Archaeologists link abandonment of ancient Complutum to earthquake

Archaeologists investigating the site of Primitiva Complutum in Villalbilla, Madrid, have proposed a new hypothesis regarding the disappearance of the 35-hectare Roman monumental city. Researchers suggest the settlement may have been abandoned or severely damaged by a major earthquake, as the site sits atop a seismic fault.

Evidence indicates the city was dismantled stone by stone and relocated approximately eight kilometers away to the current site of Alcalá de Henares around 50 AD. Excavations have uncovered remains of Roman and Carpetani origins, including monumental baths and disassembled architectural elements, supporting the theory of a forced relocation following a natural disaster.