| The first sign of any real settled existence in Northern | | | | The Carthaginians who had invaded Spain in the third |
| Spain probably began around about the time circa | | | | century B.C. had settled widely in southern and central |
| 4000 BC. The evidence to support this claim comes | | | | Spain. While there was contact with those in the north |
| from some of the striking archaeological remnants to | | | | the biggest effect upon this was when Hannibal the |
| be found right across the north of Spain known as | | | | most famous of Carthaginian leaders decided to take |
| Dolmens.. | | | | on Rome. |
| These were the large stone burial chambers that | | | | The conflict between the Carthaginians and the |
| were actually quite common across much of northern | | | | Romans had long been in the offing and if the truth be |
| Europe at the time. With regards to Spain the majority | | | | known could best be described as an accident waiting |
| of these can be found in Galicia. There are other | | | | to happen. |
| archaeological remnants to be found such as various | | | | The end result of this conflict was that the Romans |
| standing stones and much simpler pit burial sites. | | | | started to take a more serious interest in Spain |
| As befits an area all of Europe known as the Iberian | | | | viewing it potentially as the next Carthage. In an |
| Peninsula the inhabitants of Spain logically are referred | | | | attempt (as successful as it turned out) to prevent |
| to as Iberians by default. Little is actually known of their | | | | another regional superpower, the Romans invaded |
| origins apart from the fact that they spoke languages | | | | Spain and under the leadership of a Augustus and |
| that are not from the Indo-European group that unites | | | | Agrippa finally succeeded in establishing a secure base |
| the vast majority of European and Western-Asian | | | | in Spain in the first century B.C. |
| languages under its umbrella. | | | | While the Romans managed to establish secure |
| With regards to Galicia the most important grouping | | | | fortresses in settlements throughout the rest of Spain |
| were the Celts who descended in waves in the late | | | | it goes without saying that the more feisty northern |
| second millennium B.C. They spoke an Indo-European | | | | Spaniards made life slightly hotter and more difficult for |
| tongue and settled mostly in the north and west of the | | | | the Romans. |
| peninsula. | | | | The Basques and Galicians especially were very |
| Their influence is very apparent in place names, | | | | resistant to Roman interference and after a series of |
| language and culture. | | | | "bloody noses", the Romans decided to adopt a live |
| There are still very close parallels between European | | | | and let live stance towards those in the north. |
| areas settled by Celts; sitting over a cider while | | | | As with the rest of the Roman Empire anything that |
| listening to bag pipes in Asturias you might begin to | | | | happened in Rome ultimately filtered out to the |
| ponder how old these traditions actually are? The | | | | periphery of the empire. Such was the case with |
| principle architectural remnant of the Celts is the | | | | Christianity and as a result Christianity spread fairly |
| Castro, a fortified hill top or trading compound of which | | | | rapidly right to Spain and the first major diocese was |
| there are very many to be found in Asturias and | | | | established in the Zaragossa in the first century A.D. |
| Galicia. | | | | As with all forms of religious imperialism which |
| The inhabitants of Northwest Spain have long been a | | | | effectively Christianity was, Christianity moulded itself |
| very fiercely proud and independent bunch and the | | | | around a lot of the existing practices and nowhere |
| history of resistance down through the years and | | | | was this more evident than Northern Spain especially |
| against most invading parties is long and varied. | | | | with the Basques and the Galicians. The Basques |
| Initially the Galicians and Basques who were very | | | | especially had a problem with the Virgin Mary as they |
| resistant to most forms of invasion had very good | | | | already had their own earth mother figure called Mari |
| links with the more peaceful and trading seafarers, the | | | | but as was the case Christianity moulded itself around |
| Phoenicians however it was their descendents, the | | | | a lot of the local pagan festivals. |
| Carthaginians who first started to cause problems. | | | | |