The location was a notable commercial and fishing
emporium. A prominent feature of this area was the sanctuary dedicated to
Artemis of
Ephesus, with its roots in Massalian tradition.
Strabo provides the following account of the site: The city must have already existed around the 1st century BC, judging by mentions from Strabo and
Cicero, who noted it was used during the civil wars as a military base by
Quintus Sertorius. While the foundation date of the Roman city cannot be determined, it is known that the settlement possibly inherited from the Iberian establishments at Punta de Benimaquia or Pico del Águila. In the 1st century, it held the legal status of a
civitas stipendiaria, which meant that it had to pay tribute and was subject to the power of the provincial governor, in this case,
Hispania Citerior. Inscriptions found in the area of the ancient city mention several decurions as municipal officials, indicating they date to a time after the era of the
Flavian dynasty (late 1st century), when municipalities were unified. It is also known that during the same period, there was a college of
Sodales Augustales, an organization of freedmen dedicated to the imperial cult. Funerary discoveries confirm that the city remained active during the 3rd and early 4th centuries. It is likely that it was one of the cities under
Byzantine control around the 6th century. ==See also==