English and the World · Spain · 48 · Seville · A1–C2 · A1–A2 free
The first Roman town in Spain, the birthplace of an emperor, an amphitheatre for thousands of spectators, and floors of mosaic among the olive trees. Choose your level.
Itálica, near Seville
Itálica is about ten kilometres from Seville, next to the village of Santiponce. The Romans built it in 206 BC, more than 2,200 years ago, for their wounded soldiers. It was the first Roman town in Spain.
A famous emperor was born here: Trajan, the first Roman emperor born outside Italy. His family also came from Itálica, and later Hadrian, the next emperor, made the city bigger and more beautiful.
A visit
“How many people could sit in the amphitheatre?” “About 25,000. It was one of the biggest in the Roman world.” “How much of the city can we see today?” “Not very much: a lot of it is still under the ground, and under the village.”
“Are there many mosaics?” “Yes, there are a lot of beautiful mosaic floors, with birds, gods and planets.” “And how much time do we need?” “Two or three hours. There isn’t much shade, so bring a lot of water!”
🦉 Want more? Sophia explains much, many, a lot of and the other little words before nouns in A Box, The Box, No Box At All (Philo & Sophia, Lesson 21).
Language: how much, how many, a lot of
| countable (people, mosaics, hours) | uncountable (water, time, shade) | |
|---|---|---|
| question | How many people? | How much time? |
| negative | not many visitors | not much shade |
| positive | a lot of mosaics | a lot of water |
⚠️ In positive sentences we usually say a lot of, not much: There is a lot of history here, not ✗ There is much history here (too formal). And people is plural: How many people, not ✗ how much people.
Read the texts first. Press “Check my answers” at the end.
Choose the best answer.
1. Why did the Romans build Itálica?
2. Who was Trajan?
3. How many people could sit in the amphitheatre?
4. Why can we see only part of the city?
Write much or many.
5. How people could sit in the amphitheatre?
6. How time do we need?
7. There isn’t shade.
8. Are there mosaics?
Write much, many or lot.
9. Bring a of water!
10. There weren’t visitors in the morning.
11. How does the ticket cost?
12. There are a of beautiful floors.
Go there!
Visit: take the bus from Seville to Santiponce. Walk around the amphitheatre, the old streets and the mosaic floors. Go early in the morning or late in the afternoon, wear a hat and bring water. In the village you can also see the Roman theatre.
Your task: write six questions about a famous place, with How much…? and How many…?, and find the answers.
It tells how a camp for wounded soldiers became the birthplace of an emperor, how Hadrian rebuilt his family’s city on a grand scale, why it was abandoned when the river moved away, and how its ruins inspired one of the most famous poems in Spanish, with grammar, practice, etymology and a visit plan.
The A1–A2 version above is free for everyone.
It tells how a camp for wounded soldiers became the birthplace of an emperor, how Hadrian rebuilt his family’s city on a grand scale, why it was abandoned when the river moved away, and how its ruins inspired one of the most famous poems in Spanish, with grammar, practice, etymology and a visit plan.
The A1–A2 version above is free for everyone.