Six kilometers from Tarragona (roman Tarraco in Catalonia, Spain), next to the ancient Via Augusta, stands a stone monument that was misinterpreted for a long time: the Tower of the Scipios. The tower’s name comes from the mistaken belief that the Scipios, famous for their campaigns in the Second Punic War, had been buried here […]
Towers
Posted inClassical Archaeology
Roman Towers of an Access Gate and Sections of the Wall Built by the Legions, Found in the Ancient City of Libisosa in Spain
The recent preliminary report on the interventions carried out between August and October 2024 at the Libisosa Archaeological Park in Lezuza (Albacete, Spain) has highlighted significant advances in the understanding of the Roman phase of this historical site. From the construction of the Republican wall by the army to the decline of the city in […]
Posted inArt, Modern Era
Bismarck Towers: A Monumental Phenomenon Spanning Four Continents
The construction of 184 monuments in honor of Otto von Bismarck between 1869 and 1934 in Germany seems logical. After all, the “Iron Chancellor” was the architect of German unification, culminating in the creation of the German Empire in 1871. However, during the same period, similar monuments were erected in countries such as Poland (40 […]
Posted inAncient Rome, Art
The Rare Roman Tower of Centum Cellas in Portugal, Whose Original Function Remains Unknown
On Mount Santo Antão in the Portuguese municipality of Belmonte, a curious structure stands tall. A two-story square tower, built with large ashlar stones, appears to have battlements, numerous windows, and doors. Despite its strange appearance, it is a Roman building from the 1st century AD known as the Centum Cellas Tower. In Portuguese, it […]
