Colonia (Roman)

A Roman colonia was a special kind of settlement where Roman citizens lived. These settlements were built in places that Rome had joined with or taken over. Their main job was to help keep these new areas safe for Rome.

Over time, the word colonia came to mean something even more important. It described the highest rank a city could have in the Roman world. This is also why we use the word “colony” today when we talk about places settled by people from another country.

These cities were not just military outposts; they were like little pieces of Rome, with Roman laws, buildings, and way of life. They helped spread Roman culture far and wide.

Characteristics

Under the Roman Republic, Roman citizens lived in towns they had taken over to help protect them. There were two types of these places.

The first type was called Roman colonies. They were often near the sea, like Ostia and Rimini. About three hundred Roman veterans and their families lived there. They were given small pieces of land to farm.

The second type was called Latin colonies. These were bigger and served as strong military bases. The people living there were given larger pieces of land but lost their Roman citizenship unless they moved back to Rome.

Later, reforms allowed city poor people to become farmers again in new colonies, like Tarentum.

During the time of Caesar and the emperors starting with Augustus, many soldiers were given land in colonies across the empire. This helped spread the Latin language, Roman laws, and customs.

History

According to Livy, Rome's first colonies were established in about 752 BC at Antemnae and Crustumerium, both in Latium.

Other early colonies were set up at Signia in the 6th century BC, Velitrae and Norba in the 5th century BC, and Ostia, Antium, and Tarracina in the late 4th century. In this first period of setting up colonies, which lasted until the end of the Punic Wars, colonies were mainly for defense, helping to protect Roman lands.

The first Roman colony outside Italy was probably Italica in Hispania founded in 206 BC by Publius Cornelius Scipio during the Second Carthaginian War.

In the Empire, colonies became important places for settling army veterans, especially in Roman north Africa, which had many Roman colonies.

Under the Kingdom

• BC 752 at Antemnae and Crustumerium, both in Latium.
• BC 745 (or 737) Fidenae became a Roman colony
• BC 737 Cameria

Under the Republic

• BC 396 Veii and Fidenae defeated. 4 new tribus organised
• BC 385 Satricum (lost and burned in BC 346)
• BC 354–349 Tibur, Praeneste, Caere(Latium) alliance agreement
• BC 332 (or after): Sutrium, Nepete (Latium),
• BC 338 Ostia colony and port

New bilateral defence contracts with Falerii, Tarquinii (Etruria) Caere (again), Pomptina and Poplilia tribus formed in territories of Antium

• BC 338 Capua inhabitants got Roman civil rights
• BC 335 Cales (Latium)
• BC 332 (two new voting tribus established): Scaptia, Maecia
• BC 329 Anxur (Latium)
• BC 318 Falerna tribus established, Cales made contract with Rome again
• BC 318 Canusium (Apulia)

New Roman municipia made from small towns around Rome: Aricia, Lanuvium, Nomentum, Pedum, Tusculum. Latin ius contracts made with Tibur, Praeneste, Lavinium, Cora (Latium) Ius comercii contracts made with Circei, Notba, Setia, Signia, Nepi, Ardea, Gabii Ius migrationi and ius connubii Ufentina tribus established (on territories of Volscus city Antium), Privernum, Velitrae, Terracia, Fondi and Fotmiae made contract with Rome

• BC 303 Alba Fucens, Carsioli (Latium)
• BC 313 Suessula, Saticula (Campania)
• BC 315 Luceria (Apulia)
• BC 303 Sora (Latium)
• BC 299 Nequinum (Narnia/Narni in Etruria and Umbria) was a keypoint fortress against the Samnis tribes
• BC 296 Minturnae (Latium)
• BC 291 Venusia (Apulia) colonia (20,000 male inhabitants) to control the Samnis tribes
• BC 290 Pinceum besieged and occupied, soon became a Roman colony
• BC 290(?) Hatri (Atria) by Adriatic sea (Abruzzo)
• BC 269 Castrum Novum Picenii in BC 286), BC 264(?) Picenum colonies (Abruzzo)
• BC 289 (or in BC 283) Sena Gallica (Umbria)
• BC 273 Paestum (Latium)
• BC 273 Cosa (Etruria)
• BC 268 Beneventum (Samnium)
• BC 268 Ariminum (Aemilia)
• BC 268 Brundisium (Apulia)
• BC 264 Firmum
• BC 263 Aesernia (Samnium)
• BC 247 Alsium (Etruria)
• BC 245 Fregenae (Etruria)
• BC 222 Mediolanum (Transpadana)
• BC 218 Placentia (Aemilia)
• BC 218 Cremona (Venetia et Histria)
• BC 197–192 Volturnum, Liternum, Puteoli, Salernum (Campania) Sipontum, Buxentum (Calabria)
• BC 196 Brixia (Venetia et Histria)
• BC 193 Copia (Lucania et Bruttii)
• BC 192 Vibo Valentia (Lucania et Bruttii)
• BC 189 Bononia (Aemilia)
• BC 184 Pisaurum (Umbria), Potentia Romanorum (Lucania et Bruttii)
• BC 183 Mutina, Parma (Aemilia)
• BC 181 Aquilea (Venetia es Histria) Gravisca (Latium)
• BC 180 Portus Pisanus (Etruria)
• BC 177 Luna (Etruria)
• BC 125 Pollentia, Vardacate (Liguria)
• BC 123–118 Hasta, Dertona (Liguria)
• BC 100 Eporedia (Transpadana, today Piemonte region)
• BC 36 Tauromenium (Sicily)
• BC 21 Catina (Sicily)
• BC 21 Syracusæ (Sicily)
• BC 21 Thermæ (Sicily)
• BC 21 Tyndaris (Sicily)

Under the Principate

Colonies were not founded on a large scale until the inception of the Principate. Augustus began a massive colony creation program throughout his empire. However, not all colonies were new cities. Many were created from already-occupied settlements and the process of colonization just expanded them. Some of these colonies would later grow into large cities. During this time, provincial cities can gain the rank of colony, gaining certain rights and privileges.

Effects and legacy of colonization

Roman colonies helped provide extra soldiers when needed. Their main job was to create new Roman citizens who could join the Roman army.

These colonies helped spread the Latin language in central and southern Italy. The veterans who lived there often married local women. Over time, the colonies mixed with nearby people and shared Roman ways of living.

Examples

Coloniae were special towns in the Roman Empire. They were built for retired soldiers and people from Rome who wanted to live in new places. These towns had many buildings like forums, baths, and temples.

The people in coloniae had special rights. They could vote in Roman elections and speak Latin as their main language.

Coloniae helped spread Roman culture to other parts of the empire. They were important centers for trade and government.