The Costa Cálida ( Spanish: [ˈkosta ˈkaliða] , "Warm Coast") is the approximately 250 km stretch of Mediterranean coastline of the Spanish province of Murcia . This region has a micro-climate which features comparatively hot mean annual temperatures (and hence its name, "Warm Coast") and a relative degree of aridity ( precipitation averaging less than 34 cm annually), scoring a semidesert and even in the southern parts even desert status in Koppen classification.
80-567: The Costa Cálida extends from El Mojón in the north near the province of Alicante , to near the municipality of Águilas in the south bordering on the region of Almería province . The northern end of this coastline includes the Mar Menor ("Lesser Sea"), a coastal saltwater lagoon which at around 170 km is Europe's largest. The Mar Menor is separated from the Mediterranean by a 22 km-long spit of land called La Manga , on which most of
160-513: A monetary economy . Ceramics began to be imported in large quantities - Arretine ware from Italy under Augustus and Tiberius and Samian ware from Gaul between the reigns of Caligula and Vespasian . The province was effectively at peace except for an attempt at rebellion by the Astures under Nero which was easily suppressed by a primus pilus of the Legio VI Victrix . As a result, it
240-405: A 24-hour period, leading to severe flooding. Because of this irregularity, only 35 rainy days are observed on average per year, and the annual number of sunshine hours is more than 3,000. The record maximum temperature of 42.0 °C (107.6 °F) was observed on 13 August 2022. The record minimum temperature of −4.6 °C (23.7 °F) was recorded on 12 February 1956. The worst flooding in
320-763: A few kilometers from Alicante on the Mediterranean Sea lies Tabarca island. What was once a haven for Barbary pirates is now a tourist attraction. Other sights include: There are a dozen museums in Alicante. On exhibition at the Archaeological Museum of Alicante (MARQ) are local artifacts dating from 100,000 years ago until the early 20th century. The collection is divided into different rooms representing three divisions of archaeological methodology: ground, urban and underwater archaeology, with dioramas , audiovisual and interactive zones. The archaeological museum won
400-594: A sizeable population of European public workers live there. The campus of the University of Alicante lies in San Vicente del Raspeig , bordering the city of Alicante to the north. More than 25,000 students attend the university. Between 2005 and 2012 Ciudad de la Luz ( Ciutat de la Llum ), one of the largest film studios in Europe, had its base in Alicante. The studio shot Spanish and international movies such as Asterix at
480-402: A venue for outdoor musical concerts. At the end of the promenade is a monument by the artist Bañuls of the 19th century. Barrio de la Santa Cruz is a colourful quarter of the old city, situated southwest of Santa Bárbara castle. Its small houses climb up the hill leading to the walls and the castle, through narrow streets decorated with flags and tubs of flowers. L'Ereta Park is situated on
560-820: Is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community , Spain . It is the capital of the province of Alicante and a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city was 337,482 as of 2020 , the second-largest in the Valencian Community . The name of the city echoes the Arabic name Laqant ( لَقَنْت ), al-Laqant (اللَّقَنْت) or Al-qant ( القنت ), which in turn reflects the Latin Lucentum and Greek root Leuké (or Leuka ), meaning "white". The area around Alicante has been inhabited for over 7,000 years. The first tribes of hunter-gatherers moved gradually from Central Europe between 5000 and 3000 BC. Some of
640-620: Is built on including the Cabo de la Huerta , the Serra Grossa , the Tosal and the Benacantil hills. Located in an arid territory, Alicante lacks any meaningful permanent water stream. There are however several stream beds correspondent to intermittent ramblas . There was a swamp area in the northeast of the municipality, l'Albufereta , yet it was dried up in 1928. The municipality has two exclaves in
720-554: Is disputed, perhaps falling shortly after his accession to power in AD 69 or in AD 74. The concession of this right was used by many tributary and subordinate communities in Tarraconensis to transform themselves into municipia , e.g. Nova Augusta ( Lara de los Infantes , Burgos ), Bergidum Flavium ( Torre del Bierzo , El Bierzo , León ), Segovia , Duratón ( Segovia ), and Aqua Flaviae ( Chaves , Portugal ). The main cities in
