Colonia - Definition and Overview

A colonia was a Roman outpost, usually established by veterans of a Roman Legion, who received land as a part of their retirement from the Legions.

An example would be Lincoln, originally Lindum Colonia.

Another examples would be Colchester, originally Colonia Claudia Victricensis, Jerusalem (Colonia Aelia Capitolina, after the Jewish War) and Köln.

In Mexico, colonia is used for a neighbourhood. It's a frequent term in Mexico D.F. addresses. Primarily Hispanic settlements along the U.S.-Mexican border are also called colonias. These are often substandard.

Example Usage of Colonia