Before it became the Spain we know today, the Iberian Peninsula was a crossroads of cultures, conquerors, and civilizations. From mysterious tribes to the might of the Roman Empire, and later the Visigoths, the story of Spain's beginnings is one of fusion and transformation.
In this article I’m providing a “starter guide” to understand how we reached the times of the Visigoths, as I often make reference to it and what happened later in the newsletter. With this brief article, you will be able to understand the context before the Visigothic Kingdom.
🛖 Iberians, Celts, and the Birth of a Peninsula Identity
The earliest known inhabitants of the peninsula were the Iberians, a people of uncertain origin who settled along the Mediterranean coast before 1000 BCE. In the north and west, Celtic tribes arrived later, likely crossing from central Europe. These groups merged in some areas, forming what historians call the Celtiberians.
They were not a single nation, but a patchwork of city-states and tribal federations. Their societies were warrior-based, and their art, writing systems, and trade connections reveal a dynamic world—especially in contact with Phoenicians and Greeks, who established coastal trading posts (like Gadir, modern Cádiz).
🏛 Roman Hispania: Conquest and Transformation
Rome arrived in 218 BCE, during the Second Punic War against Carthage. What started as a strategic move soon turned into full conquest. After nearly two centuries of resistance, including the famous siege of Numantia, the peninsula was fully integrated into the Roman Empire.