Hispania Tarraconensis
Provincia Hispania Tarraconensis | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Province of the Roman Empire | |||||||||||
27 BC–459 | |||||||||||
Capital | Tarraco | ||||||||||
Historical era | Antiquity | ||||||||||
• Established | 27 BC | ||||||||||
• Visigothic conquest | 459 | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Today part of | Spain Portugal |
Hispania Tarraconensis was one of three Roman provinces in Hispania. It encompassed much of the northern, eastern and central territories of modern Spain along with modern northern Portugal. Southern Spain, the region now called Andalusia, was the province of Hispania Baetica. On the Atlantic west lay the province of Lusitania, partially coincident with modern-day Portugal.
History
Establishment
The
The province Hispania Citerior Tarraconensis was established in the reign of
- Lucius Afranius in Hispania Citerior, with three legions;
- Marcus Petreius in the eastern part of Hispania Ulterior, with two legions;
- Marcus Terentius Varro in the western part of Hispania Ulterior, with two legions.
At the end of the
The creation of these new provinces was achieved in order to facilitate the incorporation of the northwestern portion of the Iberian peninsula, inhabited by the
The name of the province derives from its capital, Colonia Urbs Triumphalis Tarraco. The provincial borders were modified in 12 BC, in order to incorporate the Galician and Asturian territories which had previously belonged to Lusitania, and perhaps to an ephemeral
Pacification and Romanisation under the Julio-Claudians and Flavians
In addition to creating the province and setting its borders, Augustus followed the directions left by Julius Caesar in granting many communities in the province the privileged status of
This policy was continued by Tiberius (AD 14–37), who increased the number of municipia in the northern part of the Meseta Central.
Between the reigns of Augustus and
The province was effectively at peace except for an attempt at rebellion by the Astures under Nero which was easily suppressed by a primus pilus of the Legio VI Victrix. As a result, it was possible to progressively reduce the military garrison of the province. In AD 42-43, Claudius transferred the Legio IV Macedonica to Germania and in AD 63 Nero sent the Legio X Gemina to Pannonia.
In AD 68,
Therefore, Galba proclaimed himself emperor at Clunia. After receiving the support of the governor of Lusitania, the future emperor
Under Vespasian an edict seems to have been promulgated, perhaps in AD 74, which permitted many of the province's urban communities to become municipia with
Pliny the Elder served as procurator in Tarraconensis in AD 73.
Under
The invasion resulted in widespread exploitation of metals, especially
Geography and political organisation
Borders and extent
At its greatest extent, the province Hispania Tarraconensis covered about two thirds of the
With a surface area of around 380,000 km2 and an estimated population of 3-3.5 million (giving an average population density of 8-9 people/km2), at the date of its creation, Tarraconensis was probably the largest province in the Roman empire.[13]
Administrative organisation
Under
Because of the scale of the province, at some point between the reigns of Tiberius and Claudius, the province was divided into seven conventus iuridici (assize districts), each managed by a legatus iuridicus, who was appointed by the Emperor directly. These districts were:
- Tarraconensis, with its capital at Colonia Tarraco (Tarragona).
- Carthaginensis, with its capital at Colonia Carthago Nova (Cartagena).
- Caesaraugustanus, with its capital at Colonia Caesar Augusta (Zaragoza).
- Cluniensis, with its capital at Colonia Clunia Sulpicia (Coruña del Conde).
- Asturicensis, with its capital at Municipium Asturica Augusta (Astorga).
- Lucensis, with its capital at Lucus Augusti (Lugo).
- Bracarensis, with its capital at Municipium Bracara Augusta (Braga).
In each of the conventus capitals there was an Imperial cult centre, dedicated to the Genius Augusti and the deified emperors, with its own male and female priests, the flamen Augusti and flamenica Augusti, who were chosen by the elites of the privileged communities of the province (the coloniae and municipia). Each year, they chose one of their number to be the flamen and flamenica (they were not required to be married to one another) of the Imperial cult for the whole province, discharging their functions in the provincial forum in Tarraco.
The fiscal administration of Tarraconensis mostly fell to an Imperial
Urban framework
The lowest level of administration in the province were the cities (Latin: civitates), organised politically in the Roman manner (
According to Strabo,
Excepting the communities on the Balearic Islands, Pliny states that:[16]
Now, the whole province is divided into 7 conventus: Carthaginiensis, Tarraconensis, Caesaraugustus, Clunienis, Asturus, Lucensis, and Bracarus... The province itself contains (aside from the 293 communities that are subordinate to others) 179 cities, among which there are 12 coloniae, 13 cities of Roman citizens, 18 of old Latins, 1 city of foederati, and 135 cities subject to tax.
— Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia 3.18
All free inhabitants of Roman coloniae held Roman citizenship. The coloniae in the province, established by
According to Pliny the Elder, the Emperor Vespasian extended
).The main cities in the province were:
Conventus Tarraconensis | |||
---|---|---|---|
Name | Modern name | Status | Established by |
Tarraco | Tarragona | Colonia | Julius Caesar and Augustus |
Barcino | Barcelona | Colonia | Julius Caesar and Augustus |
Iesso | Guissona, Lleida | Municipium | Flavian dynasty |
Aeso | Lleida
|
Municipium | Flavian dynasty |
Iulia Libica | Llívia, Girona | Municipium | Julius Caesar |
Ausa | Vic, Barcelona | Municipium | Augustus |
Baetulo | Badalona, Barcelona | Municipium | Augustus |
Iluro | Mataró, Barcelona | municipium | Julius Caesar |
Emporiae | Girona
|
Colonia | Julius Caesar |
Gerunda | Girona
|
Municipium | Augustus |
Dertosa | Tortosa, Tarragona | Municipium | Augustus |
Valentia | Valencia | Municipium | Augustus |
Saguntum | Sagunt, Valencia | municipium | Julius Caesar |
Edeta | Llíria, Valencia | Municipium | Augustus |
Conventus Caesaraugustanus | |||
Name | Modern name | Status | Established by |
Ilerda | Lleida | Muncipium | Augustus |
Osca | Huesca | Muncipium | Augustus |
Iaca | Jaca, Huesca | Municipium? | |
Labitolosa | La Puebla de Castro, Huesca | Municipium | Flavian dynasty |
Caesar Augusta | Zaragoza | Colonia | Augustus |
Augusta Bilbilis
|
Calatayud, Zaragoza | Municipium | Augustus |
Turiaso | Tarazona, Zaragoza | Municipium | Augustus |
Celsa | Velilla de Ebro, Zaragoza | Colonia | Second Triumvirate |
Bursau | Borja , Zaragoza
|
Municipium | Flavian dynasty |
Arcobriga | Monreal de Ariza, Zaragoza | ||
Osicerda | La Puebla de Híjar, Teruel | Municipium | Augustus |
Segontia | Sigüenza, Guadalajara | Municipium | Flavian dynasty[18] |
Pompaelo | Navarra
|
Municipium | Julius Caesar |
Cara | Navarra
|
||
Andelos | Navarra
|
||
Vareia | Logroño, La Rioja | Municipium | Augustus |
Tritium Magallum | Tricio, La Rioja | Municipium | Flavian dynasty |
Libia | Herramélluri, La Rioja | Municipium? | Flavian dynasty? |
Graccurris | Alfaro, La Rioja | Municipium | Augustus |
Cascantum | Cascante, Navarra | Municipium | Augustus |
Calagurris | Calahorra, La Rioja | Municipium | Julius Caesar |
Oiasso | Guipúzcoa
|
Municipium? | |
Veleia | Province of Álava
|
Municipium | Augustus |
Ercavica | Cañaveruelas, Cuenca | Municipium | Augustus |
Complutum | Province of Madrid
|
Municipium | Augustus |
Conventus Carthaginensis | |||
Name | Modern name | Status | Established by |
Carthago Nova
|
Murcia
|
Colonia | Julius Caesar |
Saetabi | Xàtiva, Valencia | Municipium | Augustus |
Illici | Elche, Alicante | Colonia | Augustus |
Dianum | Denia, Alicante
|
Municipium | Augustus |
Lucentum | Alicante | Municipium | Augustus |
Toletum | Toledo | Municipium | Augustus |
Begastri | Murcia
|
Municipium? | Flavian dynasty? |
Libisosa | Lezuza, Albacete | Colonia | Augustus |
Salaria | Úbeda, Jaén | Colonia | Augustus |
Sisapo | Almodóvar del Campo, Ciudad Real | Municipium | Augustus |
Ilugo | Venta de San Andrés, Santisteban del Puerto, Jaén | Municipium | Flavian dynasty |
Castulo | Linares, Jaén | Municipium | Julius Caesar |
Acci | Guadix, Granada | Colonia | Augustus |
Valeria | Valeria, Cuenca | Municipium | Augustus |
Titulciam | Madrid
|
Municipium | Flavian dynasty |
Segobriga | Saelices, Cuenca
|
Municipium | Augustus |
Conventus Cluniensis | |||
Name | Modern name | Status | Established by |
Flaviobriga | Castro-Urdiales, Cantabria
|
Colonia | Vespasian |
Portus Victoriae Iuliobrigensium | Santander o Santoña (Cantabria)
|
Municipium? | Flavian |
Portus Blendium | Suances, Cantabria | Municipium? | |
Juliobriga | Retortillo, near Reinosa, Cantabria | Municipium | Flavian |
Clunia | Peñalba de Castro, Burgos | Municipium; Colonia | Tiberius; Vespasian |
