The Tribes of Northern Spain

[HowardWhitehouse]

Greetings:

I am brand new on Roman Army Talk, so please forgive me if I make any mistakes! :lol:

The campaigns in Spain were long, nasty and generally a real problem for the Roman republic as it grew into an empire.

Most of the sources I've seen focus on the period of the Punic Wars on through the battles against Viriathus and the war against Numantia (ending 133 BCE). These struggles finished the power of the Celtiberians and the Lusitanii.

But the Romans were fighting in Spain until Augustus' time; after the Sertorius revolt and the civil wars, there are a series of campaigns against the tribes of the north-west, in what would later be known as Galicia, Asturias and Cantabria.

Does anyone know much about these people and these campaigns. Any good sources in English? Alas, my Spanish is restricted to ordering beer, finding the bathroom and some bits of Nicaraguan profanity picked up building houses on a hillside outside Managua this summer.

What I know (or think I know!) so far is that these isolated tribes lacked the Iberian influence of the Celtiberian peoples to their south and east. They built stone hillforts and archaeologists refer to their culture as the 'Castro culture'. They probably spoke an earlier Celtic(or 'proto-Celtic') language than the Celtiberians, who were descended from later arrivals from across the Pyrenees.

Cassis Dio has a chapter, but it's on the slim side. I've been told to look at Pliny the Elder, but all I have found is his Natural History, which discusses Spain in a cursory manner. Strabo discusses the Lusitanians and runs them together with what he terms the mountain people of the north.

There are some Wikipedia entries on the Cantabrian Wars that seem sensible and knowledgable, while some others are full of the reasons people point to Wikipedia and guffaw. I can't verify the parts that look good, of course.

From a military (and appearance) viewpoint, are they more or less old-fashioned Celts with lots of light infantry who can run about the mountains?

[Retógenes]

It seems that the peoples from northern Spain were indoeuropean pre-celtic tribes. Their militar equipment was that of light infantry and cavalry: darts, javelins, spears, short swords, caetras and some warriors carried a double-headed axes, called bipennis (as the cantabrian mercenary Laro in the 2nd Punic War http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laro ).

They werereputed for their guerrilla warfare, and some cavalry tactics as the cantabrian circle ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantabrian_circle ).

[Arminius75]

Here are a list of Galician tribes with possible localization of a work made for me on the university a few years ago, ther is a couple of mistakes, and were made on spanish so exuse me but i dont made an translation, maybe later.
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Hillfort culture tribes pre-roman Gallæcia

