Do you know the “Spanish Rome”? 15 kilometers from Uncastillo, in the province of Zaragoza, are the ruins of the Roman city of Los Bañalesa 20-hectare estate that housed around 2,500 people between the 1st century BC and the 3rd century AD. Although the forum, temples and baths are imposing, the most remarkable are the 32 stone pillars that belonged to a village. aqueductbuilt by the Macedonian Legio IV. This aqueduct was unique because it combined stone and wood, a rare example in Hispania. According to medieval legends, the devil built this structure, which led to some columns being marked with crosses.
In addition to this aqueduct, recent excavations have revealed remains of presseswhich suggests that wine production could have been one of the main economic activities of the city. Funerary monuments such as the one dedicated to the Atilia Family and remains of marble imported from various regions testify to the importance and wealth of the city at that time. Although Los Bañales fell into decline in the 3rd century AD, it was sporadically inhabited until the 9th century.
Los Bañales site: the “Spanish Rome”
The ancient Roman city of Los Bañales, located in Uncastillo, was part of the Basque territorywhich occupied present-day Navarre and the Cinco Villas de Aragón. This site, near Layana, is distinguished by its hydraulic system with monumental hot springs and an aqueduct that supplied water to a possible nearby reservoir, built at the end of the 1st century AD.
Currently, Los Bañales is the subject of a Research Plan of the Government of Aragonmanaged by the Uncastillo Foundation. Since 2023, Layana has had the Interpretation Center “Rome in the Villas Cinco”, which exhibits Roman finds from the site, such as utensils and sculptures.
Interpretation Center “Rome at the Villas Cinco”
He Interpretation Center “Rome to the Villas Cinco: Los Bañales”located in the city of Layana, houses an archaeological collection of great value, with significant pieces from the Roman world, such as the pedestals of Lucius Caesar and Tiberius, as well as sculptural fragments in Carrara marble of the Emperor Domitian.
These remains, found during excavations promoted by the Uncastillo Foundation, are added to household tools, ceramics and personal adornment items which allow you to experience life in a Roman city.
Among the most remarkable discoveries is a reconstruction of a column of the basilica of the forumwhich shows the architectural importance of Los Bañales. This space will continue to be excavated in future archaeological campaigns, while the center offers a detailed look at the history of the place, from its pre-Roman times to its abandonment in the Islamic era.
Tours of the centre, organised by the Uncastillo Foundation, include visits to the forum, the thermal baths and the aqueduct, with explanations of the latest discoveries. In general terms, the Layana Interpretation Center It represents a valuable cultural and archaeological contribution to the Cinco Villas region.
monumental complex
The “Spanish Rome” covers approximately 20 hectares, distributed between the El Pueyo hill and other neighboring areas. El Pueyoa 567-metre-high promontory, bears witness to a pre-Roman settlement that continued to be used during the Roman Empire and perhaps until the 9th century AD, even when the city had already been dismantled.
In El Pueyo, structures such as a wall and remains of a possible templesuggesting an important religious role. The city forum, excavated since 2008, reveals a majestic public square with exedrae, votive inscriptions and sculptural remains of great value. Statuary material has been found, including pieces of marble and imperial portraits of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, which show the importance of the place in Roman times. The forum, visible from the Roman road, was one of the monumental centers of Los Bañales.
Another highlight of the site are the thermal baths, a well-preserved thermal complex, even used as a residence in the following centuries. With an area of 530 m² and a capacity of about 60 people, these hot springs had all the necessary facilities for the roman bathsNext to the hot springs, a residential and craft area was found, where ovens and warehouses were discovered, suggesting the existence of workshops.
One of the most significant elements of Los Bañales is its aqueduct, built at the end of the 1st century BC by the Legion IV MacedoniaThis hydraulic system, considered unique in the Roman world, supplied the city with water through sandstone pillars and channels dug into the rock, maintaining a constant slope to ensure the flow of water.
Furthermore, a Roman Dam at Cubalmenawhich was part of this hydraulic system. The dam, 53 meters long, could have stored up to 30,000 m³ of water, thus ensuring the supply of the city. This discovery confirms the complexity and efficiency of the Roman infrastructure of Los Bañales, an example of the technical ingenuity of the time.
