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Cadiz
KNOWLEDGE OF Cadiz
Cádiz is a coastal city in southwestern Spain and part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is the capital of the province of Cádiz. According to the 2004 census, the population of Cádiz proper is 133,242, while the population of the entire urban area is estimated to be 629,054. The city is located on a peninsula protruding into the Bay of Cádiz, part of much larger Gulf of Cádiz.
Cádiz is of typical Andalusian character. The old part of Cádiz, commonly referred to as the Old City (Spanish Casco Antiguo), is shaped by the individuality of the various quarters (Spanish barrios), "El Populo," "La Viña," or "Santa Maria." These areas offer a marked contrast to the newer areas of town. While the townscape of the Old City is largely formed by narrow alleys leading into a number of plazas, newer areas consist of wide avenues and more modern buildings. In addition, the city is dotted by numerous park plants, including old giant trees supposedly brought there by Columbus.
The city was originally founded as Gadir (Phoenician גדר "walled city") by the Phoenicians, who used it in their trade with Tartessos. It is regarded to be the most ancient city still standing in western Europe. Traditionally, its establishment has been dated to about 1100 BCE, although, as of 2004, no archaeological finds have been found that date back further than the 9th century BCE. One resolution to this discrepancy has been to assume that it was, in the initial phase, merely a small trading post. Later, the Greeks would know the city as Gadira or Gadeira. According to Greek legend, Gadir was founded by Heracles after killing Geryon. Indeed, one of the city's notable features during this era was the temple dedicated to the Phoenician god Melqart. Some historians think that the columns of this temple gave origin to the myth of the Columns of Hercules (Melqart was associated by the Greeks with Heracles, or Hercules).
In about 500 BCE, the city fell under the sway of Carthage. Cádiz became a base of operations for Hannibal's conquest of southern Iberia. However, in 206, the city fell to Roman forces under Scipio Africanus. The people of Cádiz welcomed the victors. Under the Romans, it was renamed Gades. The city flourished under Roman rule as a naval base. By the time of Augustus, Cádiz was home to more than 500 equites, rivaled only by Rome and Padua, and its citizens ranked next to those of Rome itself. However, with the decline of the Roman Empire, Gades's commercial importance began to fade.
The 5th century overthrow of Roman power in Spain by the Visigoths saw the destruction of the original city, of which there remain few remnants today. Under Moorish rule between 711 and 1262, the city was called QÄ?dis (Arabic قادس), from where the modern Spanish name Cádiz was derived. The Moors were finally ousted by Alphonso X of Castile.
Cádiz is of typical Andalusian character. The old part of Cádiz, commonly referred to as the Old City (Spanish Casco Antiguo), is shaped by the individuality of the various quarters (Spanish barrios), "El Populo," "La Viña," or "Santa Maria." These areas offer a marked contrast to the newer areas of town. While the townscape of the Old City is largely formed by narrow alleys leading into a number of plazas, newer areas consist of wide avenues and more modern buildings. In addition, the city is dotted by numerous park plants, including old giant trees supposedly brought there by Columbus.
The city was originally founded as Gadir (Phoenician גדר "walled city") by the Phoenicians, who used it in their trade with Tartessos. It is regarded to be the most ancient city still standing in western Europe. Traditionally, its establishment has been dated to about 1100 BCE, although, as of 2004, no archaeological finds have been found that date back further than the 9th century BCE. One resolution to this discrepancy has been to assume that it was, in the initial phase, merely a small trading post. Later, the Greeks would know the city as Gadira or Gadeira. According to Greek legend, Gadir was founded by Heracles after killing Geryon. Indeed, one of the city's notable features during this era was the temple dedicated to the Phoenician god Melqart. Some historians think that the columns of this temple gave origin to the myth of the Columns of Hercules (Melqart was associated by the Greeks with Heracles, or Hercules).
In about 500 BCE, the city fell under the sway of Carthage. Cádiz became a base of operations for Hannibal's conquest of southern Iberia. However, in 206, the city fell to Roman forces under Scipio Africanus. The people of Cádiz welcomed the victors. Under the Romans, it was renamed Gades. The city flourished under Roman rule as a naval base. By the time of Augustus, Cádiz was home to more than 500 equites, rivaled only by Rome and Padua, and its citizens ranked next to those of Rome itself. However, with the decline of the Roman Empire, Gades's commercial importance began to fade.
The 5th century overthrow of Roman power in Spain by the Visigoths saw the destruction of the original city, of which there remain few remnants today. Under Moorish rule between 711 and 1262, the city was called QÄ?dis (Arabic قادس), from where the modern Spanish name Cádiz was derived. The Moors were finally ousted by Alphonso X of Castile.
Anthony