The Romans conquered the Iberian Peninsula over 200 years, defeating the local Celts and Iberians. They introduced Roman culture, establishing cities with Roman infrastructure like aqueducts and amphitheaters. While some Iberians and Celts lived in the cities, most resided in the countryside, where they adopted Roman farming techniques and crops and exported goods. The Romans also brought their polytheistic religion, building temples and making sacrifices to gods like Jupiter.
2. The Arrival of the RomansThe Arrival of the Romans
Before the Romans the Iberian
Peninsula was inhabited by the Celts
and the Iberians.
They lived on the Mediterranean coast.
In the 3rd century B.C the Romans
conquered the Iberian Peninsula.
There were many wars.
The Iberian Peninsula was named
Hispania.
The Iberians and Celts adopted the
roman culture, language and way of
life.
3. The Pre-Roman Towns: The CeltsThe Pre-Roman Towns: The Celts
The Celts used to live in walled
cities called forts.
The Celts kept livestock and their
agriculture was based on cereals.
They made ceramics and woolen
fabrics.
They also used metals and made
tools and weapons from bronze
and iron.
They could not write and did not
have money.
They rarely traded between towns.
4. The Pre-Roman Towns: The IberiansThe Pre-Roman Towns: The Iberians
The Iberians lived on the Mediterranean
coast.
They lived from agriculture and livestock.
The Iberians used iron and made ceramic
objects.
They were good at making weapons.
They traded with other towns and had
money.
They also had their own system of
writing.
The Iberians introduced vines and olives.
They preserved fish using salt.
5. The Roman ConquestThe Roman Conquest
The Roman conquest of the Iberian
Peninsula lasted for more than 200
years.
There were many wars and big battles
between the Romans and the
indigenous people.
With the Roman conquest the way of
life in the indigenous towns became
more and more roman.
The Romans built many cities in order
to organize and govern Hispania.
The Iberian people adopted the roman
laws, religion and customs.
This process is called Romanization.
6. Life in the CitiesLife in the Cities
Cities were the center of social,
economic, political and cultural
life in the roman world.
People came to the cities to buy
and sell products, do business or
go to public events.
Roman cities were walled and had
a square layout.
The rich lived in luxury house
while the poor lived in small flats.
The cities had hot springs,
theatres, amphitheatres, circuses
and aqueducts.
7. Life in the CountrysideLife in the Countryside
Most people lived in the countryside.
They farmed the land and looked after
animals.
The Romans improved the farming
methods of the Celts and the Iberians.
The most important crops in Hispania
were wheat, vines and olives. They
also had fruit trees and vegetables.
Hispania exported wheat, wool,
esparto grass, olive oil and wine.
Hispania also exported gold, silver,
copper, lead, iron and salt.
8. The Roman ReligionThe Roman Religion
The Romans believed in multiple
gods.
The most worshiped gods were
Jupiter, Minerva and Juno.
In their honor they made temples
and sacrificed animals.
They Romans were very
superstitious. Before making a
decision they would consult the
gods.
The Roman emperor was
worshiped like a god.