Roman Conquest and Romanization of Iberian Peninsula

Roman Conquest of the Iberian Peninsula

• The Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula and the process of Romanization.

The conquest of the Iberian Peninsula was developed in stages between 218 BC, the date of commencement of the intervention of the Romans in the peninsula in the context of struggles between Rome and Carthage (Second Punic War), and the year 19 BC when they captured the territories in the north of Spain. Roman rule lasted until the collapse of the empire in the late 5th century AD.

Romanization: Economy

Exploitation of resources such as metals (primarily gold and silver), slaves (townspeople revolted against the Romans) used in mines, estates, and agricultural resources. Agriculture was based on the exploitation of the Mediterranean triad: cereals (wheat), grapes, and olives. Romans introduced the plow and the extension of irrigation. Crafts included the salted fish industry and pottery. The development of trade was stimulated by the use of coins and the establishment of a communications network (roadways).

Romanization: Society

Acquisition of a citizenship status, more or less complete. A higher level, a minority of senators and knights, held the greatest fortunes and provincial tribunals. The local aristocracy, enriched by business and villages, performed the local magistrates (city). Below, the mass of free workers, peasants, artisans, soldiers, and slaves, mostly on farms and mines.

Romanization: Administration

Development of an urban civilization. Creation of new cities. The essential part of the city was the administrative management of the empire. It was the center of political power (traces of the institution of the municipality), commodity exchange, and social life. Constituencies over the city were the provinces (at the end of the Empire there were 6: Gallaecia, Lusitania, Baetica, Carthaginensis, Tarraconensis, and Baleares). Early in the century, the Romans created conventus as a subdivision of the province.

Romanization: Culture

The cultural legacy of Rome is reflected in language, law, and religion. Progressive introduction and triumph of their language, Latin, survived the pre-Roman substrate Basque. Latin is the substrate of the Romance languages: Castilian, Galician, and Catalan. With Latin came Roman law, the substantial basis of modern law. In literature, there were important Hispanic contributions, such as Seneca. As for religion, there was religious tolerance, implantation of Roman civic cults, cults identified with the similar Roman Iberian, and allowed indigenous cults. Christianity was imposed as the official religion of the Empire by Emperor Theodosius.