The city of Tarragona, known as Tárraco in Roman times, became a Roman settlement in 218 BC during the Second Punic War. A large defensive wall was built around the city, with a longitude of 3.5 km.
In the 1st century BC Tárraco became the capital of the Roman province Hispania Citerior (Tarraconensis), which extended over a large part of the Iberian peninsula.
Inside the city there are remains of Roman public buildings like the Provincial Forum (a large group of buildings) and buildings used for public performances like the Theatre, Amphitheatre, and Circus. Outside of the city there are Roman remains like the Aqueduct, the Scipio Tower (a funeral monument) and the Bara Arch (a triumphal arch).