The Visigoths and Prehistory of the Iberian Peninsula
The Visigoths in Spain
Germanic Invasions (409-507)
Between 409 and 507, several Germanic peoples entered the Iberian Peninsula as part of a larger migration between the 2nd and 10th centuries. In 409, groups of Swabians, Vandals, and Alans arrived in Hispania. After two years of looting, they settled in different areas.
In 415, a small group of Visigoths settled in Tarraconensis, signing a pact with Rome to become the Empire’s military assistant. Until 507, the center of the Visigoth kingdom was Southern Gaul, with its capital at Tolosa (Toulouse).
Visigothic Kingdom in Spain
With the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Visigothic territory became an independent state. In 507, the Visigoths were defeated in Gaul by the Franks under Clovis, leading to the demise of the Kingdom of Toulouse and forcing the Visigoths to migrate en masse to the Iberian Peninsula.
By the mid-6th century, the Visigoth king established the capital in Toledo, strengthening Visigothic power despite opposition from Basques, Swabians, Franks, and Byzantines.
King Leovigild consolidated the Visigothic kingdom through military successes and political-administrative reforms to strengthen unity and independence from the Byzantine Empire.
Under Recared (586-601), religious unity was achieved with the conversion to Catholicism at the Third Council of Toledo.
The 7th century saw increasing conflict between the landed gentry and the monarchy, culminating in the nobility’s triumph and the feudalization of the state.
Visigothic Society
Visigothic society saw the continuation and intensification of personal dependence relations and social stratification from the Roman period, marking a transition from a slave-based society to a feudal one.
The ruling class comprised lay aristocracy and ecclesiastical hierarchy, whose power stemmed from land ownership and social influence.
The working class consisted of free individuals, freedmen, and slaves. The rural population, the vast majority, became a homogenous class of dependent peasants, settlers, and tenant farmers.
Peasant conditions were harsh due to low agricultural yields, exploitation by the powerful, and heavy taxation, leading to social unrest and banditry.
Economy
Economic activity continued to decline across all sectors. Agriculture remained dominant, with little change from Roman practices.
Industry declined, limited to meeting basic needs. Crafts were produced by free artisans working independently or for wages. Trade was minimal, relying on Jewish merchant colonies.
Culture
Culture was largely unoriginal and dominated by the clergy. Isidore of Seville’s Etymologies, an encyclopedia summarizing all knowledge, stands out.
Art
Visigothic art was limited, with architecture characterized by the horseshoe arch. Notable buildings include small rural churches like San Juan de Baños (Palencia), San Pedro de la Nave (Zamora), and the Basilica of Santa Lucía del Trampal (Alcuéscar, Cáceres).
Prehistory of the Iberian Peninsula
Prehistory is the period before written records. Its division from history is conventional, with prehistory lasting considerably longer. In the Iberian Peninsula, the historical period began in the first millennium BC.
Divisions of Prehistory
Prehistory is traditionally divided by the materials used for toolmaking:
- Stone Age:
- Paleolithic
- Mesolithic
- Neolithic
- Age of Metals:
- Copper Age
- Bronze Age
- Iron Age
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic spans from the emergence of the first human communities to the development of food production. In the Iberian Peninsula, this period lasted from approximately 900,000 to 5,000 BC.
It is divided into Lower, Middle, and Upper Paleolithic, each associated with different human species. The main cultures are from the Upper Paleolithic: Aurignacian, Solutrean, and Magdalenian.
Key sites include Altamira, Castillo, and Pasiega (Cantabria); Pindal (Asturias); Nerja Cave (Málaga); Parpalló (Valencia); and Maltravieso (Cáceres).
Paleolithic Society and Economy
Paleolithic people lived in small nomadic hordes, moving for hunting and gathering. They lived in camps of huts, tents, and caves. There was no division of labor or wealth disparity. Social relations were based on kinship.
Their economy was predatory, based on hunting, fishing, and gathering. Surplus was minimal, limiting population growth.
Paleolithic Art
Art emerged in the Upper Paleolithic. Portable art is scarce in Spain, but cave paintings are abundant.
Paintings are typically found deep within caves, mostly depicting large animals without organized scenes. They are characterized by naturalism, simple techniques (silhouettes, single-color figures, polychromes), and lack of movement. Colors were derived from charcoal, ochre, and other minerals mixed with plant juices, animal fat, eggs, and blood.