- The Balearic islands are located off the east coast of Spain and comprise the islands of Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera in the western Mediterranean.
- They were known to the Romans as the ‘Insula Balearum’ with the capital at Pollentia on Majorca and included in the Province of Hispania Tarraconensis until 284 CE, when they became a separate Province.
Insula Balearum
History
- The Balearic Islands remained independent after the Fall of Carthage in 146 BCE. However, the two natural harbours at Palma and Pollentia soon became pirate bases and the Romans were forced to intervene.
- In 123 BCE the Roman Commander C. Caecilius Metellus conquered the Islands and founded the cities of Palma and Pollentia. Pollentia became the capital of the Roman Balearics.
- From 123 BCE, they formed part of the Province of Hispania Tarraconensis, forming the fourth division ruled by a Praefectus pro legato.
- From 284 CE, under Diocletian (284-305 CE), they became a separate Province called Hispania Balearica.
- In 455 CE, the Balearics fell to the Rise of Vandal Naval Power, but after c. 553 CE came under the Rule of the Byzantine Empire until the 10th century CE.
- The Balearics exported high quality grain and wine and were self sufficient.
Balearic Slingers
- The islands were famous in Antiquity for their Balearic Slingers, who were experts at slinging stones or lead bullets with great accuracy at their targets.
- They were subsequently incorporated into units of the Roman Army.
Pollentia Roman capital city, Alcudia, Balearic Islands