Lusitania: its geography and natural resources

It was under the guidance of Mars and to the sounds of war, according to historian Carlos Fabião (2), that the Romans arrived in Hispania during the second Punic War.

In 218 BC, the Romans disembarked in Ampurias and slowly began to conquer the main towns of the south western Iberian Peninsula. By the 2nd century BC the Romans had divided Hispania into two provinces: Hispania Citerior ('Nearer') and Hispania Ulterior ("Further").

Throughout the 2nd Century BC there were multiple battles between the Roman governor and the native Lusitani.

During the decade of 60 BC, with Julius Caesar's visit to the province of Hispania Ulterior and important military campaigns in the Tagus and Douro, the majority of the western Iberian peninsula came under Roman control.

The administrative reform by Augustus led to the progressive romanisation of the Iberian peninsula and the creation of administrative centres. It's in 27 BC that Hispania Ulterior was divided into Lusitania and Baetica.

The land of tritons, nereids and sea gods

"An embassy from Lisbon sent for the purpose reported to the Emperor Tiberius that a triton had been seen and heard playing in a shell in a certain cave, and that he had the well-known shape. The description of the nereids also is not incorrect, except that their body is bristling with hair even in the parts where they have human shape; for a nereid has been seen on the same coast, whose mournful song moreover when dying has been heard a long way off by the coast-dwellers; also the governor of Gaul wrote to the late lamented Augustus that a large number of dead nereids were to be seen on the shore." (3)

Natural History 9.4.9

Pliny the Elder (AD 23 - 79)

"Tourdetania itself is wonderfully prosperous. It produces everything and this productivity is doubled by exportation, for the surplus produce is easily sold, because of the abundance of ship owners. This is possible due to the rivers, as well as the estuaries, that, as I have said, resemble rivers, and which similarly can be sailed up from the sea to the interior cities not only in small boats but in large ones." (5)

Geography 3.2.4
Strabo (c. 64 BC - c. 23 AD)

Sculture Fragments of trunks, leaves, and fruits (3th Century AD, last quarter).

National Museum of Archaeology

The wool

"Istrian and Liburnian fleece is nearer to hair than wool, and not suitable for garments with a soft nap: and the same applies to the fleece that Salacia in Lusitania advertises by its check pattern." (6)

Natural History 4.22.116
Pliny the Elder (AD 23 - 79)

"Previously much clothing came from there, but now it is wool that is mostly raven black. Its beauty is superior." (7)

Geography 3.2.6
Strabo (c. 64 BC - c. 23 AD)

The wine

"Much grain and wine are exported from Tourdetania, as well as olive oil, not only in quantity but of the best quality. Beeswax, honey, and pitch are also exported, as well as kokkos and red ochre, which is not inferior to the Sinopean earth." (8)

Geography 3.2.6
Strabo (c. 64 BC - c. 23 AD)

Horses

"It is known that in Lusitania in the neighbourhood of the town of Lisbon and the river Tagus mares when a west wind is blowing stand facing towards it and conceive the breath of life and that this produces a foal, and this is the way to breed a very swift colt, but it does not live more than three years." (9)

Natural History 8.67.166
Pliny the Elder (AD 23 - 79)

"These winds impregnate the creatures that derive life from the earth – indeed in Spain even the mares, as wee have stated". (10)

Natural History 16.39.93
Pliny the Elder (AD 23 - 79)

Rome's most celebrated chariot racer

Appuleius Diocles was Rome's most famous chariot racer. He became a professional at age 18 in the Circus Maximus. He was born in Lusitania, in the year 104 AD during the reign of Emperor Trajan. We know that he won 1462 of his 4257 races and came in second 1437 times. He earned during his career more than 35 million sesterces. Given their fame in Rome, it is believed that the majority of the horses he used came from Lusitania. It is highly likely that he first started racing in Emerita Augusta Merida (Spain), where there was a large-scale hippodrome. It was claimed that his wealth was such that he would be able to purchase a year’s supply of grain for Rome.

The hares

"There is also an abundance of all kinds of cattle and wild game. But there is a scarcity of destructive animals except for burrowing rabbits, which some call 'leberides', and which cause damage both to plants and seeds by eating the roots. They exist throughout almost the entirety of Iberia, extending as far as Massilia and are also a problem in the islands." (11)

Geography 3.2.6
Strabo (c. 64 BC - c. 23 AD)

The wealth from its seas and rivers

"The interior of Tourdetania is in such a way, yet one can find that the coast is equal to it, in terms of the quality [of products] from the sea. The many kinds of oysters and mussels are superior in quantity and size along the entire External Sea, but especially so here […]. It is the same concerning all kinds of sea creatures: the snouted, phalainai, and the spouters, whose spouting appears – to someone observing from afar – to be a cloud-like pillar. The conger eels are monstruous, much larger in size that those around us, as well as the muraena and many other such [creatures]." (12)

Geography 3.2.6
Strabo (c. 64 BC - c. 23 AD)

Metals and minerals

"The previously mentioned territory has been abundantly provided with such good things. Not the least – indeed the most – one might admire and marvel at the richness of its mining operations. All of the Iberian land is full of them, although not all of it is fruitful and prosperous, especially that abundant in mines. It is rare to be fortunate in both, and also rare for the same region to have so much mining in a small territory. Regarding Tourdetania and that which neighbors it, there is no worthy word left for someone who would wish to praise its excellence. Up to this time no gold, silver, copper, or iron of such quality has been discovered anywhere in the world." (13)


Geography 3.2.8
Strabo (c. 64 BC - c. 23 AD)

The marble from Lusitania

"Nearly the whole of Spain is covered with mines of lead, iron, copper, silver and gold, Hither [= Nearer] Spain with muscovite mines also; Baetica abounds in cinnabar as well. There are besides quarries of marble." (17)

Natural History 3.3.30
Pliny the Elder (AD 23 - 79)

Lusitania's natural resources fascinated ancient writers.