Roman Conquest and the Province of Lusitania

c. 200 BC

The Romans incorporated the Algarve into their empire during the second century BC as part of the broader conquest of the Iberian Peninsula. The region fell within the province of Lusitania, and the Romans developed it significantly. Ossonoba (modern Faro) became the principal Roman settlement, a prosperous town with temples, baths, and a forum. Milreu, near Estoi, became the site of a grand villa complex whose mosaic floors and temple ruins survive today. The Romans industrialised fish processing along the coast, building garum factories that produced the fermented fish sauce prized throughout the empire. Remains of these factories have been found at Lagos, Portimao, and near Faro. Roman roads connected the coastal towns to the interior and to the wider Iberian road network. The Roman period lasted over five centuries and left a lasting mark on the landscape, language, and culture of the region. Latin formed the foundation of the Portuguese language, and Roman settlement patterns influenced the locations of many modern Algarve towns.