Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula

Main language areas in Iberia c. 300 BC

This is a list of the Pre-Roman people of the Iberian peninsula (the Roman Hispania, i. e., modern Portugal, Spain and Andorra). Some closely fit the concept of a people, ethnic group or tribe. Others are confederations or even unions of tribes.

Non-Indo-European speakers

Aquitanians

• Airenosini/Arenosii
• Iacetani
• Vascones

Iberians

• Andosini
• Ausetani
• Bastetani/Bastuli
  • Mastieni in and around Mastia territory (Cartagena)
• Bergistani/Bergusii
• Castellani
• Cessetani/Cossetani
• Ceretani
• Contestani
  • Deitani in and around Ilici territory (today's Elx/Elche)
• Edetani
• Ilercavones
• Ilergetes
• Indigetes
• Lacetani
• Laietani
• Sedetani
• Vescetani/Oscenses in today's northern Aragon, east of Gállego river, in Sobrarbe, in and around Bolskan, later Osca (Huesca), and high Cinca River valley, Spain
• Unknown named tribe or tribes in the Balearic Islands (formed by the Pityusic Islands and Gymnesian islands), may have been Iberians

Indo-European speakers

• Proto-Indo-Europeans

Celtic

• Allotriges – Northwestern La Rioja (Spain).
• Astures — Asturias and northern León (Spain), and east of Trás os Montes (Portugal), (tribal confederation).
  • Cismontani
    • Amaci
    • Cabruagenigi
    • Gigurri
    • Lancienses
    • Lougei
    • Orniaci
    • Superatii
    • Susarri/Astures Proper
    • Tiburi
    • Zoelae – Eastern Trás-os-Montes (Portugal), (Miranda do Douro).
  • Transmontani
    • Baedunienses
    • Brigaentini
    • Cabarci
    • Iburri
    • Luggones/Lungones
    • Paenii
    • Paesici
    • Saelini
    • Vinciani
    • Viromenici
• Autrigones – east Burgos (Spain).
• Bebryaces/Berybraces – unknown location, may have been related to the Bebryces (gauls) or the Berones, there is also the possibility that it was an old name of the Celtiberians.
• Berones – La Rioja (Spain).
• Bletonesii – Salamanca (Spain).
• Cantabri – Cantabria, part of Asturias and part of Castile-Leon (Spain); some consider them not Celtic, may have been Pre-Celtic Indo-European as could have been the Lusitani and Vettones [6], (tribal confederation).
  • Avarigines
  • Blendii/Plentusii/Plentuisii
  • Camarici/Tamarici
  • Concani
  • Coniaci/Conisci
  • Moroecani
  • Noegi
  • Orgenomesci
  • Salaeni/Selaeni
  • Vadinienses
  • Vellici/Velliques
• Caristii/Carietes – today's West Basque Country, they may have been Celtic (see Late Basquisation), they were later assimilated by the Vascones in the 6th and 7th centuries CE; Some consider them not Celtic, may have been a Pre-Celtic Indo-European people as the Lusitani and Vettones could have been. [7].
• Carpetani – Central Iberian meseta (Spain).
• Celtiberians – Eastern Iberian meseta (Spain), mountains of the headwaters of the rivers Douro, Tagus, Guadiana (Anas), Júcar, Jalón (river), Jiloca (river) and Turia (river), (tribal confederation).
  • Arevaci
  • Belli
  • Cratistii
  • Lobetani
  • Lusones – Western Zaragoza (province), Eastern Guadalajara (Spain).
  • Olcades
  • Pellendones/Cerindones, in high Duero river course (Numantia) and neighboring mountains, may also have been related to the Pelendi/Belendi that dwelt in the middle Sigmatis river, today's Leyre (river).
  • Titii (Celtiberian)
  • Turboletae/Turboleti
  • Uraci/Duraci
• Celtici – Portugal south of the Tagus River and north of Guadiana River (Anas), Alentejo and Algarve (Portugal), western Extremadura (Spain), (tribal confederation).
  • Cempsi
  • Conii – according to some scholars, Conii and Cynetes were two different peoples or tribes and the names were not two different names of the same people or tribe; in this case, the Conii may have dwelt along the northern banks of the middle Anas (Guadiana) river, in today's western Extremadura region of Spain, and were a Celtici tribe wrongly confused with the Cynetes of Cyneticum (Algarve) that dwelt from the west banks of the Low Anas (Guadiana) river further to the south (the celticization of the Cynetes by the Celtici confused the distinction between the two peoples or tribes).^[1]
