Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
94.Romans vs. Asturs, Astorga
The town of Astorga (in the Castilla y León region) was once the capital of the Astur tribe.
Around 20 B.C. it was conquered by the Romans, who renamed it Astúrica Augusta. In or-
der to establish themselves in the area, the Romans had to fight against the tough Astur war-
riors, mountain men who were not very keen on surrendering to the empire. The Romans vs.
Asturs festival recreates those battles of pre-Christian times.
The festival has several events, generally consisting in dramatizations of historical episodes.
The main characters are the Roman Caesar, the Astur chief, the Roman ambassador and the
Roman general. Each side establishes its own camp, and hundreds of costumed participants
help to create an accurate historical atmosphere. Other events of the festival include special
menus in the local restaurants, an Astur-Roman market, battle reenactments, parades, Astur
games and a night of storytelling by druids.
If you visit Astorga for the festival, you should definitely take the opportunity to visit the
Astorga Cathedral
and the
Episcopal Palace
. The cathedral, built in its current form during
the 16
th
century, combines the gothic and renaissance styles, and it's especially remarkable
for its elaborately crafted façade. The Episcopal Palace, built in the 20
th
century, was de-
