Space and power in the roman principate: a study about the foundation of the colony of Augusta Emerita between 1 b.C. and 2 a.D.

Abstract

This article aims to analyze a specific space intervention strategy used by the Roman Empire for the consolidation of conquered territories, namely founding colonies. Given the vast extent of the Roman Empire, we chose to focus our investigations on a study about Augusta Emerita, a colony located in the province of Lusitania, between 1 BC and 2 AD. Following Henri Lefebvre’s theoretical assumptions, we argue that this colony constituted a characteristical space of the Roman Empire in southwest Lusitania province, which corresponded to specific views and experiences of the Roman society social space.