A Discussion on a First Foundation of Augusta Emerita as a Military Praesidium
Аннотация
This paper is giving an analysis of the interesting thesis proposed by Alicia M. Canto in 1987 of a first foundation of Augusta Emerita as a Julius Caesar's military praesidium, followed by a re-foundation in 25 BC by Titus Publius Carisius, legate of Augustus. Our discussion of the first foundation will be based on the astronomical orientation of the town. In a previous paper, we have shown that the decumanus of Augusta Emerita is aligned close to the northern moonrise azimuth on a major lunar standstill. Being 25 BC close to 24 BC, a year of major lunar standstill, we concluded a deliberate astronomical alignment of the decumanus. But Canto is proposing a previous foundation of the town as a castrum; the range of time she gives for the foundation of the Caesar's military settlement, 48 BC - 44 BC, has the end (44 BC) close to a major lunar standstill (43 BC). This means that the astronomical alignment observed of Merida could be that of the Caesar's settlement too.