Baetica

Baetica was a Roman Province in southern Iberia which is now modern Andalucia.

1. History

Pre-Roman history:
- c.1,100 BCE Cadiz was founded by the Phoenicians.
- 575-236 BCE Iberia came under the orbit of the Carthage.
- 236-206 BCE Iberia was occupied by the Carthaginian General Hamilcar Barca and came under Carthaginian rule.
Acquisition by Rome:
- 206 BCE. Battle of Ilipia ended Carthaginian control of Spain during the Second Punic War (218-202 BCE).
Timeline of this Province:
Republican Province:
- 197 BCE Iberia was divided into two Roman Provinces:
  - Hispania Citerior
    - (Ebro area): Aragon, Cataluna, Valencia, a large pat of Castilla la Neuva
  - Hispania Ulterior
    - (Guadalquivir area): Portugal, Andalusia, Extremadura, [yadwiki link=”Leon”], a large part of Castilla la Vieja, Cantabria, Asturias, Galicia, El Pais Vasco.
- 197 BCE: A Revolt by the Turdetani in southern Spain: followed by the Celtiberians in the North and East of Spain.
- 195 BCE: Cato the Elder became Consul and was ordered to suppress the Rebellion.
- 194 BCE: Cato returned to Rome leaving behind 2 Praetors for each Province:
- 181-133 BCE Celtiberian Wars (181-133 BCE).
  - Three Wars of Resistance to the Romans after the Second Punic War.
  - First Celtiberian War (181-179 BCE). Second Celtiberian War (154-152 BCE). Numantine War (143-133 BCE).
- 49 BCE: Cordoba: Julius Caesar planted a commemorative ‘Platanus tree’ to mark uniting of other cities to oppose Pompey.
- 45 BCE: Cordoba taken by Pompey. Retaken by Julius Caesar at a cost of 22,000 casualties.
After Augustus’ reconstituted the Republic into an Empire (27 BCE)
- 14 BCE: Hispania was divided into 3 Provinces: Lusitania, Hispania Tarraconensis and Hispania Baetica.
- Vespasian gave Baetica Latin Rights (Latinitas), probably so as to be able to recruit for the Legions.
After Diocletion’s Reforms (297 CE):
After the death of Theodosius (395 CE), and the final split into Eastern Empire and Western Empire:
- 5th Century CE: Lost to the Vandals in 409 CE, then the Alans and finally the Visigoths set up an Iberian Kingdom in 472 CE.
Famous Persons from this Province:
- Columella: writer of a treatise on Agriculture
- Pomponius Mela historian.
- Trajan: from Italica, near Seville.
- Hadrian: also from Italica, near Seville.
- General Cayo Vallio Maximian
- Seneca the Elder (54 BCE-39 CE), born and raised his family in Cordoba.
- Seneca the Younger (3 BCE-65 CE), also born and raised in Cordoba.
Chief Archeological Finds:
- Baelo Claudia:
  - The best preserved Roman city in Spain, located near Bolonia. 62 miles (100km) south of Cadiz, in Bolonia Bay near the southernmost point of Spain at Tarifa.
- Italica:
  - The Ruins of the Roman City are 6 miles (9km) north of Seville.
Historic Battle Sites:
- Battle of Munda (17 March 45 BCE) Plain of Munda, Spain (near La Lantejuela, Andalucia).

2. Geography

Capital City:
- Cordoba (Corduba)
Chief Cities:
- Algeciras, Almunecar (Firmium Julium Sexi), Baelo Claudia (ruins near Tarifa), Cadiz (Gades), Carteia, Cordoba (Corduba), Carmona (Carmo), Ecija (Astigi), Huelva (Onuba), Italica (Ruins near Santiponce), Malaga (Malaca), Seville (Hispalis).
Location Today:
- Andalucia
Neighbouring Roman Provinces:
- Lusitania (west), Hispania Tarraconensis (North)
Climate and Temperature Today: several categories:
- Atlantic coastal oceanic Mediterranean climate: Huelva to Algeciras coast
- Subtropical Mediterranean climate: Gibraltar-Malaga-Motril Coast
- Sub-desert Mediterranean climate: Almeria
- Semi-continental Mediterranean climate with hot summers: Cordoba and the Guadalquivir basin
- Continental Mediterranean climate with cold winters: The mountainous area north and south of the Guadalquiver basin.
- Mountain climate: Sierra Nevada
Main Rivers:
- Guadalquivir
Mountain Ranges:
- Sierra Morena, which runs to the north of the River Guadalquivir
- The Baetic system, which runs to the south of the River Guadalquivir in a southwest and northeast direction. This includes the Penibaetic mountains, the Sierra Nevada and its Peak of Mulhacen and the Rock of Gibraltar.
Straits:
- Strait of Gibraltar
Islands:
- Alboran
  - Alboran is in the Mediterranean, halfway between Motril and Melilla.