800-695: Is the longest golf course in Spain and the famous La Manga Club , in Cartagena. 37°33′51″N 1°13′10″W / 37.56417°N 1.21944°W / 37.56417; -1.21944 This Spain location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Alicante Alicante ( / ˌ æ l ɪ ˈ k æ n t i / , also UK : /- t eɪ / , US : / ˌ æ l ɪ ˈ k ɑː n t i , ˌ ɑː l -/ ; Spanish: [aliˈkante] ; Valencian : Alacant [alaˈkant] ; officially: Alicante / Alacant )
880-530: Is used by Cercanías Murcia/Alicante commuter rail services linking Alicante with suburbs and Murcia . Long-range Renfe trains run frequently to Madrid , Barcelona , and Valencia . In 2013, the Madrid–Levante high-speed rail network was extended to Alicante station, allowing AVE high-speed rail services to link to Madrid via Villena AV , Albacete-Los Llanos and Cuenca-Fernando Zóbel . Alicante Metropolitan-Tram connects different parts within
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#1733114751542960-553: The Arab conquest of Medina Laqant at the beginning of the 8th century. The Moors ruled southern and eastern Spain until the 13th century Reconquista (Reconquest). Alicante was conquered again in 1247 by the Castilian king Alfonso X , but later passed to the Kingdom of Valencia in 1296 with King James II of Aragon . It gained the status of Royal Village ( Vila Reial ) with representation in
1040-519: The Costa Blanca and particularly on the second residence-construction boom which started in the 1960s and revived again by the late 1990s. Services and public administration also play a major role in the city's economy. The construction boom has raised many environmental concerns and both the local autonomous government and city council are under scrutiny by the European Union. The construction surge
1120-583: The Douro river and then the Tormes river. The border with Baetica ran from Castulo (modern Linares ), through Acci ( Guadix ), to the bay of Almería . With a surface area of around 380,000 km2 and an estimated population of 3-3.5 million (giving an average population density of 8-9 people/km2), at the date of its creation, Tarraconensis was probably the largest province in the Roman empire. Under Augustus ' division of
1200-601: The European Museum of the Year Award in 2004. Gravina Museum of Fine Arts presents several paintings and sculptures from the 16th century to the 19th century. Asegurada Museum of Contemporary Art houses a major collection of twentieth-century art, composed mainly of works donated by Eusebio Sempere . The most important festival, the Bonfires of Saint John ( Hogueras de San Juan / Fogueres de Sant Joan ), takes place during
1280-612: The Legio VI Vitrix , two cavalry alae , and three infantry cohortes . In order to reinforce these troops, a new legion was recruited, the future Legio VII Gemina and a number of similar auxiliary units, notably the Vascones cohortes , but all these units joined Galba when he invaded Italy to seize the Imperial throne. In AD 69, Vitellius ordered the Legio X Gemina to be dispatched to
1360-516: The Legio VII Galbiana , and then he set out for Rome in order to seize power. After Galba was assassinated, the province was controlled in succession by partisans of Otho, then Vitelius , before finally coming under the control of Vespasian , the first Flavian emperor. Under Vespasian an edict seems to have been promulgated, perhaps in AD 74, which permitted many of the province's urban communities to become municipia with Latin rights over
1440-681: The Roman tribe of Galeria, except for Caesaraugusta, which was in that of Aniensis. All free men who served as municipal magistrates ( duoviri or aediles ) in municipia would obtain Roman citizenship, being assigned to the tribe Quirina. According to Pliny the Elder, the Emperor Vespasian extended Latin citizenship to all other inhabitants of Hispania, which meant that they were legally permitted to conduct business under Roman law ( ius commercii ) and marry Roman woman ( ius conubii ). The date of this grant
1520-613: The Third Division , was dissolved in 2014 due to economic problems. They were replaced the same year by newly formed club CFI Alicante . Basketball club (HLA Alicante) Lucentum Alicante participates in the Spanish basketball league . It plays in the Centro de Tecnificación de Alicante . Alicante serves as headquarters and the starting point of the Volvo Ocean Race , a yacht race around