  • Mirobrigenses
  • Sefes/Saefes
• Celtici of Arunda (Ronda) – southernmost Celtic tribe, in south Turdetania, later Baetica Roman province, (in today's western Málaga Province), Andalucia region.
• Cynetes – Cyneticum (today's Algarve region) and Low Alentejo (Portugal); originally probably Tartessians or similar, later celtized by the Celtici; according to some scholars, Cynetes and Conii were two different peoples or tribes^[1] [8].
• Gallaecians or Callaici – Gallaecia (Spain & Portugal), (tribal confederation).
  • Addovi/Iadovi
  • Aebocosi
  • Albiones/Albioni – western Asturias (Spain).
  • Amphiloci
  • Aobrigenses
  • Arroni/Arrotrebi
  • Arrotrebae/Artabri – Northern Galicia (Spain).
  • Aunonenses
  • Baedi
  • Banienses – around Baião Municipality, Eastern Porto District, (Portugal).
  • Biballi
  • Bracari/Callaeci/Gallaeci Proper – Southeastern Braga District, Braga, Western Porto District, Oporto, (Portugal).
  • Brigantes (Callaici tribe) – Northern Bragança District, Bragança, (Portugal).
  • Caladuni
  • Capori
  • Celtici Praestamarici
  • Celtici Supertamarici
  • Cibarci
  • Cileni
  • Coelerni/Aquaflavienses – Braga District, Vila Real District (Chaves), (Portugal) and Ourense (Spain).
  • Egi
  • Egovarri
  • Equaesi – Minho and Trás-os-Montes (Portugal).
  • Grovii – Minho (Portugal) and Galicia (Spain).
  • Iadones
  • Interamici/Interamnici – Trás-os-Montes (Portugal).
  • Lapatianci
  • Lemavi
  • Leuni – Minho (Portugal).
  • Limici – Lima River banks, Minho (Portugal) and Galicia (Spain).
  • Louguei
  • Luanqui – Trás-os-Montes (Portugal).
  • Naebisoci/Aebisoci
  • Namarii
  • Namarini
  • Narbasi – Minho (Portugal) and Galicia (Spain).
  • Nemetati – Minho (Portugal).
  • Nerii
  • Poemani
  • Quaquerni/Querquerni – Minho (Portugal).
  • Seurbi – Minho (Portugal).
  • Seurri – Sarria Municipality, East Central Galicia (Spain)
  • Tamagani – Chaves (Portugal).
  • Turodi – Trás-os-Montes (Portugal) and Galicia (Spain).
  • Varri
• Gauls (Galli) – Some gaulish tribes may have migrated towards south and crossed the Pyrenees (by the north, the central or the south areas of the mountains) in a second or a third Celtic wave to the Iberian Peninsula. These tribes were different from the Hispano-Celtic/Iberian Celtic tribes.
  • Galli (tribe) – along Gallicus (Gállego) river banks, see place names (toponyms) like Forum Gallorum, Gallur, a different tribe from the Suessetani; may have been a tribe related to the Galli (Gauls) and not to the Hispano-Celts/Iberian Celts.
  • Volciani – may have been related to the Volcae, located north of the Iberus (Ebro) river but not very precisely; may have been a tribe related to the Galli (Gauls) and not to the Hispano-Celts/Iberian Celts.
• Mantesani/Mentesani/Mantasani – La Mancha Plateau, Castilla-La Mancha (Spain); were a different people from the Oretani.
• Oretani – northeastern Andalusia, northwest Murcia and southern fringes of La Mancha, (Spain), mountains of the headwaters of the Guadalquivir (ancient Baetis river); Some consider them not Celtic [9].
• Plentauri – Northwestern La Rioja (Spain).
• Suessetani – Aragon/Navarra
• Turduli – Guadiana valley (Portugal) and Extremadura (Spain); may have been related to Lusitanians, Callaeci or Turdetani.
• Turduli Bardili – Setubal Peninsula (Portugal).
• Turduli Oppidani – Estremadura (Portugal); may have been related to Lusitanians, Callaeci or Turdetani.
• Turduli Veteres – Southern Douro banks, between Douro and Vouga River, Aveiro District, (Portugal); may have been related to Lusitanians, Callaeci or Turdetani.
• Turmodigi or Turmogi – Central Burgos.
• Vaccaei – Central Iberian meseta (Spain).
  • Cauci (Vaccaei) – in Cauca (Coca, Segovia)
• Varduli – today's East Basque Country, they may have been Celtic (see Late Basquisation), they were later assimilated by the Vascones in the 6th and 7th centuries CE; Some consider them not Celtic, may have been a Pre-Celtic Indo-European people as the Lusitani and Vettones could have been. [10].

