Roman Hispania
Castulo
Today: Linares, Spain
- Years
- 206 BCE–409
- Role
- Capital of Oretania
The Ibero-Roman city that was the head of Oretania, on a walled plateau five kilometres south of Linares, beside the lead and silver mines of the Sierra Morena. Its aristocracy made a pact with Scipio Africanus in the last years of the 3rd century BCE: the city stayed free and immune and kept its institutions in exchange for taking a garrison and providing troops. It was abandoned in the 15th century, and today it has a visitor centre and a car park.