Iberians

[docoflove1974]

I'm starting a new vein of inquiry surrounding the Iberians--mostly regarding the Celtic tribes in Iberia, but of the general population in antiquity. I'm interested in any period accounts (or second-hand sources, perhaps) regarding the Roman first discussions on the people of Iberia. If there are any translations of the Carthaginian and/or Greek descriptions, that would be interesting as well.

 

My inquiry is mostly linguistic, naturally, but even cultural information would be highly useful. In general, I don't know much about the Iberian peoples who were there before the major empires came calling for trade and conquest. Therefore, any information would be highly useful.

 

For example: I know that there were constant skirmishes and changes of loyalty during the Punic Wars (especially the second one), and that Scipio had a presence there for some time. Did anyone in his time make a description of the Celt-Iberian tribes that they were in contact with?

 

Thanks in advance!

[Bryaxis Hecatee]

well the earliests talks of the Iberians are found in Herodotus, who speak of the kingdom of Tartesso in Southern Spain. Then you'll have some more greek texts (but not many), before going to Rome, who does not really talk about the iberians before the second punic war. Livy will provide you with quite a few informations linked to the persistant warfare in the area but speaks mainly of the roman generals of course... You'll have Sertorius' allies too who'll get mentionned, and you might find some informations in pseudo-Caesar's book but it's mainly about the fights against other romans so we don't have all the informations he gives on Gaul... later on, I doubt you'll find much outside of Pliny.

That's about all I can think about in the ancient litterary sources, for more you'll have to go to epigraphy and archeology, which is quite productive in the country.

[docoflove1974]

Thanks, Bryaxis...yeah, I had a feeling there wasn't much that was of the ancient writers, but it was worth a shot.

[Yehudah]

I know there are some scholarly works on the Celtiberians, but most are in Spanish.

 

"Rome's Enemies 4: Spanish Armies" is a good - albeit brief - source on the weapons and warfare of these tribes.

[docoflove1974]

Thanks, Yehudah...anything in Spanish would be perfectly fine. Do you know any titles?

[barca]

I know there are some scholarly works on the Celtiberians, but most are in Spanish.

 

"Rome's Enemies 4: Spanish Armies" is a good - albeit brief - source on the weapons and warfare of these tribes.

 

Tell me about the so-called Celtiberians. Were these celts who happened to be in Iberia, or were they a merging of two distinct cultures, i.e the Celts and the Iberians. If so who were the Iberians. What language did they speak. Was it Indo-European, or was it something else like the basque language?

[docoflove1974]

Tell me about the so-called Celtiberians. Were these celts who happened to be in Iberia, or were they a merging of two distinct cultures, i.e the Celts and the Iberians. If so who were the Iberians. What language did they speak. Was it Indo-European, or was it something else like the basque language?

 

Well, yes to much of the above. We know that the group of peoples that the Romans conquered were considered 'CeltIberians', who were a mix of Celtic tribes and original Iberian peoples. This group did indeed speak a Continental Celtic language, but I don't know how much has been recorded--very little, if memory serves, if any. There were various CeltIberian tribes throughout the peninsula. It should also be noted that the Basques (or their ancestors) were inhabiting the northern Iberian Peninsula, an expanded area than what the Basque Country (of Spain and France combined) is today, but that the Romans didn't feel the impulse to Romanize them.

 

The original Iberians, well, it is unclear who they were, what language they spoke, and the rest. I have heard stabs in the dark that they are the ancestors to the modern Basques, but in reality there is too much controversy over that statement for me to be comfortable with it. I don't know what evidence we have of them, outside of stories and legend.