A not-quite-exhaustive but definitely exhausting overview of Iberian history

 

paleolithic

  • c. 200,000 BP - Neanderthals first enter Iberian Peninsula

  • c. 70,000 BP - Mousterian Neanderthal culture established

  • c. 40,000 years ago - anatomically modern humans enter the Peninsula from Southern France


neolithic

  • c. 5th millenium BCE - Cardium culture extends from East Mediterranean to eastern shore of Peninsula


chalcolithic

  • c. 3000 BCE - complex cultures arise

  • c. 2800 - 2700 BCE - Beaker culture originates in present-day Portugal and spreads to Western Europe


bronze age

  • c. 1800 BCE - Los Millares culture develops; followed by El Argar culture -

    • bronze metalworking spreads from these centers

  • Late Bronze Age - Tartessos (urban center) developed in Southwest Iberia

    • characterized by Phoenician influence

  • 1st millenium BCE - waves of Pre-Celts and Celts migrate from Central Europe -

    • Peninsula dominated by Indo-European speakers

    • Castro culture develops in northwestern Iberian (Galicia, Asturias, modern northern Portugal)


iron age/pre-roman iberia

  • 7th century BCE - complex agrarian and urban civilizations

    • Pre-Celtic or Celtic (Lusitanians, Celtiberians, Gallaeci, Astures, Celtici, etc)

    • Iberian - east and south

    • Aquitanian - western Pyrenees

  • 12th century BCE - Phoenician sailors begin exploring the coastline of Peninsula

  • c. 1100 BCE - Phoenician merchants establish trading colony of Gadir (modern day Cádiz)

  • c. 800 BCE - Gadir becomes permanent port for silver exports

  • 8th century BCE - first Greek colonies founded on eastern Mediterranean coast

    • Phoenicia retained control over south coast

  • 6th century BCE - Carthaginians arrive in the Peninsula


roman hispania

  • 218 BCE - first Roman troops occupy Iberian Peninsula during the Second Punic War

  • 181 - 133 BCE - Celtiberian Wars fought between advancing Roman Empire and Celtiberian tribes of Hispania Citerior

  • 19 BCE - Caesar Augustus annexes the Iberian Peninsula

    • Province of Hispania

    • divided into Hispania Ulterior and Hispania Citerior during late Republic

    • further divided into Hispania Tarraconensis (northeast), Hispania Baetica (south), and Lusitania (southwest)

  • 306 CE - Council of Elvira held by Hispanic bishops

  • 5th century CE - Western Roman Empire falls; parts of Hispania come under Germanic control

 

Roman culture in iberia

Major Cities:

  • Zaragoza (Caesaraugusta)

  • Tarragona (Tarraco)

  • Mérida (Augusta Emerita)

  • Valencia (Valentia)

  • León (Legio Septima)

  • Badajoz (Pax Augusta)

  • Palencia

Historical Figures:

  • Emperor Trajan

  • Emperor Hadrian

  • Emperor Theodosius I

  • Seneca

  • Martial

  • Quintillian

  • Lucan

 

gothic hispania (5th - 8th centuries)

  • 5th century - first Germanic tribes invade Peninsula

    • Visigoths - Visigothic Kingdom in Toledo

    • Suebi - Suebi Kingdom in Gallaecia

    • Alans

    • Vandals - Kingdom of Vandalusia (Andalusia)

  • 410 CE - Sack of Rome

  • 415 CE - Romanized Visigoths enter Peninsula

  • 418 CE - Visigothic Kingdom established on Peninsula

  • 585 CE - Suebic Kingdom annexed

  • 589 CE - Third Council of Toledo

    • King Reccared accepts Catholic faith

    • Visigoths reject Arianism in favor of Catholicism

  • 624 CE - conquest of Byzantine Spania

  • 654 CE - Visigothic Code completed

    • unified code of law for both Gothic and Hispano-Romans

    • will become foundation for Spanish legal system through the 13th century

  • 711 CE - Battle of Guadalete

    • Umayyad conquest of Toledo

the visigothic kings

  • 415–418 Wallia

  • 418–451 Theodoric I

  • 466–484 Euric

  • 484–507 Alaric II

  • 511–526 Theodoric the Great

  • 568–586 Liuvigild

  • 586–601 Reccared

  • 612–621 Sisebut

  • 621–631 Swintila

  • 649–672 Recceswinth

  • 694–710 Wittiza

  • 710–711 Roderic

  • 714 – c. 721 Ardo

 

visigothic architecture

San Pedro del la Nave

Basilical Churches:

  • San Pedro del la Nave (El Campillo)

  • Santa María de Melque (San Martín de Montalbán)

  • Santa Lucía del Trampal (Alcuéscar)

  • Santa Comba (Bande)

  • Santa María de Lara (Quintanilla de las Viñas)

Visigothic Crypt of Saint Antolín - Palencia Cathedral

  • built to preserve the remains of Saint Antoninus of Pamiers

Reccopolis:

  • only city in Western Europe founded between the 5th and 8th centuries

  • one of four (possibly more) cities founded in Hispania by the Visigoths

  • construction ordered by King Liuvigild to honor his son Reccared

  • Served as Reccared’s seat as co-king in the province of Celtiberia (west of Carpetania)

 

islamic al-andalus