1600-549: The University of Alicante . The nightlife social scene tends to shift to nearby Playa de San Juan during the summer months. Every summer in Alicante, a two-month-long programme of music, theatre and dance is staged in the Paseo del Puerto. For the 2023/24 season Alicante has two football clubs in the top 4 levels of Spanish football; Hércules CF and CF Intercity . For the 2023/24 season Hércules compete in Segunda Federación ,
1680-495: The Valencia Airport , being the busiest airport in the Valencian Community , and among the busiest airports in Spain after Madrid , Barcelona , Palma de Mallorca and Málaga . It is connected with Madrid and Barcelona by frequent Iberia and Vueling flights, and with many Western European cities through carriers such as Ryanair , EasyJet and Jet2 . There are also regular flights to Algeria . Alicante railway station
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#17331147515421760-403: The port of Alicante . The latter was the subject of bitter controversy in 2006–2007 as residents battled, successfully, to keep it from being changed into an industrial estate. The Santa Bárbara castle is situated on Mount Benacantil , overlooking the city. The tower ( La Torreta ) at the top, is the oldest part of the castle, while part of the lowest zone and the walls were constructed later in
1840-556: The tourism development for the region has been constructed. Cartagena and Mazarrón are two other important coastal towns in the region. Golf is a popular pastime for visitors and residents. There are many PGA championship courses such as Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort which hosted the 2009 and 2010 Spanish Pro Golf Championship , El Valle which hosted the PGA European Seniors Tour in June 2011, Hacienda del Alamo which
1920-504: The 18th century. The promenade Explanada de España , lined by palm trees, is paved with 6.5 million marble floor tiles creating a wavy form. The Promenade extends from the Port of Alicante to the Gran Vía and ends at the famous statue of Mark Hersch. For the people of Alicante, the promenade is the meeting place for the traditional Spanish paseo , or stroll along the waterfront in the evenings, and
2000-525: The 1920s saw numerous alicantinos drafted to fight in the long and bloody campaigns in the former Spanish protectorate (northern Morocco) against the Rif rebels. The political unrest of the late 1920s led to the victory of Republican candidates in local council elections throughout the country, and the abdication of King Alfonso XIII . The proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic was much celebrated in
2080-477: The 19th century witnessed a sharp recovery of the local economy with increasing international trade and the growth of the city harbour leading to increased exports of several products (particularly during World War I when Spain was a neutral country). During the early 20th century, Alicante was a minor capital that took profit from the benefit of Spain's neutrality during World War I, and it provided new opportunities for local industry and agriculture. The Rif War in
2160-478: The 293 communities that are subordinate to others) 179 cities, among which there are 12 coloniae , 13 cities of Roman citizens, 18 of old Latins , 1 city of foederati , and 135 cities subject to tax. All free inhabitants of Roman coloniae held Roman citizenship. The coloniae in the province, established by Julius Caesar , the Second Triumvirate , or Augustus , both coloniae and municipia belonged to
2240-595: The 4th level and are well known as they played in La Liga (the Spanish Premier Division) during the 1996/1997 season and again in 2010/2011. They have had many famous players such as David Trezeguet , Royston Drenthe and Nelson Valdez . Hércules are also known for their victory over Barcelona in 1997 which led to Real Madrid winning the league. Home games are played at the 30,000-capacity José Rico Pérez Stadium . The city's other club, Alicante CF , who played in
2320-579: The Atlantic west lay the province of Lusitania , partially coincident with modern-day Portugal . The Phoenicians and Carthaginians colonised the Mediterranean coast of Iberia in the 8th to 6th centuries BC. The Greeks later also established colonies along the coast. The Romans arrived in the 2nd century BC during the Second Punic War . The province Hispania Citerior Tarraconensis was established in
2400-523: The City Hall Building ( Ayuntamiento ) is the zero point ( cota cero ), used as the point of reference for measuring the height above or below sea level of any point in Spain, due to the marginal tidal variations of the Mediterranean sea at Alicante. Until the Great Recession , Alicante was one of the fastest-growing cities in Spain. The boom depended partly on tourism directed to the beaches of
