Dertosa
DERTO´SA (Δερτῶσα or Δερτῶσσα, Strab. iii pp. 159, 160; Ptol. 2.4.64; Colonia Julia Augusta Dertosa, coins: Eth. Dertosani, Plin. Nat. 3.3. s. 4: Tortosa), a city of the Ilercaones in Hispania Tarraconensis, on the left bank of the Iberus (Ebro), not far above the delta of the river, which was here crossed by the high road from Tarraco to Carthago Nova. (Itin. Ant. p. 399; Mela, 2.6; Suet. Galb. 10.) Though only mentioned by Pliny as one of the cities civium Romanorum, it is proved to have been a colony by the assertion of Strabo and the epigraphs of its coins, all of which belong to the early empire, and bear the heads of Julius Caesar, Augustus, and Tiberius. (Florez, Med. de Esp. vol. 1. p. 376; Mionnet, vol. i. pp. 40, 44, Suppl. 1. p. 81; Sestini, p. 138; Eckhel, vol. 1. p. 47.)
[P.S](Δερτῶσα). Now Tortosa; a city of the Ilercaones in Spain, situated on the Iberus, a short distance above its mouth. Here was a bridge over the river, and along this route led the main military road to the southern parts of Spain and the colonies established there (Mela, ii. 6).