History of Lisbon
The history of Lisbon stretches back to the Neolithic era, from when the earliest traces of people indicate that Iberians inhabited the area. The earliest days of the territory also show evidence of Celtic invasions around the first millennia BC, and that the Phoenicians held a trading post in the centre of the city as early as 1200 BC.
Also around this time, Greeks had called the city Olissipo, and myth tells us that Odysseus founded the city after leaving Troy, creating a dispute over the city’s history. Although there is some evidence indicating that Odysseus may have come here, many believe that the Phoenicians predated any Greek settlement.
Romans
Following Hannibal’s defeat, the Romans took the entire Iberian Peninsula, known then as Hispania, which included the territory that is now Lisbon. The city, under the province of Lusitania, was eventually given tremendous autonomy, but it was still incorporated into the Empire, giving its people the benefits of Roman citizenship without having to pay taxes.
During Augustus’ reign, the city saw the emergence of several public buildings such as baths, a great theatre, temples to various gods and the emperor, a necropolis and a forum, with the remnants of many of these being unearthed in the 18th century.
The city played a major role in the empire, not only as a great harbour with an economy based around an abundant seafood industry, but also as one of the first major Christian cities. Like Rome, the city is built on seven hills, and one of the hills bears the name of St Gens, the bishop who ushered the religion into the land.
Around 711, the city fell to the Moors, marking the beginning of Islamic rule, giving the city an increasingly diversified character. By the turn of the millennium, Muslims composed the majority of Lisbon’s population and Arabic was the official and dominant language.
In 1147, a group composed of English, French, German and Portuguese knights laid siege to the city and reclaimed it as Christian land. This turned out to be a major turning point for Lisbon, with much of the population converting to Christianity, Portuguese returning as the major language and many mosques being turned into churches.
Colonial power
At the end of the Middle Ages, Portugal began its rise as a major trading post and was named capital of Portugal. The city gained immense wealth and prosperity during this time as it established colonies on islands in the Atlantic, on the shores of Africa, in the Americas and Asia.
The city’s expansion and newfound power as a harbour centre ushered Portugal into the Age of Discovery, as many expeditions departed from Lisbon, notably Vasco da Gama’s trip to India in 1497. The 16th century saw a heavy increase in trade, with goods from Asia as well as gold from Brazil coming in.
But the city was hurt by a pair of earthquakes, with thousands perishing in the tremors of 1531 and even more fatalities in the 1755 earthquake, which shattered much of the capital, killing 60,000 to 90,000 people.
Recent history
In the early part of the 18th century, Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Lisbon, causing the king to flee to Brazil. The Portuguese Republic was re-established in 1910, after a Republican coup. During WWII, Lisbon remained a neutral port and the city and its harbour became a major port for refugees as well as spies. To commemorate the 500th anniversary of Vasco da Gama’s voyage, Expo ‘98 was held in Lisbon.