2480-772: The Elder (who served as procurator the province), and Claudius Ptolemy , there was a substantial number of cities in Tarraconensis, especially in the Ebro Valley and on the Mediterranean coast, but fewer in number in the north and northwest, along the Cantabiran coast and in Galicia . Excepting the communities on the Balearic Islands , Pliny states that: Now, the whole province is divided into 7 conventus : Carthaginiensis, Tarraconensis, Caesaraugustus, Clunienis, Asturus, Lucensis, and Bracarus... The province itself contains (aside from
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2560-661: The Iberian peninsula, accompanied by the Legio I Adiutrix . We do not know exactly where they were stationed; it may have been in Baetica and the southeastern part of Tarraconensis to prevent a possible invasion from North Africa, which was controlled by Lucius Clodius Macer . In any case, both legions and the Legio VI Victrix abandoned Vitellius and declared their support for Vespasian , who quickly sent them to Germania Inferior to suppress
2640-475: The Imperial administration, with easy access by sea to Italia and Rome, where the Imperial mints were located. In addition to creating the province and setting its borders, Augustus followed the directions left by Julius Caesar in granting many communities in the province the privileged status of colonia or municipium (Roman or Latin ), especially along the Levante coast , the part of Baetica transferred to
2720-515: The Imperial cult for the whole province, discharging their functions in the provincial forum in Tarraco. The fiscal administration of Tarraconensis mostly fell to an Imperial procurator ( procurator Caesaris ), appointed by the Emperor directly from among the equestrian order . This procurator was based in the provincial capital and managed the collection of taxes for the whole province. Nevertheless, from
2800-690: The Italian Aviazione Legionaria of the Mercado on 25 May 1938 in which more than 300 civilians perished. The port of Alicante was the site of the heroic episode of the British ship SS Stanbrook in 1939 at the end of the Spanish Civil War . Her captain Archibald Dickson decided to rescue thousands of Spanish Republicans families during the night of 28 March 1939 under the bombing of
2880-555: The Nazis. From 1954 onward, many pied-noirs settled in the city (as many as 30,000, although other sources decrease the amount tenfold). Alicante had fostered strong links with Oran in the past, and a notable share of the population of the latter city during the French colonial period had ancestry in the province of Alicante. The immigration process accelerated after the independence of Algeria in 1962 . The late 1950s and early 1960s saw
2960-509: The Olympic Games by Frédéric Forestier and Thomas Langmann, and Manolete by Menno Meyjes . It was shut down in 2012 for violating European competition law. Luis Barcala of the People's Party has been the mayor of Alicante since 19 April 2018. He became mayor after the resignation of Gabriel Echávarri, when the councillor Nerea Belmonte defected from Guanyar Alacant and refused to support
3040-599: The Socialist Party replacement candidate Eva Montesinos. Gabriel Echávarri of the Socialist Party (PSOE) was the mayor of the city from 13 June 2015 until April 2018, following the municipal elections on 24 May 2015. He was supported by the votes from his group (6), plus those from leftist parties Guanyar Alacant (6) and Compromís (3), as well as from the centre-right party Ciudadanos (6). The People's Party ( Partido Popular , PP), with only 8 elected seats, lost
3120-613: The Valencian region, the Generalitat Valenciana . The Port of Alicante has been reinventing itself since the industrial decline the city suffered in the 1980s (with most mercantile traffic lost to Valencia's harbour). In recent years, the Port Authority has established it as one of the most important ports in Spain for cruises, with 72 calls to port made by cruise ships in 2007 bringing some 80,000 passengers and 30,000 crew to
3200-515: The agreements that led to the formation of the First Triumvirate in 60 BC, Pompey had received the governorship of the Iberian provinces. Given that he preferred to remain in Rome , where he could oversee affairs in the capital, he delegated the government of Hispania to three legates: At the end of the civil wars , Pompey's division was consolidated by Augustus in 27 BC, when he formally established
