OF NEARER SPAIN

Latine · Mayhoff 1906

Citerioris Hispaniae sicut conplurium provinciarum aliquantum vetus forma mutata est, utpote cum Pompeius Magnus tropaeis suis, quae statuebat in Pyrenaeo, DCCCLXVI oppida ab Alpibus ad fines Hispaniae ulterioris in dicionem ab se redacta testatus sit. nune universa provincia dividitur in conventus VII, Carthaginiensem, Tarraconensem, Caesaraugustanum, Cluniensem, Asturum, Lucensem, Bracarum. accedunt insulae, quarum mentione seposita civitates provincia ipsa praeter contributas aliis CCXCIII continet, oppida CLXXVIIII, in iis colonias XII, oppida civium Romanorum XIII, Latinorum veterum XVIII, foederatorum unum, stipendiaria CXXXV.

Primi in ora Bastuli, post eos quo dicetur ordine intus recedentes Mentesani, Oretani et ad Tagum Carpetani, iuxta eos Vaccaei, Vettones et Celtiberi Arevaci. oppida orae proxima Vrci adscriptumque Baeticae Baria, regio Bastitania, mox deinde Contestania, Carthago Nova colonia, cuius a promunturio, quod Saturni vocatur, Caesaream Mauretaniae urbem CLXXXXVII p. traiectus. reliqua in ora flumen Tader, colonia inmunis Ilici, unde Ilicitanus sinus. in eam contribuuntur Icositani. mox Latinorum Lucentum, Dianium stipendiarium, Sucro fluvius et quondam oppidum, Contestaniae finis. regio Edetania, amoeno praetendente se stagno, ad Celtiberos recedens. Valentia colonia III p. a mari remota, flumen Turium, et tantundem a mari Saguntum civium Romanorum, oppidum fide nobile, flumen Vdiva. regio Ilergaonum, Hiberus amnis, navigabili commercio dives, ortus in Cantabris haut procul oppido luliobrica, per CCCCL p. fluens, navium per CCLX a Vareia oppido capax, quem propter universam Hispaniam Graeci appellavere Hiberiam. regio Cessetania, flumen Subi, colonia Tarracon, Scipionum opus, sicut Carthago Poenorum. regio Ilergetum, oppidum Subur, flumen Rubricatum, a quo 5 Laeetani et Indigetes. post eos quo dicetur ordine intus recedentes radice Pyrenaei Ausetani [Fitani], Iacetani perque Pyrenaeum Ceretani, dein Vascones. in ora autem colonia Barcino cognomine Faventia, oppida civium Roma-. norum Baetulo, Iluro, flumen Arnum, Blandae, flumen Alba, Emporiae, geminum hoc veterum incolarum et Graecorum, qui Phocaeensium fuere suboles, flumen Ticer. ab eo Pyrenaea Venus in latere promunturii altero XL.

Nunc per singulos conventus reddentur insignia praeter supra dicta. Tarracone disceptant populi XLII, quorum celeberrimi civium Romanorum Dertosani, Bisgargitani; Latinorum Ausetani, Ceretani qui Iuliani cognominantur et qui Augustani, Edetani, Gerundenses, Iessonienses, Teari qui Iulienses; stipendiariorum Aquicaldenses, Aesonenses, Baeculonenses.

Caesaraugusta colonia immunis, amne Hibero adfusa, ubi oppidum antea vocabatur Salduba, regionis Edetaniae, recipit populos LV: ex his civium Romanorum Bilbilitanos, Celsenses ex colonia, Calagurritanos qui Nasici cognominantur, Ilerdenses Surdaonum gentis, iuxta quos Sicoris fluvius, Oscenses regionis Suessetaniae, Turiassonenses; Latinorum veterum Cascantenses, Ergavicenses, Graccurritanos, Leonicenses, Osicerdenses; foederatos Tarracenses; stipendiarios Arcobrigenses, Andelonenses, Aracelitanos, Bursaonenses, Calagurritanos qui Fibularenses cognominantur, Conplutenses, Carenses, Cincienses, Cortonenses, Damanitanos, Ispallenses, Ilursenses, Iluberitanos, Iacetanos, Libienses, Pompelonenses, Segienses.

Carthaginem conveniunt populi LXV exceptis insularum incolis ex colonia Accitana Gemellense, ex Libisosana cognomine Foroaugustana, quibus duabus ius Italiae datum, ex colonia Salariense, oppidani Lati veteris Castulonenses qui CaesariiIuvenales appellantur, Saetabitani qui Augustani, Valerienses. stipendiariorum autem celeberrimi Alabanenses, Bastitani, Consaburrenses, Dianenses, Egelestani, Ilorcitani, Laminitani, Mentesani qui et Oretani, Mentesani qui et Bastuli, Oretani qui et Germani cognominantur, caputque Celtiberiae Segobrigenses, Carpetaniae Toletani Tago flumini inpositi, dein Viatienses et Virgilienses.

