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The history of Rota as a city starts to write itself in the time of the tartessos, when it had the name of Astaroth. From then on many changes have been made in this city. Most importantly it´s own name which has been changed a few times until the name it proudly has today. Rota. The first hints of life in this area date back to pre-historic times, more specifically to the Copper Age. The ancient ruins found in Rota date back to that time period. A period in which the phoenicians founded Cadis, and of course Rota. Rota was once called Astaroth, which means Mast Port.
During the roman times, there is a great possibility that the name changed to Oleastrum, which means where the tide breaks, maybe beacause of the rocks that made navigation difficult in the vicinity of the city. The name changed a few more times to Speculum Rotae, Rabita Rutta, Rotta and finally what it is today Rota.
The arabs were the ones who named it Rabita Rutta, which the muslims decided to just name it Rutta. It was in this era where the first fortresses were built, and Rota became a pilgramage where nomads from further points arrived. After the taking over of Cadis in the XIII century, Rota has an islamic uprising and they assasinate all of the christian troops in the area. In 1264 once Jerez was taken, all of the islamic troops were kicked out. In 1285, under the reign of Sancho IV the city was finally named Rota, the name it still holds to this day. In 1295 the city was given to Alonso Perez de Guzman, victorious in Tarifa, and that is when they built the Castillo de Luna (castle of the moon). In the XIV the villa becomes part of Pedro Ponce de Leon.
In the XV century Rota´s port begins to grown and becomes one of the most important commercial ports in relation to the north of Africa. Unfortunately in the XVI century they suffered a plague sickness that together with the Berebere attacks weakened the city, a state that remained and prolongued into another epidemic. This time the plague came accompanied by a bad year for farmers, which prompted the Monarch Carlos II in the year 1687 to impose a tax on this area.
In the XVIII century the city was invaded by anglo-dutch during the succession war. In the XIX century yellow fever and the napoleanic invasion weakend the area a bit, but they recovered quickly and by the year 1873 Rota declares itself independent.
Therefore by the XX century in the year 1955 when the naval base moved in, raditional jobs like fishing and agriculture lost it´s way a bit, something which has continued to happen throughout the years, except now it is due to the increasing tourism. |