3280-517: The city each year. The moves to develop the port for more tourism have been welcomed by the city and its residents, but the latest plans to develop an industrial estate in the port have caused great controversy. Alicante is located in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula , on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea . Some orographic features rise over the largely flat terrain where the city
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3360-452: The city on 14 April 1931. The Spanish Civil War broke out on 17 July 1936. Alicante was the last city loyal to the Republican government to be occupied by General Franco's troops on 1 April 1939, and its harbour saw the last Republican government officials fleeing the country. Vicious air bombings were targeted on Alicante during the three years of civil conflict, most notably the bombing by
3440-413: The city's modern history occurred on 30 September 1997 when 270.2 mm (10.6 in) of rain fell within six hours. Temperatures below 2 °C (36 °F) are very rare; the last recorded snowfall occurred in 1926. Alicante enjoys one of the sunniest and warmest winter daytime temperatures in mainland Europe . The official population of Alicante in 2022 was 338,577 inhabitants and 768,194 in
3520-464: The city, its metropolitan area and with outlying settlements along Costa Blanca as well. As of 2020 , electric tram-trains run up to Benidorm , and diesel trains go further to Dénia . The city has regular ferry services to the Balearic Islands and Algeria . The city is strongly fortified, with a spacious harbour. Amongst the most notable features of the city are the Castle of Santa Bárbara and
3600-503: The conventus capitals there was an Imperial cult centre, dedicated to the Genius Augusti and the deified emperors, with its own male and female priests, the flamen Augusti and flamenica Augusti , who were chosen by the elites of the privileged communities of the province (the coloniae and municipia ). Each year, they chose one of their number to be the flamen and flamenica (they were not required to be married to one another) of
3680-552: The course of his reign and that of his successors, Titus and Domitian . Vespasian also decided to maintain a reduced military garrison in the province, consisting of the Legio VII Gemina Felix and its auxiliary units, which was focused mainly on supporting the work of the provincial governor, carrying out policing, and supervising mining work in the province. Pliny the Elder served as procurator in Tarraconensis in AD 73. Under Diocletian , in 293, Hispania Tarraconensis
3760-646: The decision, according to Suetonius , by an oracle delivered by a young prophet two centuries earlier, which predicted that a new ruler of the world would arise in Clunia . Therefore, Galba proclaimed himself emperor at Clunia. After receiving the support of the governor of Lusitania, the future emperor Otho , he expanded the military forces of the province, which consisted of the Legio VI Victrix, two cavalry alae , and three infantry cohortes , by recruiting various auxiliaries , at least three cohorts of Vascones , and
3840-408: The deposits on a very large scale using several aqueducts up to 30 miles (48 km) long to tap water in the surrounding mountains. By running fast water streams on the soft rocks, they were able to extract large quantities of gold by hydraulic mining methods ( Ruina montium ). When the gold had been exhausted, they followed the auriferous seams underground by tunnels using fire-setting to break up
3920-450: The earlier settlements were made on the slopes of Mount Benacantil . By 1000 BC, Greek and Phoenician traders had begun to visit the eastern coast of Spain, establishing small trading ports and introducing the native Iberian tribes to the alphabet, iron, and the pottery wheel. The Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca established the fortified settlement of Akra Leuké ( Greek : Ἄκρα Λευκή , meaning "White Mountain" or "White Point"), in
4000-473: The foothills of Mount Benacantil. It runs from the Santa Bárbara castle down to the old part of Alicante and consists of several levels, routes, decks, and rest stops which offer a panoramic view overlooking the city. El Palmeral Park is one of the favourite parks of Alicante's citizens. It includes walking trails, children's playgrounds, ponds and brooks, picnic tables, and an auditorium for concerts. Just
