Roman cities

Roman cities were the centre of political, economic and cultural life. People from the country went to the cities to buy and sell objects, and to attend public events.

Like now, rich people lived in a big houses called domus, and the other people lived in blocks of flats called insulae. 

Cities had a big central square called a forum. Near the forum were government buildings, temples and shops. To protect the city they built stone walls.

The romans built public baths, theatres (dramas and comedies), amphitheatres (used for games and gladiators fights) and circuses (used for chariot races). 

They also built aqueducts to supply water to the cities, and triunphal arches to commemorate military victories.

The Muslim Invasion

Muslim armies invaded the Peninsula and defeated the Visigoths (Germanic tribe) in 711. The Muslims conquered most of the Peninsula and called it Al-Andalus.

Between the 8th and 10th the Christian peoples in the north of the Peninsula created small counties ruled by their own kings.

In the 12th century, the Christians began to expand south and conquered Al-Andalus in 1492 (with the fall of  the kingdom of Granada)

Al-Andalus society was wery advanced in medicine, astronomy and chemistry. New inventions like paper, Arabic numerals and gunpowder were introduced.

Most of the people in Al-Andalus adopted Islam, the Arabic language and Muslim customs.

Defeat (derrotar), County (condado), Ruled (gobernaron), Chemistry (química), Gunpowder (pólvora).

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