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.