4080-546: The governors. Over time, the indigenous communities tended to adapt their institutions of self-government to match the model of the Roman municipia and coloniae . The principal difference between the two types of community was the application of Roman law to them. For citizens of coloniae and muncipia it was obligatory, while for non-Romans it was optional, except in interactions with the Imperial authorities and with individual Roman citizens , in which case Roman law over-ruled local legal systems. According to Strabo, Pliny
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#17331147515424160-456: The late first century or early second century AD, the gold mines in the northwestern part of the province were managed by a separate procurator, the procurator metallorum , who was usually and Imperial freedman and was based at Asturica Augusta . These procurators reported directly to the emperor, not to the provincial governor, although in practice both had to collaborate with the provincial administration. The lowest level of administration in
4240-399: The mainland: Monnegre (between the municipalities of San Vicente del Raspeig , Mutxamel , Busot and Jijona ), and Cabeçó d'Or ; the latter comprises part of the namesake Cabeçó d'Or mountain (including the summit, 1209 metres above sea level). The small island of Tabarca , 8 nautical miles to the south of the city, also belongs to the municipality. The foot of the main staircase of
4320-658: The majority. On April he resigned due to various judicial issues and was temporarily substituted by the councillor Eva Montesinos. In the previous municipal elections of May 2011, Sonia Castedo of People's Party won the elections with an absolute majority , but resigned in December 2014 due to her involvement in several corruption scandals, at present being under investigation. Her fellow party member Miguel Valor went on to become mayor up until Echávarri's election. Alicante has mild winter temperatures, hot and sultry summers, and little rain, concentrated in equinoctial periods. Like
4400-691: The medieval Valencian Parliament ( Corts Valencianes ). After several decades of being the battlefield where the Crown of Castile and the Crown of Aragon clashed, Alicante became a major Mediterranean trading station exporting rice, wine, olive oil, oranges, and wool. But between 1609 and 1614 King Felipe III expelled thousands of Moriscos who had remained in Valencia after the Reconquista, due to their cooperation with Barbary pirates who continually attacked coastal cities and caused much harm to trade. This act cost
4480-452: The metropolitan area "Alicante- Elche ". As of 2022, about 17.7% of the population is foreign, 62195 people, most of them immigrants who have arrived in the previous 20 years. Besides which, there is an estimation of additional thousands coming from countries outside the EU (mostly from the African continent) that are under illegal alien status and therefore are not accounted for in official population figures. Alicante Airport outranks
4560-533: The mid-230s BC, which is generally presumed to have been on the site of modern Alicante. Although the Carthaginians conquered much of the land around Alicante, the Romans eventually ruled Hispania Tarraconensis for over 700 years. By the 5th century AD, Rome was in decline, and the Roman predecessor town of Alicante, known as Lucentum ( Latin ), was more or less under the control of the Visigothic warlord Theudimer and thereafter under Visigothic rule from 400 to 700 A.D. The Goths did not put up much resistance to
4640-409: The mining area around Castulo that had previously been part of Baetica. This reorganisation meant that all Roman troops stationed in Hispania were henceforth under the command of a single Roman legate based at Tarraconensis and that the main mining regions, which supplied precious metals to the Imperial treasury (gold in the Galician Massif , silver in Sierra Morena ), were under the direct control of
4720-432: The much harder gold-bearing rocks. Pliny the Elder gives a good account of the methods used in Hispania, presumably based on his own observations. At its greatest extent, the province Hispania Tarraconensis covered about two thirds of the Iberian Peninsula . The Pyrenees mountains to the north formed the border with Gaul . The border with Lusitania to the southwest ran from the Cale (modern Oporto , Portugal ) along
4800-444: The northern part of the Meseta Central. Between the reigns of Augustus and Nero , imperial interventions led to the regularisation of the old pre-Roman roads and their conversion into Roman roads , which formed a framework for the provincial territory which brought the provincials into contact with Roman culture ( Latin rapidly became the common language of the province) and gave them access to highly developed economic networks and