Nº Tribe place

1 Aebisocios (Æbisocios)
2 Aebisoques Braga, norte de Portugal
3 Albiones Hacia el río Navia Asturias, a la izquierda Galaicos
4 Anenses
5 Anfiloquios
6 Aobrigenses Aobriga , Chavez, Plinio los situa en las estribaciones del río Ave, Guardia de Bayona, Oimbra
norte de Portugal
7 Aquaflavienses Aquæ Flaviæ, Chavez, norte de Portugal
8 Æquesios Ente galecos y limicos al este de la sierra de Larouco
9 Artabros (Arrotrebii) Portus Magnus Artabrum, Sinus Artabris, Adobrica, Claudiomerum, Novium, río Ferrol, Iuvia,
Ferrol, Mearus, Ortegal, Finisterre, Brandomil, A Coruña Galicia
10 Aurigenses Ourense, Galicia
11 Bædios (Hedios ver Lambrigos) Flavio Lambris, Lambriscæ, Lambrigos, Vivero entre Lemavos y Seurros, Galicia
12 Bibalos Cualedro, Montealegre, sierra de Larouco, valle de Bubal, ente los celerinos y los limicos, ente
ellos los nemetates
13 Bracaros Bracara Augusta, Braga, norte de Portugal
14 Brigantinos (Brigantes) Brigantia, Betanzos, A Coruña, Galicia
15 Burones Riaño, Castilla, León, España
16 Callaicos (ver Galaicos, Salaicos) Ente celerinos y aequisios al norte de Braga, norte de Portugal
17 Cælerinos (ver Nemetates) Sierra de Barroso, valle de Cavado ente los bibalos y los galecos y al norte de estos los nemetates
18 Cæporos Iria Flavia, Lucvs avgvsti, río Saar, hacia Santiago, Baamonde, Guituriz, entre Lugo y Betanzos,
Galicia
19 Caronios(Karoneskes) Caronium, Caronicum, Caranicum, río Parga
20 Cambrigos Hacia el norte de Finisterre, Cambre, río Mero, ría de Burgos al este de Malpica, A Coruña, Galicia
21 Céltigos (ver Nerios) Por el Finisterre, A Coruña, Galicia
22 Cempsos (ver Sefes) Hacia las costas atlánticas hasta Montego y hasta la meseta donde habrían de entrar más tarde los
vettones
23 Cibarcigos (Cibargos, Cabarios, Lapatianci) Lybica, Hacia el río Jubia, Naraios, río Eume, Istras A Coruña, Galicia
24 Cibarcos Ribadeo, vecinos occidentales de los albiones, Lugo; Galicia
25 Cigurros(ver Guigurros) Forum Guigorrum, Valedorras este de Ourense, Galicia
26 Cybarcos Hacia el río Navia, portia, Asturias
27 Cilenos Aqua calidæ, Caldas de Reis, Ravenante, Pontevedra, Galicia
28 Coelerni Coeliobriga, Castromao, Itinerarius
29 Egovaros (Egovarcos, Namarinos) Hacia Viveiro, río Sar, Landrove, Garbasin, norte de Lugo, en relación con los iadons, Galicia
30 Equaesios (Equæsii) Hacia el noroeste de O Bollo, embalse de Montefurado Ourense, ente galecos y limicos parte
occidental de la sierra de Larouco, Galicia
31 Esquesios Por el valle de Salas
32 Galaicos (ver Calaicos, Salaicos) Ente cælerinos y æquesios al norte de Braga, Xerez (¿) norte de Portugal
33 Guigurros (ver Cigurros) Valedoras, Orense, Galicia
34 Gravios(Grovios, Gruios, Crougin) Por la región del Miño alrededores de Tuy, río Lethes entre limicos y suancos Pontevedra, Galicia
35 Hæquesi Braga, norte de Portugal
36 Helenos(kilenos?) Hacia el río Leres, ria meridional de Vigo, Pontevedra
37 Iadones(ver Yadons?) Libunca
38 Illerguetes Ente los bracaros
39 Irios (¿)
40 Interamnicos Hacia el Tamega, norte de Portugal
41 Interannenses Hacia el Tamega, Chavez, norte de Portugal
42 Jadonigos (ver Yadons, Keltoii?) O Viveiro, Lugo, Galicia
43 Lemavos Dactorium, valle de Lemos, Lemos, Monforte, itinerarios de barro, Orense, Galicia
44 Lambrigos (ver Bædios) Lambre, Vallalba, Ourense, Galicia
45 Leunos (Leunios, Lubenos, Lubenios) Sur del Miño, Galicia
46 Limicos Forum Limicorum, Monte Viso, Noela da Pena, Sarreas, Orense
47 Luancos Meura, valle medio del Limia
48 Lebunos Lucus Augusti, Lugo, Galicia
49 Medellos Sil, Miño, Galicia
50 Narbasos(Nerebs) Forum Narbasorum, orilla norte del Duero, área bracarense, limitando con los vacceos al este,
Galicia
51 Narini Lugo, Galicia
52 Nemetanos Valbriga (Valobriga) Viana de Bollo, ente el Tamega y el interamnicos, Orense, Galicia
53 Nemetates (ver Cælerinos) Entre turodoros y bibalos, Viana de Bollo, Orense, Galicia
54 Nerios (ver Yernos, Keltoii) Finisterre, Barbanza, A Coruña, Galicia al oeste de los Artabros o ente estos
55 Oestrimnios (Ocellum) Pre-sæfes, en el cabo Arnio, Ortegal, A Coruña, Galicia
56 Pintios Pintia, Porto Marin, Lugo, Galicia
57 Poemanos Lugo, Galicia
58 Presamarcos (Præsamarcios) Iria Flavia, Ría de Arousa, al sur de los nerios, alrededor de los artabros, A Coruña, Galicia
59 Priane (¿)
60 Querquernos (Quarquernos, Cuarquernos, Quarquernii) Aqua Querquennæ, Bande, Pontevedra, Galicia
62 Sæfes (Sefes Ver Cempsos)
63 Salaicos (ver Galaicos) Por la vía bracara a Asturias primera mansión
64 Seuros Sur de Lugo, Galicia
65 Seburos (Seurbos) A la orilla norte del río Duero, Cebrero, norte de Portugal
66 Spacos (¿)
67 Suancos Ente limicos y grovios, alrededores de Tuy, Pontevedra
68 Supertamaricos (Pretamaricos) Aquæ Quintæ, Timalino, Tambre, A Coruña, Galicia
69 Tamaricos Alrededores de Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Galicia
70 Tamaganos En el valle de Monterrey, Tamega, norte de Portugal
71 Tameganos Bande, Pontevedra, Galicia
72 Tiburos Nemetobriga, Puebla de Trives, Orense, Galicia
73 Turuptanos (¿) Turuptiana (¿)
74 Turodoros Aquæ Læ, bracaros, norte de Portugal
75 Yadonios (ver Jadonigos) Saldanje, Terrra Llana, Meira

