hispania unit 4
TRANSCRIPT
In this unit you will learn about:
People in the Peninsula before
Romans.
The Roman conquest.
The Romanisation
Around the year 1,000 BC many different
cultures lived on the Iberian Peninsula:
o Tartessians
o Celts
o Iberians
Tartessos is still a mystery.
Tartessos was a wealthy city near the modern city
of Cadiz, which was called Gades in ancient times.
Their ships were on the Atlantic side of the Pillars
of Hercules, known as modern Gibraltar.
The last and most famous king was Argantonio.
They lived in the northern and central part of the
peninsula.
They worked at crop and farming, but they never built
cities.
They were also very clean. They invented the soap!
Around 500 BCE, the ancient Celts migrated to modern
Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and the Isle of Man.
Their culture lives on today in music, dance, story, and
They lived in the eastern and southern
parts of the Peninsula.
They knew how to learn and write.
They cultivated cereals, vines and olive
trees
Also during the first millenium before
Christ, Phoenicians, Greeks and
Carthaginians, great travellers and
traders, arrived from the other side of the
Mediterranean.
They heard wonders of the new lands!
• They came from Phoenicia
(today, Libanon).
• They came to the Iberian
Peninsula only for
TRADING.
• They exchanged
manufacturated products
(like textiles or pottery for
metals).
• Phoenicians founded
GADIR (later, Cádiz)
• They came from
Greece.
• They came to the
Iberian Peninsula only
for TRADING.
• They introduced olive
trees and money.
• Greeks founded
AMPURIAS.
• They came from
CARTHAGE (today,
Tunisia).
• They came to the Iberian
Peninsula for conquering
new lands.
• Colonies founded:
- Ebussus (Ibiza)
- Cartago Nova
(Cartagena).
Romans gave the Iberian Peninsula the name of Hispania.
Romans wanted to conquer Hispania because they wanted to dominate trade in
the Mediterranean and , this way, build a great Empire.
However…
…Carthaginians also wanted to gain control over the
Mediterranean and build their own great empire!!!
The wars between Carthaginians and Romans are
known as
There were three Punic Wars. The second of
them took place on the Iberian Peninsula.
Rome declared the war to Carthago, when
Hannibal invaded the city of Sagunto (an ally of
Rome).
General Publio Cornelio Escipión arrived at the
Iberian Peninsula to fight the Carthaginians.
Therefore, the conquest of the Iberian peninsula
began.
In spring, 218 B.C., Hannibal marched through the
Pyrenees with more than 100,000 troops and 40 war
elephants.
Hannibal finally exited the Alps with just 20,000 infantry,
6,000 cavalry and only one of the elephants.
.
The process of acquiring language, customs, culture and economy from Rome is
called Romanization.
This process means the unification of most European nations and peoples
Number 10ROADS
o The Roman roads were essential for the growth of the Roman empire, by
enabling the Romans to move armies.
o A proverb says that "all roads lead to Rome."
o At its peak, the Roman road system spanned 52,819 miles.
Number 9LAW
o The concept in a trial by jury was created by the Romans.
o The Romans realized the importance of the “innocent until proven guilty”
method of justice.
o Latin can be seen in the treaties of International Law today.
Number 8ARQUITECTU
REo In the first century BC, a new material
was invented. It was the concrete, a
strong substitute for stone.
o Concrete quickly supplanted marble as the
primary building material, with great
pillars supporting broad arches.
Number 7MASS
ENTERTAIMENTo Romans gave us stadiums & amphitheatres. They are the ancestors of
modern stadiums!
Number 6ALPHABET
o The Roman alphabet and Latin language is the
basis for most European languages.
o Latin is used today for scientific and medical
Terminology. Spanish, French, Portuguese,
Romanian, and Italian are all based on Latin.
English and the other European (Germanic)
languages have many Latin root words.
Number 5BRIDGES
The Romans built bridges that could span long rivers. Many of these bridges are still
standing today.
ALCANTARA BRIDGE, SPAIN
Number 4AQUEDUCTS
To carry water from the high ground to a village or town the Romans were masters of
building aqueducts that would transport much needed water.
Number 3POLITICAL SYSTEM
o The pax romana: which allowed free trade and a free exchange of ideas and
information.
o The Republic and Senate, which have been inspiration for modern democracies.