The Roman Legacy and Conquest of Hispania

Important: For the PAU exams, only "The survival of Roman cultural legacy in Hispanic culture" is required. However, for the baccalaureate exams, the complete topic is demanded.

Conquest and Romanization of Hispania

By the mid-third century BC, Rome was an expanding power. Its rival for dominance of the western Mediterranean was Carthage. The two powers signed the Ebro Treaty. The breach of this treaty and the taking of Saguntum (an allied city of Rome) marked the beginning of the Second Punic War.

The Three Stages of Roman Conquest

We can distinguish three distinct stages in the Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula:

• First Phase (218 BC – 154 BC): The Romans landed in Ampurias, cutting off supplies to Hannibal's Carthaginian armies in Italy. Scipio extended the conquest to the south and successfully expelled the Carthaginians from the Peninsula.
• Second Phase (154 BC – 133 BC): During the Celtiberian-Lusitanian Wars, Rome focused on conquering the central plateau. After defeating the Lusitanians, led by Viriatus, Rome began the war against the Celtiberians. This phase is highlighted by the heroic resistance of the town of Numantia, which was finally captured after a long siege.
• Third Phase (29 BC – 19 BC): This final stage consisted of the Cantabrian and Asturian Wars, which required a massive military effort from Rome. Augustus personally directed the campaign, and the conquest of the Iberian Peninsula was completed in 19 BC.

The Process of Romanization

By the Romanization of the Iberian Peninsula, we mean the spread of Roman civilization, laws, customs, and the Latin language throughout the territory. The two fundamental aspects of Romanization were:

1. The extension of Latin: Latin was imposed as the spoken and written language, gradually replacing the native Iberian and Indo-European languages.
2. Urbanization: The creation and expansion of Roman cities served as centers of administration and culture.

Cultural and Religious Legacy

Along with Latin, the Roman educational system was introduced into Hispania. Furthermore, Hispania played a decisive role in Latin literature. Religion was also gradually adopted by the indigenous populations:

• From the reign of Augustus, the imperial cult began to spread.
• Eastern cults, which were highly popular among the Romans, were also disseminated throughout the Peninsula.
• From the third century AD, Christian worship was introduced to the peninsula, eventually becoming the predominant religion of the Roman Empire.

Similarly, Roman law left a profound and lasting mark on the customs and legal systems of the Peninsula.