Corduba, capital of Roman Baetica

The Roman general Marcus Claudius Marcellus founded Corduba on the Guadalquivir in the 2nd century BC, and under Augustus it became capital of the province of Baetica, enriched by olive oil and mines. The philosopher Seneca and the poet Lucan were born here. A first-century temple's re-erected columns, the much-rebuilt bridge and theatre remains under the archaeological museum survive from the Roman city.