PO.RO.S. Roman Portugal in Sicó

A few meters away from the Hotel you can find PO.RO.S, Roman Portugal Museum in Sicó. It’s the most recent museum equipment of Condeixa. It’s a cultural project that is a part of the Romanization route composed by the municipalities of Condeixa, Penela, Ansião, Alvaiázere, and Tomar. As a multimedia and virtual space, it works in articulation with Conímbriga.

PO.RO.S, Roman Portugal Museum in Sicó occupies the old sunny house of Quinta de São Tomé, classified as Municipal Value. In here, the visitor has the chance of knowing and experiencing, in a tridimensional way, a great adventure: the epic of romanization of Lusitânia in general, and in particular of territory of Sicó.

A douzen rooms constitute this interactive museum that challenges the visitor, alerting his senses. When entering the room “Tempus Fugit” you begin your journey to the past, revisiting the events that altered the course of History, from the most recent to the most distant ones, such as September 11, World War II, and Portuguese Discoveries. By following these events, we recede to the times of the foundation of Rome and the arrival of Romans to Iberian Peninsula.

The journey continuous through the room “Roma, Ingenuity and Glory” where we get to know the origins of the Roman Empire, its formation and history, as well as the legends of this people.

Throughout the room “Legions, Conquer and Power” it’s easy to see in a very playful way the importance of the army to the expansion of Rome and the constitution of the Empire.

From one room to another you get to “Confines of the Empire – Sicó Lands” where a 3D reconstitution movie helps getting to know the daily basis of the ones who lived here.

To show how roman technology revolutionized the construction of new cities is the goal of the room “City Builders, the Urbe”. In its turn, the space “Civitas, City Government” is dedicated to political, judicial and administrative organization of the Empire. In here, you also get to understand in which way Latin became the mother tongue of a series of idioms.

With the room “Agris Economie and Territory” it becomes clear the importance of trade in the roman world and of the road network in approximating such a broad Empire.

Family was the core of private life for Romans. Get to know the place of slaves, the role of women, and the importance of marriage and sexuality through the room “Intimacy and Private Life”. In the room “Gods and Religion” you get to testify a great transformation: the change from Christian polytheism to monotheism. On display is the way Romans knew how to adapt local deities to their cults. The goal is clear: to show how Rome contributed to the expansion of Christianism around the world.

The most hedonist side to the life of this people arises on “Carpe Diem” room, under a cultural, artistic and even social perspective, where daily worries with dressing and hygiene are not missing, as well as behaviors and traditions. An interactive mirror allows the visitor to dress virtually as a Roman persona.

Health through water is a maxim that Romans took very seriously. The room “Baths” displays thermal baths as the core of social and cultural Roman life. The environment of the water line that preexisted in St. Tomé’s Estate is recreated through games of light that give the feel of water and steam.

The legacy of Rome and the way it survived and remains up to today in different fields of contemporary society is the theme of central room “We, Romans”. In here is where you get to know the history of excavations and archeology in Conímbriga.

At last, visitors are encouraged to “Show the Roman that’s within you” by leaving a contribution to the exhibit.