Olissipo

Olisipo

Shown within Portugal
Location	Portugal
Region	Lisbon Metropolitan Area
Coordinates	38°42′44″N 9°08′02″W / 38.7122204°N 9.1339731°W / 38.7122204; -9.1339731Coordinates: 38°42′44″N 9°08′02″W / 38.7122204°N 9.1339731°W / 38.7122204; -9.1339731

Municipium Cives Romanorum Felicitas Julia Olisipo (in Latin: Olisippo or Ulyssippo ; in Greek: Ολισσιπο, Olissipo, or Ολισσιπόνα, Olissipóna) was the ancient name of modern-day Lisbon while part of the Roman Empire.

During the Punic wars, after the defeat of Hannibal the Romans decided to deprive Carthage of its most valuable possession, Hispania. After the defeat of the Carthaginians by Scipio Africanus in eastern Hispania, the pacification of western Hispania was led by Consul Decimus Junius Brutus Callaicus. He obtained the alliance of Olisipo (which sent men to fight alongside the Roman legions against the northwestern Celtic tribes) by integrating it into the Empire in 138 BC.

Between 31 BC and 27 BC the city became a Municipium. Local authorities were granted self-rule over a territory that extended 50 kilometres (31 mi). Exempt from taxes, its citizens (belonging to the Galeria tribe) were given the privileges of Roman citizenship (Civium Romanorum), and the city was integrated within the Roman province of Lusitania (whose capital was Emerita Augusta). Decimus Junius Brutus Callaicus also fortified the city, building city walls as a defence against Lusitanian raids and rebellions.

Among the majority of Latin speakers lived a large minority of Greek traders and slaves. Lisbon's name was written Ulyssippo in Latin by the geographer Pomponius Mela. The city population is estimated to have been around 30,000 at the time.