ALCANTARA, the Interamnium of the Romans, a town of Estremadura in Spain, on the left bank of the Tagus, with 4273 inhabitants. Alcantara (Arabice, Al Kantrah, i.e. the bridge), derived its name from the magnificent Roman bridge which spanned the Tagus at this point; and which was erected, according to the inscription, in A.D. 104, at the joint expense of the several towns therein mentioned, in honour of the Emperor Trajan, who was a native of Spain. This noble monument of antiquity was injured by the English, and afterwards, with gratuitous barbarism, blown up by the French general Victor, during the campaign of 1809. It was repaired with timber in 1818, and again burnt in 1836 to prevent the passage of the Carlist troops. Lat. 39. 41. N. Long. 6. 44. W.