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'''''Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium''''' was the [[Roman colony]] in the [[Rhineland]] from which the [[Germany|German]] city of [[Cologne]] developed.
It was usually called ''Colonia'' and was the capital of the [[Roman province]] of ''[[Germania Inferior]]'' and the headquarters of the military in the region. With the administrative reforms under [[Diocletian]], it became the capital of ''[[Germania Secunda]]''. Many artifacts from the ancient city survive including the arch of the former city gate with the inscription 'CCAA', which is today housed in the [[Romano-Germanic Museum]].
==Historical background==
{{Cologne Sections|history=true}}
===''Oppidum Ubiorum'' (Latin city of Ubii), ''Ara Ubiorum'' and ''Apud Aram Ubiorum''===
{{main article|Ubii}}
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The Ubii chose an island in the Rhine as the central location of their settlement area. The island was a natural rise that was protected from flooding. The location of the settlement no longer exists today but it roughly comprises the area between the areas of the Heumarkt and the Alter Markt sections of the old city of Cologne. The settlement can be dated by archeological finds to the first half of the 1st century AD. By this time the typical Roman grid-style street plan was already in use. The settlement’s assumed name is probably Oppidum Ubiorum (Settlement of the Ubii). The Roman epoch of the [[History of Cologne|history]] of the city of Cologne begins with this oppidum.
[[File:Germania romana.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Map of the Roman province of Germania under Augustus, showing Colonia]]
During the rule of [[Augustus]] (30 BC to AD 14), the Ara Ubiorum (Altar of the Ubii) was constructed within the city limits. This altar was possibly foreseen as the central place of worship for a greater Germanic province, which would comprise lands across the Rhine, which remained unconquered at this point. The noble Segimundus is mentioned as the priest of the Ara in the year AD 9. He was from the family of [[Arminius]], leader of the [[Cherusci]]. After Arminius' defeat of [[Publius Quinctilius Varus]] in the same year at the [[Battle of the Teutoburg Forest]], the plans for a greater German province were largely set aside. However, the altar itself retained some of its importance as the city is mentioned as “Ara Ubiorum” in many inscriptions.
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[[File:Roman Cologne, reconstruction.JPG|thumb|Reconstructed plan of the Roman city of Cologne (after AD 50)]]
[[File:Kapitol Köln front1.jpg|thumb|Reconstructed model of the [[Capitoline Temple]] (early 2nd century AD)]]
[[Agrippina the younger]] was born in AD 15 in Cologne. She was the daughter of Germanicus and the wife of the Roman Emperor [[Claudius]]. She succeeded in convincing Claudius around 50 AD to elevate her birthplace to ''Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium'' (Colony of Claudius and Altar of the Agrippinians). This gave Colonia the status of 'city' under Roman law and a Roman colony had many more imperial rights than an oppidum. At this time the city became the administrative capital of [[Germania Inferior]]. Before this time
From AD 70 on the city had a strong [[city wall]] that was c. 8 meters in height and 2.5 meters wide. However, the remains of the Roman city wall that can still be seen today are from the 3rd century AD. The unwalled portions of the city were equal to a square kilometer. Its most important [[stele]]s and [[grave goods]] are preserved in the Romano-Germanic Museum.
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