The roman colony of Emerita Augusta (current day Mérida) was founded in 25 BC by Octavius Augustus, to resettle emeritus soldiers discharged from the Roman army from two veteran legions of the Cantabrian Wars: Legio V Alaudae and Legio X Gemina. The city was the capital of the Roman province of Lusitania. The term emeritus meant in latin "retired" and referred to retired soldiers with honor.
Today the Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida is one of the largest and most extensive archaeological sites in Spain and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.
Read more about Emerita Augusta: Roman Theatre, Roman Amphitheatre, Roman Circus, Roman Bridge Over The Guadiana, Aqueduct of Los Milagros, Aqueduct of Rabo De Buey-San Lázaro, Temple of Diana, Arch of Trajan, House of The Mithraeum, Los Columbarios, Alcazaba, Other Sights and Attractions, Protected Sites