200 BC-AD 400 Roman

In 202 BC the Romans defeated the Carthaginians who controlled much of south-west Europe (modern Spain and Portugal) and began a conquest of the area. In the 2nd century BC the territory was divided by the invading Romans into two sectors: Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior (roughly modern Portugal). However military struggle continued until the Romans pacified the region a second time, dividing it into three provinces: Tarraconense, Baetica (Andalucia) and Lusitania (Portugal).

Southern Spain became thoroughly romanised with a network of roads connecting towns and cities and crossing major rivers. Great wealth accrued from the silver mines of Andalucia. The wide estuaries of the Tagus and the Sado rivers in Lusitania prospered because of the abundance of fish, granaries and vineyards. Hispania became the most important part of the Roman Empire after Italy, producing four emperors. Spain’s Latin language, her municipal administration, her system of law and the Christian religion were all a legacy of the Roman occupation.

By AD 300 the political framework of Hispania had begun to break up. There were waves of invasion from northern Europe, first by the Teutons and the Franks and later by the Vandals, the Alans and the Suevi. They all left much destruction in their wake and, with the arrival of the Visigoths in the early 5th century AD, Roman power ended.