Los Rodiles (Cubillejo de la Sierra): an oppidum facing Rome

A city upon the ridge

On an extensive ridge beside Cubillejo de la Sierra lies one of the most prominent Celtiberian settlements in the province. It encompasses more than five hectares and its internal streets follow an orthogonal grid layout, an exceptional feature for indigenous settlements of the period.

Three defensive circuits

The urban area is encircled by three concentric defensive stone walls, which expanded outwards alongside population growth. The innermost wall consists of cyclopean ashlar masonry and preserves beside the gate a semicircular tower approximately four metres in height. According to archaeologist J. Alberto Arenas, such monumental defences functioned not only for protection but also as displays of territorial dominance: Los Rodiles exercised regional control over smaller hillforts and the transit routes connecting the Castilian plateau with the Ebro basin.

Facing Rome

Archaeological excavations have been conducted every summer since 2008, directed by María Luisa Cerdeño, and the site was declared a Cultural Asset (BIC) in 2012. Its two occupation horizons, designated Rodiles I and II, document the conflict with Rome. Nearby are La Coronilla and the village’s tower museum. Read more in Celtiberia.

Visiting

A clear distinction must be made: among all the Celtiberian hillforts in the Señorío, only two are genuinely prepared for visitors, El Ceremeño in Herrería and Peña Moñuz in Olmeda de Cobeta. Los Rodiles has received little conditioning for the public: it is unadapted, virtually unsignposted, and what remains visible on the surface is very difficult to interpret without specialist guidance. If you visit, stay on the paths, do not climb on the walls, and do not remove anything from the ground. During active summer excavations, guided visits are occasionally arranged; check locally in advance.