In Cluniensem conventum Varduli ducunt populos XIII, ex quibus Alabanenses tantum nominare libeat, Turmogidi IIII, in quibus Segisamonenses et Segisamaiulienses. in eundem conventum Carietes et Vennenses V civitatibus vadunt, quarum sunt Velienses. eodem Pelendones Celtiberum IIII populis, quorum Numantini fuere clari, sicut in Vaccaeorum XVII civitatibus Intercatienses, Palantini, Lacobrigenses, Caucenses. nam in Cantabricis VIIII populis Iuliobriga sola memoretur, in Autrigonum X civitatibus Tritium et Virovesca. Arevacis nomen dedit fluvius Areva. horum VI oppida, Secontia et Vxama, quae nomina crebro aliis in locis usurpantur, praeterea Segovia et Nova Augusta, Termes ipsaque Clunia, Celtiberiae finis. ad oceanum reliqua vergunt Vardulique ex praedictis et Cantabri.

Iunguntur iis Asturum XXII populi divisi in Augustanos et Transmontanos, Asturica urbe magnifica. in iis sunt Gigurri, Paesici, Lancienses, Zoelae. numerus omnis multitudinis ad CCXL liberorum capitum.

Lucensis conventus populorum est sedecim, praeter Celticos et Lemavos ignobilium ac barbarae appellationis, sed liberorum capitum ferme CLXVI.

Simili modo Bracarum XXIIII civitates CCLXXXV capitum, ex quibus praeter ipsos BracarosBibali, Coelerni, Callaeci, Equaesi, Limici, Querquerni citra fastidium nominentur.

Longitudo citerioris Hispaniae est ad finem Castulonis a Pyrenaeo DCVII p. et ora paulo amplius, latitudo a Tarracone ad litus OiarsonisCCCVII, e radicibus Pyrenaei, ubi cuneatur angustiis inter duo maria; paulatim deinde se pandens, qua contingit ulteriorem Hispaniam, tantundem et amplius latitudini adicit. metallis plumbi, ferri, aeris, argenti, auri tota ferme Hispania scatet, citerior et specularis lapidis, Baetica et minio. sunt et marmorum lapicidinae. universae Hispaniae Vespasianus Imperator Augustus iactatum procellis rei publicae Latium tribuit. Pyrenaei montes Hispanias Galliasque disterminant promunturiis in duo diversa maria proiectis.

English · Bostock & Riley 1855–57

The ancient form of the Nearer Spain, like that of many other provinces, is somewhat changed, since the time when Pompey the Great, upon the trophies which he erected in the Pyrenees, testified that 877 towns, from the Alps to the borders of the Farther Spain, had been reduced to subjection by him. The whole province is now divided into seven jurisdictions, those of Carthage, of Tarraco, of Cæsar Augusta, of Clunia, of Asturica, of Lucus, and of the Bracari. To these are to be added the islands, which will be described on another occasion, as also 293 states which are dependent on others; besides which the province contains 179 towns. Of these, twelve are colonies, thirteen, towns with the rights of Roman citizens, eighteen with the old Latian rights, one confederate, and 135 tributary.

The first people that we come to on the coast are the Bastuli; after whom, proceeding according to the order which I shall follow, as we go inland, there are the Mentesani, the Oretani, and the Carpetani on the Tagus, and next to them the Vaccæi, the Vectones, and the Celtiberian Arevaci. The towns nearest to the coast are Urci, and Barea included in Bætica, the district of Mavitania, next to it Deitania, and then Contestania, and the colony of Carthago Nova; from the Promontory of which, known as the Promontorium Saturni, to the city of Cæsarea in Mauritania, the passage is a distance of 187 miles. The remaining objects worthy of mention on the coast are the river Tader, and the free colony of Ilici, whence the Ilicitanian Gulf derives its name; to this colony the Icositani are subordinate.

We next have Lucentum, holding Latian rights; Dianium, a tributary town; the river Sucro, and in former times a town of the same name, forming the frontier of Contestania. Next is the district of Edetania, with the delightful expanse of a lake before it, and extending backward to Celtiberia. Valentia, a colony, is situate three miles from the sea, after which comes the river Turium, and Saguntum at the same distance, a town of Roman citizens famous for its fidelity, the river Uduba, and the district of the Ilergaones. The Iberus, a river enriched by its commerce, takes its rise in the country of the Cantabri, not far from the town of Juliobriga, and flows a distance of 450 miles; 260 of which, from the town of Varia namely, it is available for the purposes of navigation. From this river the name of Iberia has been given by the Greeks to the whole of Spain.

Next comes the district of Cossetania, the river Subi, and the colony of Tarraco, which was built by the Scipios as Carthage was by the Carthaginians. Then the district of the Ilergetes, the town of Subur, and the river Rubricatum, beyond which begin the Laletani and the Indigetes. Behind these, in the order in which they will be mentioned, going back from the foot of the Pyrenees, are the Ausetani, the Lacetani, and along the Pyrenees, the Cerretani, next to whom are the Vascones. On the coast is the colony of Barcino, surnamed Faventia; Bætulo and Iluro, towns with Roman citizens; the river Larnum, Blandæ, the river Alba; Emporiæ, a city consisting of two parts, one peopled by the original inhabitants, the other by the Greek descendants of the Phocæans; and the river Ticher. From this to the Venus Pyrenæa, on the other side of the Promontory, is a distance of forty miles.