Lusitanians-Vettones (Celtic? Pre-Celtic Indo-European?)

• Lusitanians (Lusitani/Bellitani) – Portugal south of the Douro River and north of Tagus River, and northwestern Extremadura (Spain); are not generally considered Celtic and may have been a pre-Celtic Indo-European people, closely related to the Vettones, (tribal confederation).^[1] However, a small group of scholars, most notably John T Koch and Barry Cunliffe, have proposed that they spoke an archaic proto-Celtic language and were proto-Celtic in ethnicity.
  • Arabrigenses
  • Aravi
  • Coelarni/Colarni
  • Interamnienses
  • Lancienses
    • Lancienses Oppidani
    • Lancienses Transcudani
    • Ocelenses Lancienses
  • Meidubrigenses
  • Paesuri – Douro and Vouga (Portugal).
  • Palanti (according to some scholars, these tribes were Lusitanians and not Vettones)^[1]
    • Calontienses
    • Caluri
    • Coerenses
  • Tangi
    • Elbocori
    • Igaeditani
    • Tapori/Tapoli – River Tagus, around the border area of Portugal and Spain.
  • Talures
  • Veaminicori
• Vettones – Ávila and Salamanca (Spain), may have been a Pre-Celtic Indo-European people, closely related to the Lusitani, (tribal confederation).
  • Calontienses? (according to some scholars, these tribes were Lusitanians and not Vettones)^[1]
  • Caluri?
  • Coerenses?

Turdetani (Celtic? Pre-Celtic Indo-European?)

• Turdetani – Today's Western Andalucia (Hispania Baetica), Baetis (Guadalquivir) River valley and basin, Marianus Mons (Sierra Morena), some consider them Celtic.,^[2] may have been pre-Celtic Indo-European people as the Lusitani and Vettones, (also may have been a non-Indo-European people related to the Iberians, but not the same people), (tribal confederation but with a much more centralized power, may have formed an early form of Kingdom or a Proto-civilisation, see Tartessos)
  • Cilbiceni – approximately in today's Cádiz Province
  • Elbisini/Eloesti/Olbisini – in today's Huelva Province
  • Etmanei – in the middle area of Baetis river (Guadalquivir) course and surrounding region, approximately in today's Córdoba Province
  • Gletes/Galetes/Ileates – in Marianus Mons (Sierra Morena), approximately in today's northern areas of the provinces of Huelva, Seville and Córdoba
  • Turdetani/Tartessii Proper – in the low course of Baetis river (Guadalquivir) and surrounding region, approximately in today's Seville Province

Allegedly Germanic Peoples

• Germani (Oretania)

See also

References

• Alberro, Manuel and Arnold, Bettina (eds.), e-Keltoi: Journal of Interdisciplinary Celtic Studies, Volume 6: The Celts in the Iberian Peninsula, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Center for Celtic Studies, 2005.
• Haywood, John. (2001). Atlas of the Celtic World. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0500051097 ISBN 978-0500051092
• Kruta, Venceslas. (2000). Les Celtes, Histoire et Dictionnaire. Paris: Éditions Robert Laffont, coll. « Bouquins ». ISBN 2-7028-6261-6.

External links

• Detailed map of the Pre-Roman Peoples of Iberia (around 200 BC)
• Map with Ancient Greek references
• 51 complete works of authors from Classical Antiquity (Greek and Roman)
  • Unknown author text (about Julius Caesar in Hispania) of De Bello Hispaniensi (Spanish War)
• Pliny the Elder text of Naturalis Historia (Natural History) – books 3–6 (Geography and Ethnography)
• Strabo's text of De Geographica (The Geography)