There is a romantic view that holds that Barcelona was already an important city during Roman times but unfortunately, that honour goes to Tarragona that lies 100 km south of the city. Legend has it that Barcelona derived its name from a Carthaginian general called Barcino but this is not certified knowledge either.
What is for sure is that in the 4th century AD Barcelona slowly grew in importance as the only natural harbour between Tarragona and the South of France. The "barbarians" who invaded the crumbling Roman empire in the 4th century AD confirmed its importance as the main city of the region by setting up court here and not in Tarragona.
The invasion of the Moors of Spain in the 6th century AD also fortified the position of Barcelona as a military base as it was on the frontier in the Christian war against the Arab invaders (the "reconquista"). It was briefly captured by the Moors but there are no souvenirs left from that period anymore.
It was not until the arrival of a Barcelonese lord called "William The Hairy" in the 9th century AD that the various counties around Barcelona were unified (by force and diplomacy) and the kingdom of Catalonia with its capital Barcelona started to thrive.
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