4880-535: The old airfield at Rabasa was closed and air traffic moved to the new El Altet Airport , which made a more convenient and modern facility for charter flights bringing tourists from northern European countries. When Franco died in 1975, his successor Juan Carlos I played his part as the living symbol of the transition of Spain to a democratic constitutional monarchy. The governments of regional communities were given constitutional status as nationalities , and their governments were given more autonomy, including that of
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#17331147515424960-502: The onset of a lasting transformation of the city by the tourist industry. Large buildings and complexes rose in nearby Albufereta , e.g. El Barco , and Playa de San Juan de Alicante , with the benign climate being the biggest draw to attract prospective buyers and tourists who kept the hotels reasonably busy. New construction benefited the whole economy, as the development of the tourism sector also spawned new businesses such as restaurants, bars, and other tourist-oriented enterprises. Also,
5040-420: The province in 12 BC, and the Ebro Valley , along with some foundations on the Meseta Central and in the northeast. He also regularised the status of the other political entities in the province, the civitates stipendiaria (communities subject to tribute), whose affairs could be directly intervened in by the governor. This policy was continued by Tiberius (AD 14–37), who increased the number of municipia in
5120-413: The province was garrisoned by three legions – subsequently reduced to two by Caligula , and to one by Nero . Because of the scale of the province, at some point between the reigns of Tiberius and Claudius , the province was divided into seven conventus iuridici (assize districts), each managed by a legatus iuridicus , who was appointed by the Emperor directly. These districts were: In each of
5200-431: The province were the cities (Latin: civitates ), organised politically in the Roman manner ( coloniae and municipia ) or in a traditional mode retaining institutions that preceded the Roman conquest but operating under the direct supervision of the provincial governors. These communities - both Roman and indigenous - generally enjoyed a high level of autonomy, administering themselves without excessive intervention from
5280-455: The province were: In order to guarantee order and security in the province after the Cantabrian Wars (26 BC–19 BC), three legions were established in the province: These legions were supported by various auxiliary units, like the Ala Parthorum and the Cohors IV Gallorum , but it is very difficult to tell exactly where and when these units were garrisoned in the peninsula. In AD 68, according to Suetonius , Galba removed one legion,
5360-422: The provinces in 27 BC, Tarraconensis was an Imperial province like Lusitania, while Baetica was a Senatorial province . Tarraconensis was of consular rank , while the other two were praetorian . The governor was entitled legatus Augusti pro praetore , who was a senator of consular rank. The capital of the province was the colonia of Tarraco . In the time of Augustus and Tiberius , according to Strabo ,
5440-432: The region dearly; with so many skilled artisans and agricultural labourers gone, the feudal nobility found itself sliding into bankruptcy. Conditions worsened in the early 18th century; after the War of Spanish Succession , Alicante went into a long, slow decline, surviving through the 18th and 19th centuries by making shoes and growing agricultural produce such as oranges and almonds, and thanks to its fisheries. The end of
5520-406: The reign of Augustus as the direct successor of the Roman Republican province of Hispania Citerior ("nearer Hispania"), which had been ruled by a propraetor . The roots of the Augustan reorganisation of Hispania are found in Pompey the Great 's division of Hispania between three of his legates at the end of the Republic, immediately before his civil war with Julius Caesar . As a result of
5600-558: The rest of the Province of Alicante itself, which has a range of dry climate types, the city has a hot semi-arid climate ( BSh ) according to the Köppen climate classification . It is one of the driest cities in Europe. Daily variations in temperature are generally small because of the stabilising influence of the sea, although occasional periods of westerly wind can produce temperature changes of 15 °C (27 °F) or more. Seasonal temperature variations are also relatively small, meaning that winters are mild and summers are hot. During
