnicipium'' (), meaning a township. In English, a municipality often is define ...

'' of Montejo de Tiermes (

Soria Soria () is a municipality and a Spanish city, located on the Douro river in the east of the autonomous community of Castile and León and capital of the province of Soria. Its population is 38,881 ( INE, 2017), 43.7% of the provincial populatio ...

Castile and León Castile and León is an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwestern Spain. Castile and León is the largest autonomous community in Spain by area, covering 94,222 km2. It is, however, sparsely populated, with a pop ...

). During the Iron Age it was a Celtiberian

hill fort A hillfort is a type of fortification, fortified refuge or defended settlement located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typical of the late Bronze Age Europe, European Bronze Age and Iron Age Europe, Iron Age. So ...

. It resisted the

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

s, and was allied to

Numantia Numantia () is an ancient Celtiberian settlement, whose remains are located on a hill known as Cerro de la Muela in the current municipality of Garray ( Soria), Spain. Numantia is famous for its role in the Celtiberian Wars. In 153 BC, Num ...

during the

Celtiberian Wars The First Celtiberian War (181–179 BC) and Second Celtiberian War (154–151 BC) were two of the three major rebellions by the Celtiberians (a loose alliance of Celtic tribes living in east central Hispania, among which we can name the Pelle ...

. It is believed that the Romans gave it the status of

municipium In ancient Rome, the Latin term (: ) referred to a town or city. Etymologically, the was a social contract among ('duty holders'), or citizens of the town. The duties () were a communal obligation assumed by the in exchange for the privileges ...

. The original name was Romanised as ''Termes'' or ''Termantia''. It is remarkable for its impressive site on an arid red sandstone hill and for the way buildings have been carved in the solid rock.

Roman history

The wealth of Termes in Celtiberian and Roman times came possibly from sheep farming (there are indications of an annual transfer of flocks between the northern plateau and Extremadura) and from deposits of iron ore and other metals in their area of influence. The conquest of the Iberian Peninsula by Rome was a long process that lasted two centuries. One of the highlights was the Celtiberian Wars that led to the incorporation of much of Celtiberia up to the middle of the upper Duero after the fall of

in 133 BC. During this phase Termes was attacked by the Roman consul Q. Pompey in 141 BC, who signed a treaty with Termes in 139 BC, along with Numantia. The treaty was overruled by the Roman Senate, though continued hostilities did not directly affect Termes. Finally, at the end of the 2nd century BC, Rome restarted the conquest beyond Numantia; Termes fell in 98 BC, after the assault of the consul Titus Didius, who forced the inhabitants to move down to the plain, which according to archaeological data lasted only one or two decades. Afterwards Termes paid tribute ('' civitas stipendaria''), beginning a slow process of Romanisation. From 70 BC the city began major urban renewal, using the three terraces of the hill, especially the middle, where the most important buildings would be located in the future. The city was probably given the title

Municipium In ancient Rome, the Latin term (: ) referred to a town or city. Etymologically, the was a social contract among ('duty holders'), or citizens of the town. The duties () were a communal obligation assumed by the in exchange for the privileges ...

during the reign of Emperor

Tiberius Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus ( ; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was Roman emperor from AD 14 until 37. He succeeded his stepfather Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC to Roman politician Tiberius Cl ...

. Termes was assigned to the Conventus Cluniensis and thereafter the Hispanic-Roman city began to take shape, whose period of greatest splendour was between the first and second centuries AD. It was endowed with large public buildings, two

fora FORA or Fora may refer to: Groups and organizations * Argentine Regional Workers' Federation The Argentine Regional Workers' Federation (Spanish: ''Federación Obrera Regional Argentina''; abbreviated FORA), founded in , was Argentina's first n ...

(first Julio-Claudian and later a Flavian forum),

thermal bath A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring (hydrology), spring water (sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa health treatments are known as balneotherapy. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters and Hot spring, ...

s, a possible theatre, an aqueduct and urban development suited to the location of the city on a sandstone bluff surrounded by river gorges and forests. A particular characteristic of Termes, and most spectacular today, is the technique of carving buildings into the solid rock, later perfected with the introduction of Roman construction techniques. The city has numerous remains of buildings with this type of architecture, both private buildings (House of the Niches, Aqueduct House ...) and public (rock bleachers, Theatre, ...) and infrastructure (urban channels aqueduct, drainage, pathways, ...). The construction of the wall in the late third century AD indicates that the city maintained its character which lasted at least until the middle of IVth c. AD. Termes faded during late antiquity.

