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The history of Rota goes back to about 1000 to 800 BC, when the Phoenicians inhabited the area. The town was known as “Astaroth” in Phoenician times.
Rota has seen a number of occupants throughout its history, starting with the Greeks after the Phoenicians, then the Romans, the Visigoths, and finally the Muslims. Interestingly, the town underwent name changes three times. The Romans called the town “Spéculum Rotae” and the Moors called it “Rábita Ruta.” When King Alfonso X conquered the Moors and expelled them in the 13th century, the town was given the name “Rotta.”
In 1309, the town was given to the feudal estate of the Ponce de León family. Rota became a major port owing to its strategic location. Come the 17th and 18th centuries, the English and Dutch armies invaded the Cádiz region and besieged and partially destroyed many other towns, Rota included. Unfortunately, the town lost much of its historical heritage.
In the 19th century, during the Spanish War of Independence, Rota was occupied by the French armies.
Today, Rota is an interesting combination of the old and the new, with a modern, cosmopolitan look thanks to an American naval base nearby. The town has a current estimated population of 24,000.
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