Lusitania

The Lusitania was an ancient area ruled by the Romans. It covered most of what we now call Portugal and parts of western Spain. The Romans named this place after the Lusitanians, a group of people who lived there long ago.

At first, the city of Emerita Augusta — which is today known as Mérida, Spain — was part of another Roman area called Hispania Ulterior. Later, it became the main city of the Lusitania province during the time of the Roman Empire.

The Romans came to this land in the second century before Christ. For many years, they fought with the local tribes. The Romans finally set up Lusitania as its own province around 27 before Christ. Even though people sometimes use the name Lusitania to mean Portugal today, the ancient capital was really in what is now Spain.

Etymology

The name of the Lusitani, the people who gave the Roman province its name, has many theories but no clear answer. Some old scholars thought the name came from a Celtic word related to Lugus, meaning "tribe." Others thought it might come from an ancient group called the Lucis or a word meaning "region" or "country of waters."

Ancient Roman writers like Pliny the Elder and Varro thought the name Lusitania might come from Roman myths. They talked about a figure called Lusus linked to the god Bacchus and his followers. The famous Portuguese poet Luís de Camões wrote about Lusus as the founder of Lusitania in his epic Os Lusíadas.

The writer Strabo noted that the people once called "Lusitanians" living north of the Douro River came to be called "Callacans" in his time.

Lusitanians

The Lusitani were a group of people who lived in parts of modern-day Portugal and Spain around the 6th century BC. Historians and archeologists are not sure where they originally came from. Some think they were a local people who later adopted customs from other groups, while others believe they were related to tribes from far away, like the Swiss mountains.

They first settled in areas near the Douro River and Beira Alta in Portugal. Later, after defeating other local tribes, they expanded their area to include parts of Estremadura before the Romans arrived.

War against Rome

The Lusitani people, who lived in the area we now call Portugal, fought against the Romans for many years. They first appeared in history records fighting with the Carthaginians against Rome in 218 BC. Over time, they became known for their strong resistance.

In 179 BC, a Roman leader celebrated a victory over them, but the Lusitani kept fighting. They even reached as far as Gibraltar before being defeated there. The Romans faced many challenges recruiting soldiers for these wars, which were very tough.

One Roman leader tricked the Lusitani into a false peace and then attacked them, leading to more fighting. A leader named Viriathus became a hero for leading successful attacks against the Romans. He was eventually killed by people paid by the Romans. Years later, Roman leaders continued to fight the Lusitani until they were finally defeated during the time of the Roman emperor Augustus.

Roman province

Rome finished taking over the whole Iberian Peninsula, which included modern-day Portugal and parts of Spain. The Romans named this area Lusitania after a local tribe called the Lusitanians.

The main city was Emerita Augusta, now known as Mérida in Spain. It started as part of another Roman area but later became its own province. The region had special courts and meetings in cities like Mérida, Santarém, and Beja to help govern the people.

Notable Lusitanians

Some well-known people from the Lusitania region include Viriathus, Gaius Appuleius Diocles, and Pope Damasus I. These individuals were important figures in history and played roles in shaping their communities.

Legacy of the name

See also: List of things named after Lusitania

The name Lusitania is often used to refer to Portugal, especially in formal, literary, and poetic contexts. In the 1500s, a new colony that later became Brazil was called "New Lusitania". Words like Lusophone, meaning someone who speaks Portuguese, and Lusitanic, referring to countries that once were Portugal's colonies but are now independent, come from this name as well.

The name Lusitania was also used for a famous ship, the RMS Lusitania. This ship was famous because it was attacked by a German submarine in 1915. The ship's owner, Cunard, often named its ships after old Roman places. The Lusitania was named after a Roman area north of the Strait of Gibraltar, while its sister ship, RMS Mauretania, was named after a Roman area south of the strait.