Idanha-a-Velha (Portugal)

Idanha-a-Velha (Idanha "the old") is a village in the civil parish (freguesia) of Monsanto e Idanha-a-Velha, in the municipality of Idanha-a-Nova (Idanha "the new"), central eastern Portugal, and the site of ancient Egitânia, a former bishopric. It covers an area of 20.98 km2 and had a population of 79 as of 2001. It stands in a place where a Roman city located along the Ponsul River once lay, the regional capital of Civitas Igaeditanorum (1st century BC) under the Romans and later the episcopal seat during occupation by the Suebi and Visigoths. The Muslim invasion of Iberia in the early eighth century and the subsequent wars of Christian reconquest brought with it a setback to the development of the city which before the Muslim invasion was home for thousands of inhabitants. It was occupied by Muslims in the 8th century who called it Exitânia and taken back by Christians in the 12th century. It was donated to the Knights Templar in the 13th century and still has traces of different ages that attest to permanent occupation by various civilizations.