Romanization of Hispania: Culture, Provinces, and Legacy
Romanization of Hispania
Romanization is understood as the assimilation of Roman culture and way of life by the Roman Hispanians. The conquered peninsular territory was divided into provinces. In the time of Augustus, there were three provinces: two imperial and one senatorial. The imperial provinces were ruled by the emperor due to their potential for conflict. These were:
- Lusitania (Emerita Augusta)
- Tarraconensis (Tarraco)
The Senate controlled:
- Baetica (Cordoba)
Finally, in the 4th century, the peninsula became the Diocese of Spain, governed by these provinces:
- Gallaecia (Bracara Augusta)
The province of Tarraconensis was divided into:
- Carthaginensis
Each had legal convents for the administration of justice.
Influence of the Roman Army
Romanization took place under the influence of the army. Many soldiers, upon being discharged, took their culture and language to the cities. Some cities arose as a result of the merchants, women, and families of the soldiers who lived near where the legion was stationed. This is the origin of León, being situated in that place by the *Legio VII Gemina*. Other times, lots of land were given to veterans upon their discharge; that was the origin of Emerita Augusta.
Rome forced many natives to leave their cities located in upland areas, for fortified settlements in flat areas. Those cities created abruptly were given the name *coloniae* and had a layout similar to the Latin metropolis.
Language and Intellectuals
The Latin language wiped out the languages spoken by the natives, especially in the more Romanized areas: the east and south of the peninsula, and somewhat less in the central and western areas. Latin was cultivated by Hispanic intellectuals, such as philosophers like Seneca, poets like Lucan and Martial, historians like Pomponius Mela, and orators like Quintilian. Castilian, Catalan, and Galician were derived from Latin.
The provinces were divided into legal convents, in which city the governor administered justice, throughout the night. Roman law was an original creation of Rome, whose influence has reached our days, to maintain our civil rights.
Spread of Christianity
During the Roman era, Christianity spread to Spain. Like other religions, it preached the existence of a better life among the humble people, and it did not take long to spread to the countryside; hence the word *pagan* comes from *pagus* (countryside/field). The preaching of Christianity in Spain by the apostle James is not historically proven, nor is the appearance of the Virgin of the Pillar to the apostle. What is proven is that in the 3rd century there were already Christians, and Emperor Constantine, in 313, authorized the Christian religion, allowing its worship freely. The Church was already organized in areas such as Roman Baetica.
Public Works
Large public works were built in the peninsula to connect the cities. Spain was covered with large Roman roads, as well as bridges, for example, that of Alcántara. The Romans used a mixture of lime concrete or stones crafted from rubble for the construction of buildings and public works. With this mixture, they were able to build:
- Theaters, for public performances.
- Amphitheaters.
The amphitheater was a place dedicated to the shows preferred by the Romans: gladiator fights and wild beasts. A subway tunnel went to the center of the amphitheater for the beasts or gladiators. Aqueducts brought water from the swamps to the cities; the most notable are those of Segovia, Mérida, and Tarragona.