FOCUS QUESTIONS

• How did conquest affect the development of the Iberian Peninsula in the ancient
  world?


• What were the Castilian institutions, traditions, and values that shaped the future
  of Latin America?


• How did the Reconquest shape Castile’s economic, social, and political structures?


• What were the positive and negative aspects of the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella?


• What were the policies of the Hapsburg dynasty, and how did they affect the
  empire’s decline?


• What were the causes and signifi cance of the Comunero revolt?

36

2

The Hispanic Background

F

ROM VERY EARLY TIMES, conquest was a

major theme of Iberian history. The

prehistoric inhabitants of the penin-

sula, whose unknown artists produced the mar-

velous cave paintings of Altamira, were overrun

by tribes vaguely called Iberians and by the Celts,

who are believed to have come from North Africa

and central Europe, respectively, probably before

1000 BCE. New waves of invasion brought the Phoe-

nicians, Greeks, and Carthaginians, commercial na-

tionsthat established trading posts and cities on the

coast but made no effort to dominate the interior.

Still later, the Iberian Peninsula became a stake of

empire in the great struggle for commercial suprem-

acy between Rome and Carthage that ended with

the decisive defeat of the latter in 201 BCE.For six

centuries thereafter, Rome was the dominant power

in the region.

Unlike earlier invaders, the Romans attempted

to occupy the lands and establish their authority

over the native people, on whom they imposed their

language, governing institutions, and even the

name:Hispania. From Latin, made the offi cial lan-

guage, sprang the various dialects and languages

still spoken by Hispanic peoples today. Roman law

replaced the customary law of the Celts, Iberians,

and other native groups. Native tribal organization

was destroyed through forced changes of residence,

concentration in towns, and the establishment of

Roman colonies that served as agencies of pacifi -

cation and assimilation. Agriculture, mining, and

industry developed, and these Roman colonies car-

ried on an extensive trade in wheat, wine, and olive

oil with Italy. Roman engineers constructed great

public roads and aqueducts, some of which are still

in use. Romans brought with them their educa-

tional institutions and literary culture, and a num-

ber of Roman citizens, including the satirical poet

Martial, the epic poet Lucan, and the philosopher

Seneca, who were either born or residing in the

peninsular colonies, made notable contributions

to Latin literature.

Early in the fi fth century CE, as a result of the

decline of Roman military power, a number of

barbarian peoples of Germanic origin invaded. By

the last half of the century, one group of invad-

ers, the Visigoths, had gained mastery over most

of the peninsula. As a result of long contact with

the empire, the Visigoths had already assimilated

Roman culture, which continued through contact

with the Hispano-Romans. The Visigothic king-

dom was Christian. Its speech became Latin with