History of Spain

History Of Spain

From about 900 BC a seafaring people called the Phoenicians who came from what is now Lebanon traded with what is now Spain. They founded a chain of trading settlements along the coast on islands and peninsulas. The Iberians gave the Phoenicians silver in return for wine and olive oil as well as jewelry. The people of Spain were heavily influenced by Phoenician culture. The Greeks also traded with Spain the Iberians were also influenced by Greek culture.

A Phoenician colony in North Africa called Carthage rose to be powerful and important. After the Romans defeated them in 241 BC the Carthaginians increased their influence in Spain. In 227 BC they founded New Carthage (modern Cartagena). However in 226 the Carthaginians made a treaty with Spain. They agreed not to expand north of the River Ebro.

Yet in 119 BC the Carthaginians took the town of Sarguntum. It was south of the Ebro but the Romans claimed Sarguntum was their ally and they ordered the Carthaginian general, Hannibal to withdraw. He refused and war ensued. The Romans sent an army to Spain in 218 BC and they gradually pushed back the Carthaginians. By 206 BC the Carthaginians were gone from Spain.

In 197 BC the Romans divided the Iberian peninsula into 2 areas, Hispania Citerior (east of the River Iberius) and Hispania Ulterior.

However the Iberians wanted independence and they rebelled against the Romans. Rome sent a man named Cato who regained control of most of Spain. Nevertheless the Iberians continued to resist and fighting continued for nearly 200 years. Resistance finally ended when the Cantabrians were defeated in 19 BC.

Afterwards Spain was gradually integrated into the Roman Empire. The Romans built a network of roads and founded towns and at least parts of Spain became Romanized.

Under Roman rule Spain became prosperous. Mining was an important industry. Gold and silver were exported. So were olives, grapes and grain. Roman Spain also exported a fish sauce called garum....