History of Spain: Part I
People have lived in Spain for thousands and thousands of years. Of the many abundant prehistoric remains in Spain, the most impressive are the caves of Altamira on the northern Atlantic coast. There, Stone Age artists painted bison, stags and horses on the cave wall some 14,000 years ago.
Archaeologists have also discovered cave paintings in Valencia, which are believed to be between 10,000 and 5,000 years old. These paintings are similar to others found in Africa and are a very early sign of the influence the African continent would have on various aspects of Spanish culture for centuries to come.
Two early peoples made up the population of Spain. Around 3000 BC Iberians flooded into Spain from the south while from the north came the Celts. The two groups didn’t mix.
It’s Spain topography that kept them apart. Spain is one of the most mountainous countries in Europe and only has two rivers, the Ebro in the north and the Guadalquivir in the south.
As a result of the distance between them, two separate cultures evolved in Spain. The Celts in the north were shepherd people who were known for their violence. In the south, the Iberians lived in walled cities, were farmers and open to foreign visitors.
However, writing back in the 1st century, the Greek geographer Strabo found some common traits amongst the two groups: hospitality, grand manners, arrogance, used to hard living and a hatred of outside interference in local community affairs. Strabo’s description has survived the centuries and is still a good summary of Spaniards today.
Iberian Tomb (Image via Wikipedia)
The Iberians were skilled metal workers due to large deposits of copper, gold and silver found around Almeria and other parts of southern Spain. Because of this the southern coastline of Spain attracted traders from the other side of the Mediterranean, particularly the Greeks and Phoenicians.
Both the Greeks and Phoenicians had a strong influence of the development of southern Spain. The Phoenicians brought the art of fish-salting, the Punic alphabet (the basis for the modern alphabet) and music.
The Greeks brought wine and stirred a passion for bulls. They also made contributions to art of the time. ‘The Lady of Elche’ is a stone statue, which dates back to this period and is a great example of the fusion between Greek and Iberian art.
Dating as far back as 1000 BC, some of the port towns along the southern Spanish coastline were busy metropolises. By the 6th century Cadiz had a reputation as rich and sinful place with tall buildings, millionaires and castanet-clicking dancers.
Another port town, Tartessos (now Malaga) was where the most Greeks settled and was so refined that its laws were written in verse. By now news of Spain’s wealth was spreading.
The other great civilisation in the Mediterranean at this time was the Roman Empire. Up until the Romans arrived, Spain attracted traders. With its newfound wealth growing, the country became a target for conquest too. In 218 BC the Romans defeated the Carthaginians and began their 200-year conquest of Spain.
