Lusitanians

The Lusitanians (or Lusitani in Latin) were a tribe, or various tribes, from the western Iberian peninsula (province of Lusitania), who spoke a Lusitanian language until the conquest of their territory by the Romans. The Lusitanians are seen as the ancestors of the modern Portuguese living in the western portion of the Iberian peninsula. The most notable among the Lusitanians was Viriathus.

Related Topics:
Latin - Iberian - Lusitania - Lusitanian language - Romans - Portuguese - Iberian peninsula - Viriathus

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Lusitanians may have come from the Alps and established themselves in the region in the 6th century BC. But historians and archeologists largely discuss their ethnic origins. Some modern authors consider them to be autochthonous and initially dominated by the Celts, before gaining full independence from them.

Related Topics:
Alps - 6th century BC - Historian - Archeologist - Autochthonous - Celt

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The investigator Lambrino defended that the Lusitanians were a tribal group of Celt origin related to the Lusones (a tribe that inhabited the east of Iberia). Possibly, both tribes came from the Swiss mountains. But some rather prefer to see the Lusitanians has a native Iberian tribe, resulting of intermarriage between different tribes.

Related Topics:
Lusones - Iberia - Iberian tribe

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The first area colonized by the Lusitanians was probably the Douro valley and the region of Beira Alta; in Beira they stayed until they defeated the Celts and other tribes, then they expanded to cover a territory that reached Estremadura before the arrival of the Romans.

Related Topics:
Douro - Beira Alta - Celts - Estremadura - Roman

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Originally the Roman province of Lusitania included the territories of Asturia and Gallaecia, but these were later ceded to the jurisdiction of new Provincia Tarraconensis and the former remained as Provincia Lusitania et Vettones. Its northern border was along the Douro, while on its eastern side its border passed through Salmantica and Caesarobriga to the Anas (Guadiana) river.

Related Topics:
Asturia - Gallaecia - Vettones - Guadiana

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~