Occilis | Medinaceli, Soria | Municipium? | Flavian |
Numantia | Numancia, Soria | Municipium? | Flavian |
Termentia | Montejo de Tiermes, Soria | Municipium | Tiberius |
Uxama Argaela | El Burgo de Osma , Soria
|
Municipium | Tiberius |
Augustobriga | Muro de Ágreda , Soria
|
Municipium? | Flavian? |
Palantia | Palencia | Municipium? | Flavian? |
Pintia | Padilla de Duero, Valladolid | Municipium? | |
Intercatia | Montealegre de Campos, Valladolid | Municipium? | Flavian? |
Albocela | Villalazán, Zamora | Municipium? | Augustus? |
Septimanca | Simancas, Valladolid | ||
Rauda | Roa, Burgos | Municipium? | Flavian? |
Deobrigula | Tardajos, Burgos | Municipium | Flavian? |
Virovesca | Briviesca, Burgos | Municipium? | |
Deobriga | Miranda de Ebro, Burgos | Municipium? | Augustus? |
Segisama Iulia | Sasamón, Burgos | Municipium | Flavian |
Nova Augusta | Lara de los Infantes, Burgos | Municipium | Flavian |
Cauca | Coca, Segovia | Municipium | Flavian |
Confluenta | Duratón, Segovia | Municipium | Flavian |
Segovia | Segovia | Municipium | Flavian |
Brigeco | Dehesa de Morales de las Cuevas, Castrogonzalo, Zamora | Municipium | Flavian |
Conventus Asturicensis | |||
Name | Modern name | Status | Established by |
Gigia | Gijón, Asturias | Municipium? | Flavian? |
Lucus Asturum | Lugo de Llanera, Asturias | ||
Flavionavia | Pravia, Asturias? | Municipium? | Flavian? |
Asturica Augusta | Astorga, León | Municipium? | Augustus? |
León | cannaba of Legio VI Victrix and then Legio VII Gemina | ||
Lancia | Villasabariego, León
|
Municipium | Flavian |
Bedunia | San Martín de Torres, León | ||
Bergidum Flavium | Cacabelos, León | Municipium | Flavian |
Interamnium Flavium | Bembibre, León | Municipium | Flavian |
Petavonium | Rosinos de Vidriales, Zamora | cannaba of Legio X Gemina and of Ala II Flavia Hispanorum, later Municipium? | |
Conventus Lucensis | |||
Name | Modern name | Status | Established by |
Ardobicum Coronium | La Coruña
|
Municipium | Flavian |
Flavium Brigantium | Betanzos, La Coruña ?
|
Municipium | Flavian |
Iria Flavia | La Coruña
|
Municipium | Flavian |
Vico Spacorum | Vigo, Pontevedra | Municipium | Flavian |
Lucus Augusti | Lugo | Municipium? | Augustus? |
Conventus Bracaraugustanorum | |||
Name | Modern name | Status | Established by |
Municipium Limicorum | Xinzo de Limia, Ourense | Municipium | Flavian |
Bracara Augusta | Braga, Portugal | Municipium? | Augustus? |
Aquae Flaviae | Chaves , Portugal
|
Municipium | Flavian |
Cale and Portum Cale | Oporto , Portugal
|
Municipium? |
Roman military garrisons
In order to guarantee order and security in the province after the Cantabrian Wars (26 BC–19 BC), three legions were established in the province:
- Leon until transferred to Germania Inferior;
- Legio X Gemina in Petavonium until transferred to Pannonia in AD 63;
- Legio IV Macedonica in Pisoraca until transferred to Germania in AD 43.
These legions were supported by various
In AD 68, according to Suetonius,[19] Galba removed one legion, the Legio VI Vitrix, two cavalry alae, and three infantry cohortes. In order to reinforce these troops, a new legion was recruited, the future Legio VII Gemina and a number of similar auxiliary units, notably the Vascones cohortes, but all these units joined Galba when he invaded Italy to seize the Imperial throne.
In AD 69, Vitellius ordered the Legio X Gemina to be dispatched to the Iberian peninsula,[20] accompanied by the Legio I Adiutrix. We do not know exactly where they were stationed; it may have been in Baetica and the southeastern part of Tarraconensis to prevent a possible invasion from North Africa, which was controlled by Lucius Clodius Macer. In any case, both legions and the Legio VI Victrix abandoned Vitellius and declared their support for Vespasian, who quickly sent them to Germania Inferior to suppress the revolt of Gaius Julius Civilis.
