Roman Ruins of Baelo Claudia

Baelo Claudia was established at the end of the 2nd century to the beginning of the 1st century BC. It was one of the most important towns on the South coast of Baetica. It was established for the purpose of exploiting the tuna which every April to June swarms past the Straits of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean to spawn and in August return again to the Atlantic.

These, with other fish abundant in the Straits were caught, salted and packed in Amphorae ready for shipping. Even more important was the by-product of this trade, the making of Garum, a Roman “gentleman’s relish” which, with its associated sauces of liquamen (similar to garum but made with small fish), Allec, (the dregs of garum) and Muria (the salty liquid used to prepare the sauces), occupied an important position in the daily life if the Romans for whom it replaced salt as a condiment in seasoning a meal, fowl, vegetables and fish. It was probably also used as a drink mixed with honey or wine and was used to cure a variety of diseases affecting all parts of the body of both humans and animals.

Spanish producers and merchants exercised a near monopoly over this fish sauce commerce in the Western Mediterranean between 1st and 2nd centuries AD. Their merchants transported it in specially made amphorae to Italy, Gaul, Africa and the Northern provinces – even to the Roman army in Britain. As well as producing the average quality product, Spain also produced the most famous and expensive “Garum Sociorum”.

From classical sources we know that by the late 5th century BC processed fish products were being exported from Spain to Greece by Greek and Punic merchants and Strabo mentions that they were operating in the 1st century BC but no pre-Roman remains have been found at Baelo Claudia and no Roman remains dating before the 1st century AD.

The first settlement on the site, now buried below the Marcellum and Basilica at the lower end of the city, was established in the 2nd century BC. It was a simple settlement consisting of fish salting and Garum installations and a few houses. The city developed gradually. From 40-100 AD it constructed its first public buildings. Others were added in three phases. During the reign of Claudius (41-54AD) it became one of Baetica’s ten municipiae whose inhabitants were awarded the Status of Roman Citizens.