Whether this theory is correct, it is certain that the Greeks were aware of the city, calling it Olissipo. During the Roman era, the area helped the Romans fend off invasions on the Iberian peninsula and was thus afforded a fair degree of autonomy, a period in which a theatre and numerous temples were built.

Trade in the Roman era flourished, with fish products wine and salt the main commodities sold right across the Roman Empire. At the end of the Roman period, Lisbon emerged as a Christian city and soon fell under the rule of a kingdom founded in northern Portugal by the German Suebi people from the beginning of the 5th century until the end of the 6th century.

It was a long time before the city was to regain its adherence to Christianity, when in the middle of the 12th century it was finally recaptured by a group of knights from France, Germany, England and Portugal. A century later, Lisbon’s excellent geographical location meant it became the capital of Portugal and immediately began a period of construction with universities established here for the first time.

By the end of the 15th century, Lisbon had transformed itself into a major trading route and was slowly developing its reputation as a departure point for the discovery of the new world. In 1497, Vasco de Gama made his legendary sea journey to India beginning the golden age when the port city became one of the major trading hubs of the world. The only low point in this period was the devastating earthquake that killed a large section of the population in 1531.

At the beginning of the 1800s, Napoleon’s forces invaded sending the ruler, John VI of Portugal into exile as upheaval took over the city. By 1889, King Carlos I took over as king as the Portuguese began to re-establish their country, although bankruptcy beckoned twice, in 1892 and 1902.

When WWII hit Europe in 1939, Lisbon and the whole of the country remained neutral and relatively unaffected compared to the devastation that hit northern Europe in particular. Many European refugees headed to Lisbon before fleeing to the US.

In 1994, Lisbon was designated the European capital of culture and then in 1998 held its World Fairs Expo, commemorating 500 years since Vasco de Gama’s voyage to India and the beginning of a new modern chapter in the history of this ever-changing city.