- Toledo is a cathedral city located on the river Tagus, 46 miles (74km) south of Madrid in the Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha in central Spain.
- It was the capital of the Carpetani Iberian Tribe and became the Roman city of Toletum, in the Province of Hispania Tarraconensis. After the Fall of the Roman Empire, Toledo became the capital of the Visigothic kingdom between 546-719 CE.
Toledo Steel
- Toledo has been a centre of Steel and Sword manufacturing since c.500 BCE. Hannibal chose Toledo swords during the Second Punic War (218-202 BCE). From then on the Romans Legions used swords made in Toledo.
- Toledo Steel is made by forging together a hard steel and a soft steel to obtain the benefits of both types in one sword. It was a long process by which individual blacksmiths only produced two to three weapons each year.
The Roman Sites
- Toledo Roman Walls
- Parts of the Roman walls can be seen in the expanded Visigothic walls, which were then expanded again by the Moors and again by the Reconquista.
- Puente de Alcantara Roman Bridge
- The bridge crosses the Tagus river.
- Roman Circus
- With seating for 15,000 spectators.
- Cave of Hercules
- Located in the Callejon San Gines, this underground vault was a water reservoir supplied by an aqueduct.
Museums
- Museum of Santa Cruz
- The museum holds an archeological collection of artefacts covering all periods of history, including the Roman period.
Roman Roads
Puente de Alcantara, Toledo