Subsequently, in AD 74, Vespasian ordered the Legio VII Gemina to be garrisoned in Leon at the site of the old camp of the Legio VI Victrix. The Legio VII Gemina continued to garrison the province until the beginning of the 5th century AD.
The Legio VII Gemina dispatched vexillationes to the following parts of the provinces in Hispania:
- Tarraco, serving the governor of Hispania Tarraconensis;
- Lusitania;
- In the mining area around Birgidum to supervise the extraction of mineral ore and its transportation;
- In the mining area in the north of Portugal, to supervise the extraction of gold ore and its transportation;
- In Tritium Magallum (Tricio, La Rioja) to manage the portorium of this pottery production centre;
- In Lucus Augusti (Lugo) to manage the portorium;
- In Segisama (Burdigala.
By the last quarter of the 1st century AD at the latest, five auxiliary units of the Legio VII Gemina were stationed in the province:
- Ala II Flavia Hispanorum civium romanorum, a cavalry ala stationed at Petavonium;
- Cohors I Celtiberorum Equitata civium romanorum, a cavalry cohors, based at Sobrado dos Monxes(A Coruña), in the territory of the Municipum Flavium Brigantia;
- Cohors I Galica Equitata civium romanorum, encamped at Pisoraca (Herrera de Pisuerga, Palencia);
- Cohors III Lucensium, based at Lucus Augusti (Lugo);
- Cohors II Galica, located at the unknown site, ad cohortem Galicam
This arrangement endured from the 2nd century through to the fifth century AD, with the maximum garrison of Roman troops in Hispanis never exceeding a total of 7712 soldiers.
See also
- List of Roman governors of Hispania Tarraconensis
- Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula
- Asturica Augusta
- Libisosa
References
- ^ Livy, The History of Rome, 41.8.
- ^ Suetonius, Augustus. 20
- ^ Florus 2.33
- ^ Orosius, History against the Pagans 7.21.
- ^ Cassius Dio 53.25.7.
- ^ Cassius Dio 53.25.8.
- ^ Suetonius Tiberius 9.1.
- ^ Bierzo Edict (and in Hispania Epigraphica 8, 1998, n. 325, pp. 115-158), but arguments that this inscription is a fake in Alicia M. Canto, "Rarezas epigráficas e históricas en los nuevos edictos augusteos de El Bierzo", in El bronce de Bembibre: un edicto del emperador Augusto del año 15 a.C., Luis A. Grau Lobo & José Luis Hoyas (edd.), Museo de León, 2001, pp. 153-166, and challenges to the existence of this province: F. Martín, "Sobre el significado de prouincia" Archived 2009-12-15 at the Wayback Machine, in Urbs Aeterna, Coloquio Internacional Roma entre la Literatura y la Historia, homenaje a la Prof. Carmen Castillo, Pamplona, 2003, pp. 593-610.
- ^ Res Gestae Divi Augusti Tab. V, 28.
- ^ Suetonius, Life of Galba 10.
- ^ Suetonius, Life of Galba 10.2
- ^ "Copia archivada" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 March 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2009.
- ^ K. J. Beloch, La popolazione del mondo greco-romano. Con appendici, Arnaldo Forni Editore, Reimpresión anastática de la edición de 1909, Bologna, 1977, pp 401-402, ISBN 88-271-8103-2,9788827181034
- ^ Strabo 3.4.20; Pomponius Mela Chorogr. 2.79.
- ^ Strabo 3.4.20
- ^ a b Alicia M- CANTO (1996). "OPPIDA STIPENDIARIA: LOS MUNICIPIOS FLAVIOS EN LA DESCRIPCIÓN DE HISPANIA DE PLINIO" (PDF). CuPAUAM. 23. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
- ISBN 9781317481348.
- ^ "Copia archivada" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 Apr 2010. Retrieved 4 Sep 2009.
- ^ Suet., Vit. Galb. 10.2
- ^ Tacitus, Hist. 2.58.2
External links
- World of the Imperium Romanum: Hispania
- Detailed Map of Pre-Roman Peoples in Iberia (around 200 BC)
- Historical Outline of the Roman conquest of Hispania and the Province of Tarraconensis
- Spanish site dedicated to Roman technology, especially aqueducts and mines
- Bagnall R, Drinkwater J, Esmonde-Cleary A, Harris W, Knapp R, Mitchell S, Parker S, Wells C, Wilkes J, Talbert R, Downs ME, Joann McDaniel M, Lund BZ, Elliott T, Gillies S (13 June 2019). "Places: 991326 (Tarraconensis)". Pleiades. Retrieved March 8, 2012.