A colonia was a Roman outpost, usually established by veterans of a Roman Legion, who received land as a part of their retirement from the Legions. In time the term evolved to denote the highest status of a Roman city.

Some examples would be

• Lincoln, originally Lindum Colonia.
• Colchester, originally Colonia Claudia Victricensis.
• Jerusalem (Colonia Aelia Capitolina, after the Jewish War).
• Köln originally Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensis.

Modern uses

• In Mexico, colonia is a term equivalent to neighbourhood.
• Primarily Hispanic settlements along the U.S./Mexican border are also called colonias.

• Colonia, Uruguay is a city in Uruguay.
• Colonia, Yap is the chief town of the island of Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia, and also the former capital of that nation

• Colonia is a popular dance music group in Croatia.

Colonia also refers to a low-income community, often comprised of seasonal and/or migrant workers, generally found within 150 miles of the US-Mexico border.

External links

• Jona Lendering article about coloniae

Geography of the Roman Empire | Roman towns types | Roman colonies

Colonia