[Yeyo]

There is a difference between the material culture of gallaecians of the north-west Iberian Peninsula and the cantabrians. As Retógenes said, all these peoples are indoeuropean pre-celtic tribes, but there was an important celtiberian influence all along the Second Iron Age (5th to 1th century B.C.) over all the regions closer to Celtiberia. Therefore, the material culture of the gallaecians, called “Cultura Castreña” (Hillfort Culture), seems to be a local evolution of the Final Bronce Age, something quite clear when we study some weapons like the puñales de antenas(antennae daggers):

But the cantabrians and the half west of the asturian territory was involved in the celtiberian culture of the Duero’s Valley. In this area, the daggers, for instance, are of Monte Bernorio and “dobleglobular” type. Some time ago, I made a drawing of a celtiberian warrior that could also fit with a cantabrian

Cantabrian ornaments and weapons. (In Spanish I’m afraid)

Two articles about Monte Bernorio Daggers:
http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/arti ... go=2690157
http://campus.usal.es/~revistas_trabajo ... /1667/1727

On the other hand, in the “Cantabrian” Wars of 29-19 B.C. only the astures and cantabri took part. In the last decade, has been found several castra aestiva on their territories. This article. is about the roman military camps found in the Ancient Cantabria.
This one is related with a camp called "El Cincho" (Cantabria).

The roman camp from La Carisa (Asturias). Another interesting article about this matter.

The siege of the Santibáñez de la Peña’s hillfort (Palencia). The siege of the Espina del Gallego’s forthill (Cantabria). And more...

[Arminius75]

There is a difference between the material culture of gallaecians of the north-west Iberian Peninsula and the cantabrians. As Retógenes said, all these peoples are indoeuropean pre-celtic tribes, but there was an important celtiberian influence all along the Second Iron Age (5th to 1th century B.C.) over all the regions closer to Celtiberia. Therefore, the material culture of the gallaecians, called “Cultura Castreña” (Hillfort Culture), seems to be a local evolution of the Final Bronce Age, something quite clear when we study some weapons like the puñales de antenas(antennae daggers):

But the cantabrians and the half west of the asturian territory was involved in the celtiberian culture of the Duero’s Valley. In this area, the daggers, for instance, are of Monte Bernorio and “dobleglobular” type. Some time ago, I made a drawing of a celtiberian warrior that could also fit with a cantabrian

Cantabrian ornaments and weapons. (In Spanish I’m afraid)

Two articles about Monte Bernorio Daggers:
http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/arti ... go=2690157
http://campus.usal.es/~revistas_trabajo ... /1667/1727

On the other hand, in the “Cantabrian” Wars of 29-19 B.C. only the astures and cantabri took part. In the last decade, has been found several castra aestiva on their territories. This article. is about the roman military camps found in the Ancient Cantabria.
This one is related with a camp called "El Cincho" (Cantabria).

The roman camp from La Carisa (Asturias). Another interesting article about this matter.

The siege of the Santibáñez de la Peña’s hillfort (Palencia). The siege of the Espina del Gallego’s forthill (Cantabria). And more...

Yes youre right, many people tend to unificate the "Iberian" cultures, iberian were at southeast, Celtiberians (i dont like the term) were an great power and influence on central areas, the hillfort culture of northweast were an isolated cultural manifestation and their indo-european links are from bronze-age rather those from iron-age, but there is evidence of contacts with another celtic peoples of the peninsula and british isles too, i see as an mistake use the term "pre-celtic" because "celtic" are not an evolutionary perspective, northern tribes have a very definited culture wich preserves many older traditions of their own and on many aspects continietal Celts were under an early influence from this atlantic cultures more than many know o want to know