Post-Roman history

Very little of what happened in the city during the

Visigoth The Visigoths (; ) were a Germanic people united under the rule of a king and living within the Roman Empire during late antiquity. The Visigoths first appeared in the Balkans, as a Roman-allied barbarian military group united under the comman ...

and Islamic periods is known. There is a Romanesque church, which as the area is now depopulated has the status of ''eremita'' (hermitage).

Archaeology

The archaeological remains are located on several terraces and in the southern plain: Flight of steps carved into the rock: monumental public space of uncertain date and function, with steps divided into sectors and access stairways, near the door of the Sun, one of the ancient entrances. Southern rock complex: the remains of homes probably originating Celtiberian era, carved into the rocks on two floors, in the back, and with masonry facade of the Roman era. There are 11 houses divided into two zones, separated by a staircase. The "house of the Niches", among them, also shows an upper floor. Canal aqueduct: carved into the rock, it brought water from the hill to the Roman city, partly underground West Gate: pedestrian access to the city "House of the aqueduct", residence of 1800 sqm with 35 rooms on different levels connected by stairs. The foundation was cut into the hill, while the walls were plastered and decorated with murals. Forum with a temple dedicated to the imperial cult, arcaded square and a

macellum A ''macellum'' (: ''macella''; , ''makellon'') is an ancient Roman indoor market building that sold mostly provisions (especially meat and fish). The building normally sat alongside the forum and basilica, providing a place in which a market cou ...

with taverns. In 2018 geophysical surveying (

Magnetometry A magnetometer is a device that measures magnetic field or magnetic dipole moment. Different types of magnetometers measure the direction, strength, or relative change of a magnetic field at a particular location. A compass is one such device, o ...

) allowed the identification of new housing-areas within the city walls as well as previously unknown structures outside the (supposed) boundaries of the city, specifically in the extreme west and extreme east of the hill. In the case of the western structures these are thought to be earlier than the Roman city of Termantia/Termes, i.e. part of the Iron Age hilltop settlement. The eastern structures are without fixed chronology and could be part of a previously unknown extension of the Roman settlement.

Gallery

File:AcueductoDeTermancia.jpg, Rock-cut Aqueduct File:Yacimiento arqueológico de Tiermes (1 de mayo de 2006, Montejo de Tiermes) 08.JPG, Rock-cut Aqueduct File:ForoFlavioTiermes.jpg, Flavian Forum File:Tiberius_(M.A.N._Madrid)_01.jpg, Sculpture now in the National Archaeology Museum

Conservation and Museum

The site is protected by Spanish law, being listed as a ''Zona Arqueológica''. There is a museum at the site, an outpost of the Numantine Museum of Soria. The Friends of the Tiermes Museum (''Asociación de Amigos del Museo de Tiermes'' - AAMT) is an NGO, which was set up in 1988. AAMT is concerned with environmental protection and the promotion of

sustainable tourism Sustainable tourism is a concept that covers the complete tourism experience, including concern for Impacts of tourism, economic, social, and environmental issues as well as attention to improving tourists' experiences and addressing the needs o ...

The European LIFE Programme provided funding in the period 2003-2006 to develop eco-cultural tourism in what is an economically marginalised area. Actions for the conservation and enhancement of archaeological and natural heritage have been implemented. The project identified potential for the declaration of a

Special Protection Area A special protection area (SPA) is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds. Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union (EU) have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and cer ...

for birds. Wildlife also includes

wolves The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the grey wolf or gray wolf, is a canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, including the dog and dingo, though gr ...

. ''Encinares de Tiermes'', a

Site of Community Importance A Site of Community Importance (SCI) is defined in the European Commission Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) as a site which, in the biogeographical region or regions to which it belongs, contributes significantly to the maintenance or restoration at ...

, was designated a

Special Area of Conservation A special area of conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the ''Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora''. They are to protect the 220 habitats and ap ...

for the species in 2015. Activities available at Tiermes include guided tours and dark sky astronomy: the latter activity is also promoted at Borobia, another sparsely populated locality in the province of Soria.

References

Classical references: Greek and Latin

Appian Appian of Alexandria (; ; ; ) was a Greek historian with Roman citizenship who prospered during the reigns of the Roman Emperors Trajan, Hadrian, and Antoninus Pius. He was born c. 95 in Alexandria. After holding the senior offices in the pr ...

, Iber. 76-77-79.

Diodorus of Sicily Diodorus Siculus or Diodorus of Sicily (; 1st century BC) was an ancient Greek historian from Sicily. He is known for writing the monumental universal history ''Bibliotheca historica'', in forty books, fifteen of which survive intact, bet ...

, XXXIII, 16-17.

Florus Three main sets of works are attributed to Florus (a Roman cognomen): ''Virgilius orator an poeta'', the ''Epitome of Roman History'' and a collection of 14 short poems (66 lines in all). As to whether these were composed by the same person, or ...