I shall now proceed to give an account of the more remarkable things in these several jurisdictions, in addition to those which have been already mentioned. Forty-three different peoples are subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of Tarraco: of these the most famous are—holding the rights of Roman citizens, the Dertusani and the Bisgargitani; enjoying Latian rights, the Ausetani, and the Cerretani, both Julian and Augustan, the Edetani, the Gerundenses, the Gessorienses, and the Teari, also called Julienses. Among the tributaries are the Aquicaldenses, the Onenses, and the Bæculonenses.

Cæsar Augusta, a free colony, watered by the river Iberus, on the site of the town formerly called Salduba, is situate in the district of Edetania, and is the resort of fifty-five nations. Of these there are, with the rights of Roman citizens, the Bellitani, the Celsenses, a former colony, the Calagurritani, surnamed the Nassici, the Ilerdenses, of the nation of the Surdaones, near whom is the river Sicoris, the Oscenses in the district of Vescitania, and the Turiasonenses. Of those enjoying the rights of the ancient Latins, there are the Cascantenses, the Ergavicenses, the Graccuritani, the Leonicenses, and the Osicerdenses; of federate states, there are the Tarragenses; and of tributaries, the Arcobrigenses, the Andologenses, the Aracelitani, the Bursaonenses, the Calagurritani, who are also surnamed the Fibularenses, the Complutenses, the Carenses, the Cincenses, the Cortonenses, the Damanitani, the Larnenses, the Lursenses, the Lumberitani, the Lacetani, the Lubienses, the Pompelonenses, and the Segienses.

Sixty-five different nations resort to Carthage, besides the inhabitants of the islands. Of the Accitanian colony, there are the Gemellenses, and the town of Libisosona, surnamed Foroaugustana, to both of which have been granted Italian rights. Of the colony of Salaria, there are the people of the following towns, enjoying the rights of ancient Latium: the Castulonenses, also called the Cæsari Venales, the Sætabitani or Augustani, and the Valerienses. The best known among the tributaries are the Alabanenses, the Bastitani, the Consaburrenses, the Dianenses, the Egelestani, the Ilorcitani, the Laminitani, the Mentesani, both those called Oritani and those called Bastuli, and the Oretani who are surnamed Germani, the people of Segobriga the capital of Celtiberia, those of Toletum the capital of Carpetania, situate on the river Tagus, and after them the Viatienses and the Virgilienses.

To the jurisdiction of Clunia the Varduli contribute fourteen nations, of whom we need only particularize the Albanenses, the Turmodigi, consisting of four tribes, among which are the Segisamonenses and the Segisamaiulienses. To the same jurisdiction belong the Carietes and the Vennenses with five states, among which are the Velienses. Thither too resort the Pelendones of the Celtiberians, in four different nations, among whom the Numantini were especially famous. Also, among the eighteen states of the Vaccæi, there are the Intercatienses, the Pallantini, the Lacobrigenses, and the Caucenses. But among the seven peoples belonging to the Cantabri, Juliobriga is the only place worthy of mention; and of the ten states of the Autrigones, Tritium and Virovesca. The river Areva gives its name to the Arevaci; of whom there are six towns, Segontia and Uxama, names which are frequently given to other places, as also Segovia and Nova Augusta, Termes, and Clunia itself, the frontier of Celtiberia. The remaining portion turns off towards the ocean, being occupied by the Varduli, already mentioned, and the Cantabri.

Next upon these touch the twenty-two nations of the Astures, who are divided into the Augustani and the Transmontani, with the magnificent city of Asturica. Among these we have the Cigurri, the Pæsici, the Lancienses, and the Zoëlæ. The total number of the free population amounts to 240,000 persons.

The jurisdiction of Lucus embraces, besides the Celtici and the Lebuni, sixteen different nations, but little known and with barbarous names. The number however of the free population amounts to nearly 166,000.

In a similar manner the twenty-four states of the jurisdiction of the Bracari contain a population of 175,000, among whom, besides the Bracari themselves, we may mention, without wearying the reader, the Bibali, the Cœlerni, the Gallæci, the Hequæsi, the Limici, and the Querquerni.

The length of the Nearer Spain, from the Pyrenees to the frontier of Castulo, is 607 miles, and a little more if we follow the line of the coast; while its breadth, from Tarraco to the shore of Olarson, is 307 miles. From the foot of the Pyrenees, where it is wedged in by the near approach of the two seas, it gradually expands until it touches the Farther Spain, and thereby acquires a width more than double.

Nearly the whole of Spain abounds in mines of lead, iron, copper, silver, and gold; in the Nearer Spain there is also found lapis specularis; in Bætica there is cinnabar. There are also quarries of marble. The Emperor Vespasianus Augustus, while still harassed by the storms that agitated the Roman state, conferred the Latian rights on the whole of Spain. The Pyrenean mountains divide Spain from Gaul, their extremities projecting into the two seas on either side.