When did Cologne become a Roman colony?

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Cologne The Hohenzollern rail and pedestrian bridge over the Rhine River, Cologne, Germany, with the city's cathedral in the background.

Cologne was officially granted the status of a Roman colony in 50 ce.1

While a fortified settlement had been established on the site around 38 bce, the title of Roman colony was conferred upon the town at the request of Julia Agrippina, the wife of the emperor Claudius. Following this designation, the town was named Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium, which was later shortened to Colonia.1