, III, 10.9.

Livy Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional founding i ...

, :es:Epítome de Tito Livio ''Epit. LIV.''

Polybius Polybius (; , ; ) was a Greek historian of the middle Hellenistic period. He is noted for his work , a universal history documenting the rise of Rome in the Mediterranean in the third and second centuries BC. It covered the period of 264–146 ...

, Lib. XXXV. Pliny, ''Nat. Hist.'', III, 27. Ptolemy II, 6.55.

Sallust Gaius Sallustius Crispus, usually anglicised as Sallust (, ; –35 BC), was a historian and politician of the Roman Republic from a plebeian family. Probably born at Amiternum in the country of the Sabines, Sallust became a partisan of Julius ...

, Hist ,. II, 95.

Tacitus Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus ( , ; – ), was a Roman historian and politician. Tacitus is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historians by modern scholars. Tacitus’ two major historical works, ''Annals'' ( ...

, ''Ann.'', ''IV, 45, 1-2''.

Ravenna Cosmography The ''Ravenna Cosmography'' (, "The Cosmography of the Unknown Ravennese") is a work describing the Ecumene, known world from India to Ireland, compiled by an anonymous cleric in Ravenna around 700 AD. It consists of five books describing ...

, p. 311.6.

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF EXCAVATION AND GUIDES

www.bne.es. MARTINEZ CABALLERO, S. and ALDECOA RUIZ, A . (2009): "Short Guide to visit Tiermes". Tiermes LIFE Project.
available online in PDF format
. ARGENTE OLIVER, JL and DIAZ DIAZ, A: ''La necrópolis celtibérica de Tiermes (Carratiermes, Soria)'' ("The Celtiberian necropolis of Tiermes (Carratiermes, Soria)"). Noticiario Arqueológico Hispánico, 7, 1979: pp. 95–151. ARGENTE OLIVER, JL et al.: "Tiermes I (Campaigns 1975-1978) Works of excavations carried out in the Roman city and in the vicinity of the Romanesque Chapel of Our Lady of Tiermes.". Archaeological excavations in Spain, 111, Madrid, 1980. ARGENTE OLIVER, JL et al.: "Tiermes II (Campaigns 1979-1980) Excavations in the Roman City and the Medieval Necropolis.". Archaeological excavations in Spain, 128. Madrid, 1984. HOUSE MARTÍNEZ, C. de la and others: "Tiermes III Excavations in the Roman City and the Medieval Necropolis (Campaigns 1981-1984).". Archaeological excavations in Spain, 166. Madrid, 1994. ARGENTE OLIVER, JL and Diaz Diaz, A .: ''Tiermes IV. La Casa del Acueducto (Domus alto imperial de la ciudad de Tiermes) (Campañas 1979-1986)'', "Tiermes IV. The Aqueduct House (Domus high imperial city of Tiermes) (Campaigns 1979-1986)". Excavaciones Arqueológicas en España (Archaeological excavations in Spain), 167. Madrid, 1994. ARGENTE OLIVER, JL and Diaz Diaz, A .: "Tiermes V. Celtibérica of Carratiermes Necropolis" (Campaigns 1979 and 1986-1991) ". Edition directed by JLArgente and basically completed in 1997-1998, reviewed by the archaeological team of JL Argente (Alberto Bescós, Santiago Martínez Caballero, Arturo Aldecoa Ruiz and others) in 1999-2000 and published by the JCyL in 2001. ORTEGO AND COLD, T .: Tiermes archaeological guide. Madrid, 1980. ARGENTE OLIVER, JL and Diaz Diaz, A .: Tiermes guide archaeological site and museum. Soria, 1995. Junta de Castilla y León TEICHNER F., ILLAREGUI GÓMEZ E., HERMANN F., MORENO ESCOBAR M., ARRIBAS LOBO P.: “Ver lo invisible”: prospecciones geofísicas en la ciudad celtíbero-romana de Termes (Montejo de Tiermes, Soria). In: C. Pérez González, P. Arribas Lobo, O. V. Reyes Hernando (Hrsg.), Estudios y recuerdos in memoriam Prof. Emilio Illarregui, Anejos de Oppidum 7, 2020, 105-123
Researchgate Download

External links

* http://www.museodetiermes.es/ {{coord, 41.3308, N, 3.1488, W, source:wikidata, display=title Bien de Interés Cultural landmarks in the Province of Soria Dark-sky preserves in Spain Former populated places in Spain Hill forts in Spain Celtiberian cities and towns Roman towns and cities in Spain Archaeological sites in Castile and León