Africanus the elder left Spain in 206. After a provincial government
of nine years (206-197), the country was divided into two provinces,
separated by the IBERUS (Ebro), and each province was assigned to a
praetor. It was some time, however, before Spain was really brought into
a state of complete peace and order. The mountains and forests were a
formidable obstacle to the Roman legions, and favored guerilla warfare,
which makes conquest slow and laborious.
The most warlike of the Spanish tribes was the CELTIBERI, who
occupied the interior of the peninsula. They were always uncertain and
intractable, continually breaking out into revolt. In 195, Cato the
elder put down a rebellion led by them. He established more firmly the
Roman power east of the Iberus. He disarmed the inhabitants of this part
of Spain, and compelled all from the Pyrenees to the Guadalquivir to
pull down their fortifications.
Still the smouldering fires of rebellion were not extinguished, for,
sixteen years later (179), we find TIBERIUS SEMPRONIUS GRACCHUS,
the father of the famous Gracchi, as Governor of Spain, fighting the
troublesome Celtiberi. He captured over one hundred of their towns, but
tempered his victories with moderate measures, showing himself greater
in peace than in war. He granted to the poorer classes lands on
favorable conditions, and did much to produce contentment among the
natives. But farther west, in the valleys of the Douro and Tagus, and in
Lusitania (Portugal), there seems to have been constant warfare.
In 154, MUMMIUS, the same who eight years later sacked Corinth, was
Governor of Farther Spain. His defeat by the Lusitanians encouraged the
Celtiberi to revolt again, and there followed another defeat, with
a massacre of many Roman citizens. Two years later (152), CLAUDIUS
MARCELLUS avenged these losses, founded Corduba, and governed the
country humanely. His successors, LUCIUS LUCULLUS and SERVIUS GALBA,
were so cruel and grasping as to drive the Lusitanians into another open
rebellion, headed by VIRIATHUS, a bold and daring bandit. During seven
years (147-140) he defeated again and again the armies sent against him.
The Celtiberi joined his standards, and Spain seemed likely to slip from
the Romans. The only check to these successes was during the command of
METELLUS MACEDONICUS (143); when he was recalled, matters returned to
their former condition.
In 140, the Consul Mancinus was obliged to capitulate, and, to save
himself and his army, made a treaty which the Senate refused to
sanction.
Viriathus was finally (139) assassinated by persons hired by the Consul
Caepio; his people were then subdued, and the government was ably
conducted (138) by DECIMUS JUNIUS BRUTUS.
THE NUMANTINE WAR (143-133).
The Celtiberi, however, were still in arms. The strong city of NUMANTIA,
the capital of one of their tribes, witnessed more than one defeat of a
Roman Consul before its walls (141-140). Finally Rome sent out her best
general, Africanus the younger.
After devoting several months to the disciplining of his troops, he
began (134) a regular siege of the place. It was defended with the
utmost bravery and tenacity, until, forced by the last extreme of
famine, it surrendered (133). The inhabitants were sold as slaves, and
the town was levelled to the ground. The victor was honored with the
title of NUMANTINUS.
The fall of Numantia gave Rome a hold upon the interior of Spain, which
was never lost. The country now, with the exception of its northern
coast, was nominally Roman territory. Several towns were established
with Latin municipal rights _(municipia)_, and, on the whole, order was
maintained. Along the coast of the Mediterranean there sprang up many
thriving and populous towns, which became centres of civilization to the
neighboring districts, and were treated by Rome rather as allies than
as subjects. Some of them were allowed to coin the silver money of Rome.
The civilizing process, due to Roman influence, went on rapidly in these
parts, while the interior remained in barbarism.
In 105 the peninsula was overrun by the Cimbri, a barbarous race from
the north. The country was ravaged, but finally saved by the brave
Celtiberi, who forced the invaders back into Gaul.
THE SERVILE WAR (134-132).
While the Numantine war was still in progress, a war with the slaves
broke out in Sicily, where they had been treated with special barbarity.
For a long time slave labor had been taking the place of that of
freemen. The supply was rendered enormous by constant wars, and by the
regular slave trade carried on with the shores of the Black Sea and
Greece. The owners of the slaves became an idle aristocracy.
The immediate cause of the outbreak in Sicily was the cruelty of a
wealthy slave-owner, Damophilus. The leader of the slaves was EUNUS, who
pretended to be a Syrian prophet. A number of defeats were suffered
by the Roman armies, until, finally, PUBLIUS RUTILIUS captured the
strongholds of the slaves, TAUROMENIUM and ENNA, and thus closed the
war. For his success he was allowed an ovation.