Later the area was home to Iberians, Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Roman’s and Moors. During the Roman occupation Jimena had its own coinage. The town became a place of importance during the 13th Century under the Moorish influence and during the 15th century with its castle and fortress, was a significant defensive position on the Moorish border from the Kingdom of Castile. The ruined castle crowns the village to this day. During this time, Jimena was recaptured from the Moors by King Enrique IV. During the War of Succession in the 18th century, Jimena was rewarded for its loyalty by King Felipe V with the title “loyal” and in 1879 King Alfonso XII rewarded Jimena again but this time with the title of “city”. By today’s standards, however, Jimena is far from being a city – it being a small town, a far cry from the hustle and bustle of modern city life.

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