5680-417: The revolt of Gaius Julius Civilis . Subsequently, in AD 74, Vespasian ordered the Legio VII Gemina to be garrisoned in Leon at the site of the old camp of the Legio VI Victrix . The Legio VII Gemina continued to garrison the province until the beginning of the 5th century AD. The Legio VII Gemina dispatched vexillationes to the following parts of the provinces in Hispania: By the last quarter of
5760-454: The summer solstice . This is followed a week later by five nights of firework and pyrotechnic contests between companies on the urban beach Playa del Postiguet . Another well-known festival is Moors and Christians ( Moros y Cristianos ) in Altozano or San Blas district. Overall, the city boasts a year-round nightlife for the enjoyment of tourists, residents, and a large student population of
5840-425: The summer, due to the evaporation of warm Mediterranean waters, air humidity levels are high, making the day and night stuffy for much of the season. These high humidity levels increase the heat index . The average rainfall is 284.5 mm (11.2 in) per year. The cold drop means that September and October are the wettest months. Rarely, the rainfall can be torrential, reaching over 100 mm (4 in) in
5920-433: The three provinces of Hispania Citerior Tarraconensis, Hispania Ulterior Lusitania (corresponding to modern Portugal , apart from the northern region of the modern country, plus Spanish Extremadura ), and Hispania Ulterior Baetica (corresponding to the southern part of Spain, i.e. Andalusia ). Citerior and Lusitania were Imperial provinces , while Baetica was a Senatorial province . The creation of these new provinces
6000-512: The world. The latest race sailed in January 2023. Alicante is twinned with: Hispania Tarraconensis Hispania Tarraconensis was one of three Roman provinces in Hispania . It encompassed much of the northern, eastern and central territories of modern Spain along with modern northern Portugal . Southern Spain, the region now called Andalusia , was the province of Hispania Baetica . On
6080-653: Was accompanied by his nephew and heir, Marcellus , and his stepson, the future emperor Tiberius , both of whom served as military tribunes in 25 BC in the conflict with the Cantabrians – the pair's first military commands. The name of the province derives from its capital, Colonia Urbs Triumphalis Tarraco . The provincial borders were modified in 12 BC, in order to incorporate the Galician and Asturian territories which had previously belonged to Lusitania, and perhaps to an ephemeral Transduriana province before that, as well as
6160-579: Was achieved in order to facilitate the incorporation of the northwestern portion of the Iberian peninsula, inhabited by the Gallaeci , Cantabri , and Astures , into the Roman empire. Tarraconensis thus served as a base for the annexation of these territories during the Cantabrian Wars (27–19 BC). Augustus himself resided from 27 to 26 BC at Segisama (modern Sasamón , Burgos ), and at Tarraco, where he received an embassy from India . During this period he
6240-551: Was divided in three smaller provinces: Gallaecia , Carthaginensis and Tarraconensis. The Imperial province of Hispania Tarraconensis lasted until the invasions of the 5th century, beginning in 409, when Suebi , Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees, and ended with the establishment of a Visigothic kingdom . The invasion resulted in widespread exploitation of metals, especially gold , tin and silver . The alluvial gold mines at Las Medulas show that Roman engineers worked
6320-502: Was possible to progressively reduce the military garrison of the province. In AD 42-43, Claudius transferred the Legio IV Macedonica to Germania and in AD 63 Nero sent the Legio X Gemina to Pannonia . In AD 68, Galba , who had governed the province since AD 61, was invited by Vindex to join his rebellion against Nero. When Galba received news that Nero had decided to have him killed, he accepted Vindex's offer, justifying
6400-519: Was the subject of hot debates among politicians and citizens alike. The latest of many public battles concerns the plans of the Port Authority of Alicante to construct an industrial estate on reclaimed land in front of the city's coastal strip, in breach of local, national, and European regulations. (See Port of Alicante for details). The city serves as the headquarters of the European Union Intellectual Property Office and
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