In passing from the countries known to have been inha4
bifced by the Iberian race, into the other parts o f iGaul, we
enter, as M. de Humboldt observes, a new region; a. new
topographical language displays itself, and scarcely a name
occurs bearing any analogy to. the forms of Euskarian
words.
In various parts o f Italy some Euskarian names occur, as
Uria, Astura, Asta, Biturgia, A considerable number of the
old names of places in Italy bear a near resemblance to the
old Spanish names of rivers,: tribes,, and fortified town®/
From this it is an obvious conjecture that the aboriginal
people of Italy were akin to the Iberi. Some historical.destir
mony to this eflectnis; to be found, as we shall hereafter find
occasion to observe.
I shall now proceed to a more particular survey of the
population of Spain.
S ection I V .— Of th e Celtic Nations in Spain. :i
The Celtic nations in Spain may be considered«- as three
divisions or principal settlements of the Celtic? race in that
country, without taking any account of tribeSiipB^ipatt^
of Iberian descent, which, from the names o& the dfetricts or
towns inhabited by them, may be eohjeef|ired to have been
more or less intermixed with clans of Celticrmagin. The
three divisions of the Celtic people in Spain are, first, tribes
intermixed with Iberians, in the mountainous complies
near the centre of the peninsula, named Celtiberians.
Secondly, the Celtici of the south-western extremity,* ©ecu*
pying the southern parts of modern Portugal. Thirdly,
the Celts near the Nerian promontory, or in the modern
Gallicia, so named, probably, from its Gaulish inhabitants.
1. The high mountainous region in the central parts of
Spain, near the sources of the great rivers which flow towards
the different coasts, and the valleys near the upper
courses of the rivers Durius, the Tagus, the Anas, was
inhabited by th e Celtiberians. Their country, as we are
informed by Strabo, was of great extent, and of various surface;
most of it hilly, and intersected by many rivers. The
m m <0 S T ' ^ 3 ^ 2 1
Geltiberi. were the most warlike people in Spain, and were
a^ebra«tedf$f<pr? th e irb ra v e r^ and' the obstinacyvsvitb which
they ge&listed the^arms? of ,Mome, under their chieftain Viria-
thus, or as- SttraboacalJs;:him,tUriathus. Posidonius reported
that a> tribute o f $Q0 talepts was*« exacted from the Celtiberi,
anargumentth at they were a- nubal§obSandTfebpeople, though
inhabiting; a country whieh-is termed by* Strabo-^—7rap^.Av7r^oh
•w+hard to cultivate. Polybius .asserted th a t Tiberius Gracchus
jjdestroyed three, hundred ■ oM,i|p/jbfitheh Celtiberi; on
tvhieh relation: Strabo^obsdrw^ithat' the‘-/country > is incapable
o f . containing so . b y Reason, of. its barrenness
and the rudeness of the people':-^n^t%^EfdoHhe< Spaniards,”
as- he saysyi* ‘ ^generally dwell in4l^%gt cities, but in' rural
villages, with . exception^ ofothose».who inhabit the
coast qf^the Mediterranean.” 1 The C e ltib ^ -h a d however
some towns which were judged- by4^Sfr*abo worthy'
of. the'name of- -cities. -.The whole nation Was-; divided into
four tripes / of which tbe^ A.rey^ei)>o dwelling "'.towards dhp
^bulb-east, and near the.- Carpetani and-4heV,so,urce&2 o f
the Tagus, were -the most powerful / < their capital, Nu-
mantia. was -the most celebrated*. i^lSegidS, * and Pallaritia
•were - likewise* cities of I the -Arevaci. Sfegqbriga/ and Bil-
bilis, the former bearing-au Celtic,- the l<at|Wgaihu>Euskarian
Hpffjg! . the Celtiberi. .*>iQeltiberia was eelfebrated
. for a breed , of -horses5 Ofegreat ^peed - and variegated
in ieolour, which, according to Strabo, changed-- their hue
when broughfcinto the outer parts of Spain.
, The. Celtiberians are |described by -Diodorus, who represents
them as fierce and rude-people. H^saysy they wore
black, rough cassocks, made of wool like.^goats’-hair, and
brazen helms, adorned outside with plumes, armed with daggers
and two-edged swords.*
Among the traits recorded of the ^Celtiberians we * find
some/ although few, indications of their.tGel4ie#p%in.-‘|*' Diodorus
says that iheir favourite drink was made of -honey, as
was the metheglin of the ancient Britons. Their cavalry
were accustomed to .alight on thefield of battle» and, like the
*• Diodorus, lib. v. , +- Strabo,*~li]bl >
VOL. III. I)