Gades, Iberia
ca. 2nd century BCE
Ae Half Unit 25mm, 8.0g
Obv: Head of Melqart (Herakles) left wearing lion’s skin headdress, club behind
Rev: Two tunnies left with crescent and pellet to left; Iberian legend above, to right and below
SNG BM Spain 228
Gades was located at the modern day city of Cadiz, Spain, and was founded in deep antiquity. Velleius Paterculus mentions it as having been founded shortly after the Trojan War. It is traditionally assigned the date of 1104 BCE.
Most of the ancient city resides underneath the modern day city, and thus much has not been excavated. During Phoenician times, there was a major temple to Melqart in the city. The Greek later associated him with Hercules, having founded Gades with his tenth labor.
1104 BCE
Gades founded by Phoenicians
530 BCE
Gades occupied by Carthage
206 BCE
Gades surrenders to the Romans under Scipio Africanus
49 BCE
Julius Caesar gives citizens of Gades Roman citizenship
4 CE
The Roman writer Columella is born at Gades