The Romans founded Barcino around 15 BCE as a colony for retired soldiers. It was small but strategically important, sitting along key trade and military routes. The city developed a typical Roman layout with walls, aqueducts, a forum, and temples, and it became known for wine exports and quiet prosperity. Over time, Christianity took root, and by the 4th century, Barcino had its own bishop. Many of the city’s Roman structures—like the Temple of Augustus and parts of the wall—still shape today’s Gothic Quarter.