Barcelona, an ancient city located on the Mediterranean Coast of Spain, was once part of the large and economically vibrant Mediterranean empire of Catalonia. Until its independence in 988, Barcelona and the rest of Catalonia was conquered and dominated by a number of empires. From its independence to the Conquest of America, Barcelona flourished economically and culturally as Catalonia's trade in the Mediterranean expanded.
Barcino before Visigoth Invasion
The coast of Catalonia had been settled long before the Romans. It was first settled by the Phoenicians and the Greeks, but it was not until the Carthaginians established Barcino on an old Celtiberian in the third century BC that the city’s modern name began to emerge. The Romans conquered the Carthaginians in 206 BC and ruled Spain for the next six centuries. During their rule, Roman law, language, architect and culture flourished.
Barcinona
Roman domination ended in the early fifth century with the Visigoth invasion. After the sacking of Rome in 410 AD, the Germanic Visigoths hastily conquered the Romans in Spain. They renamed the city of Barcino, Barcinona and made it their capital until they moved to Toledo in 554. The city was invaded by the Muslims from Africa in the mid eighth century. However, Muslim domination in Barcinona, and throughout all of Catalonia, ended in 732 when the Franks defeated the Moors.
