 Hypothetic plan of Segobriga with the most outstanding remainings. |
The city of Segobriga was the cultural, adminstrative and miner center of a wide area at the Peninsular center. It was created, as usual, from a Celtiberian castra called Sego-briga -Plinius called it "caput celtiberiae"-. It was taken by Romans ca. 200 b.C.
Placed on Hill of Greek Head at Saelices (Cuenca), it had a cosmopolitan population and lodged into its walls several public and religious buildings. It does not usually include private houses: they were built on next villages. There is only a private house at the top of the city: it seems to be a Senator's one.
At Augustus age it became a Municip and was no more economically dependent of Rome. At 1st century elevation of buildings and walls began. This idea was designed because of an economic reason: exploitation of mines, specially those of lapis specularis, crystallized plaster used as crystal. Therefore a great number of slaves and free workers were sent to Segobriga. They found there a way for general improving. Indeed, native population made that citizens began business and even got their own gods. Native "financial benefits" came from mines and associated items: esparto, metalurgy, agriculture, or stone work. This state of things could not avoid a clearly hierarchical society: with very important social differences.
As every Roman city, it enjoyed basic infrastructures: running water and gutters. For getting water many tanks were built, specially cisterns, that were communicated through aqueducts. Many canals for taking water to terma and fountains were made inside the city.