3. Political Organisation

Province Type:
- Senatorial Propraetorial Province
Governor:
- Propraetor
Four Roman Administrative Regions: The ‘Conventus’
- Conventus of Cordubensis (Cordoba)
- Conventus of Gades (Cadiz)
- Conventus of Astigitanus (Ecija)
- Conventus of Hispalensis (Seville)
Tribes and Population:
- Various Hispanic Tribes
Language:
- They spoke dialects of the Hispanic language.

4. Military Organisation

Legions:
- None in Baetica:
- Legio VII Gemina Felix
  - This legion was based in Leon to the north in Hispania Tarraconensis.
  - The Legion supervised the Las Medulas Gold Mine near Leon and may have also have had detachments involved with the mines in Baetica.
Navy:
- Carteia near Gibraltar
  - This became a Roman naval base in 67 BCE, during the conflict between Pompey and the Pirates. This resulted in Rome clearing the Mediterranean of Pirates permanently and maintaining Carteia as a naval base.
Defensive Works:
- None
Main Threats:
- Internal or External:
  - No Internal Threats after 133 BCE.
  - No External Threats for 600 years between 206 BCE-409 CE.
  - 409-418 CE. In 406 CE the Vandals crossed the Rhine into Gaul and in 409 CE they migrated into Iberia, forming a Vandal Kingdom under King Gunderic (407-428 CE). The Vandals eventually left in 429 CE to establish the Vandal Kingdom in North Africa.
  - 472-711 CE The Visigoths established their Kingdom in Iberia and stayed for almost 240 years.

5. Economy

Chief Exports:
- Wine, Olive Oil and Garum:
  - Amphorae from Baetica have been found throughout the Roman Empire, particularly Olive Oil to the Legions in Germania Superior and Germania Inferior.
  - Olive Oil from Baetica was also sent to Rome where the vast volume of Amphorae shards were built up to form Rome’s biggest rubbish dump from the ancient world, the Monte Testaccio.
- Wool
  - Wool was spun for export in Cordoba and Sagonte. The wool from Baetica had a pale yellow colour.
Agriculture and Fishing:
- Grain from the Guadalquivir basin, Honey, Wool.
- Garum from the Salt Marshes of Cadiz and Huelva and Almunecar.
Manufacturing:
Mines:
- Rio Tinto Mines: Gold, Silver from near Huelva.
- Penibetica mountains (part of the Baetic Range): Iron, Lead, Silver, Quartz and Marble.
Mints:
- Cordoba:
  - First coins minted 13 BCE inscribed with ‘Colonia Patricia’.

6. Transport

Roads:
Via Augusta
- Also known as the Via Herculea, it was renovated by Augustus between 8-2 BCE.
- Cadiz (Gades) it ran through Seville, Cordoba, Cartagena (Nova Carthago) and on to Valentia, Valencia Saguntum Segunto Tarraco Tarragona Barcino Barcelona, Gerunda Gerona.
Waterways:
- The River Guadalquivir is the fifth longest river in the Iberian Peninsular at 402 miles (647km).
Ports:
- Carteia (Ruins), Cadiz (Gades), Baelo Claudia (Ruins, the Departure Port for North Africa), Seville (Hispalis), Malaga.
Ancient Trade Routes:
Via Augusta:
- This was an ancient commercial road from the Atlantic to the Pyrenees and joined the Via Domitia to Gaul, at the Pompey's Trophy at La Junquera (Deciana).
- At Seville (Hispalis) it had a junction with the Via Lusitanorum to Merida (Emerita Augusta), the capital of Lusitania.
- Baelo Claudia (near Tarifa) on the Strait of Gibraltar was the Official Departure Port for Africa and it was also the east-west crossing point for trade between the Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea.
Number of Days taken to travel from this Province to Rome:
- 6 days sail:
  - Cadiz to Ostia took 6 days sail with a good wind according to Pliny the Elder, Natural History.

7. Relationship with Rome

One of the most peaceful and wealthy Provinces in the Roman Empire.
Through its Latifundia, Baetica supplied the Roman Empire with vast quantities of Olive Oil, Wine and Garum.
Amphora from Baetica are found all over the Roman Empire.
Its Mines, the Rio Tinto Mines and the Mines in the Penibetica mountains, were the most productive in the Ancient World.

8. History of Christianity in this Province

9. Roman Authors describing this Province

Baetica