ANCIENT HISTORY
ANCIENT HISTORY
We talk about Ancient History from the time civilisations became literate.
COLONISATION
The first great ancient European civilisations began to emerge in the Mediterranean around 2000 BC.
They came to Spain to create new trading routes and use its metal resources.
The Phoenicians founded Gadir (Cádiz) and Malaka (Málaga)in Spain. They were the best navigators in the
Mediterranean.
They came to the Iberian Peninsula to develop trade and use its natural resources.
The Ancient Greeks founded Rhode ( Rosas) and Emporion ( Ampurias). They were great sculptors and
influenced many cultures.
They became the main cultural influence in Spain until their defeat by Romans in 146 BC.
The Carthaginians founded Carthago Nova (Cartagena). They took control of many colonies
after the Phoenicians Empire's fall and often battled with the Romans.
THE ROMANS
The Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula began in 218 BC and was not completed until 19 BC.
Roman legacy includes the structures they left behind:
LAW LANGUAGE RELIGION
The republican gobernments of
the USA and France are based
on the Roman Republic, and
modern law in many countries is also based on Roman
Law.
Many modern European
languages, such as Spanish, are based
on Latin, the Roman language. These languages
are called Romance Languages.
The Roman Emperor
Constantine converted to
Christianity in AD 312. It then spread
throughout the empire and even
survived the empire's fall.
More Roman legacy
Important Roman citiziens from Hispania include Seneca, Trajan and Hadrian.
The Roman Empire was divided into two halves, east and west, in AD 395. The Western Roman Empire collapsed in AD 476.
THE VISIGOTHS
After the collapse of Western Roman Empire, a Germanic tribe called the Visigoths took control of Hispania
Like other Germanic tribes, they were illiterate warriors who originally came from Dacia (Romania).
After attacking Rome in AD 410, the Visigoths settled in southern Gaul (France) first, and then moved onto the Iberian Peninsula.
The Visigothic Kingdom ruled over Hispania from AD 456 until AD 711. During this time they became Romanised. They learnt to speak Latin, learnt to read and write, adopted Roman law and Catholicism as their official religion.
They established their capital in Toledo.