[1] The Roman Republic first entered the Iberian Peninsula in the course of the Second Punic War (218 BC), to counteract the power of the Carthaginians in the area, which eventually led to the conquest of the territory.

[2] During this period, the Romans probably occupied the Iberian enclave located at Montjuic, in order to control the mouth of the Llobregat, a strategic centre.

The settlement was located on a small promontory on the Plain of Barcelona near the coast, Mount Tàber [ca] (16.9 m above sea level).

[7] Barcino took the urban form of castrum initially, and later oppidum, with the usual organising axes cardo maximus (today's Llibreteria and Call streets) and decumanus maximus (Bisbe, Ciutat, and Regomir streets); at the confluence of both was the forum (near today's Plaça de Sant Jaume), the central square dedicated to public life and business.

[9] The strategic role of Barcino, where a major Roman Road, the Via Augusta, met the Mediterranean, gave the city an active commercial and economic development from very early on.

At the same time, in 1260 he ordered a new walled perimeter to be built enclosing the city's suburbs, from the monestary of Sant Pere de les Puel·lesto the Drassanes, facing the sea.

The main ones are in the Plaça Nova, where the Praetoria gate was located: two of the towers, part of the perimeter wall and an arcade of the old aqueduct that carried water to the city are preserved here.

Small remains are preserved on the streets of Regomir, Avinyó [ca], del Call, Banys Nous and Palla, generally inside various private buildings.