Roman Aquileia

Aquileia was an ancient town in northeastern Italy, located near the head of the Adriatic Sea. Founded in 181 BC as a Roman military colony, it was originally established to secure the eastern borders of Italy against neighboring tribes such as the Carni and Histri. The city subsequently grew into an important frontier military city. Its strategic location made it an hub for trade and military operations, particularly for Roman expansion toward the Danube. In classical antiquity, Aquileia was a major Roman city with an estimated population close to 100,000 in the 2nd century AD. Aquileia was one of the first cities in which Christianity could be practised unhindered; the Patriarch of Aquileia was the second most important person of the Western Church after the bishop of Rome. In the 4th century, the construction of the Patriarchal Basilica under Bishop Theodore marked the city as an important religious center. However, the city's decline began after being sacked by Attila the Hun in 452 AD.