The Roman colony of Emerita Augusta (present day Mérida) was founded in 25 BC by Octavius Augustus, to resettleemeritus soldiers discharged from the Roman army from two veteran legions of the Cantabrian Wars: Legio V Alaudaeand Legio X Gemina. The city was the capital of the Roman province of Lusitania.Today the Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida is one of the largest and most extensive archaeological sites inSpain and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993.