Cratistii
Encyclopedia
The Cratistii were an ancient Spanish
(pre-Roman
), stock-raising people whose lands were situated along the upper Tagus
valley, in the elevated plateau
region of the western Cuenca
and northeast Teruel
provinces.
-speaking Caristii
who lived further north in the modern Vizcaya
and Álava
Basque provinces.
(Albacete
) suggests that their culture was strongly Celtiberianized, being more closely affiliated with that of the neighbouring Olcades
.
Their presumed capital was Segobriga (Cerro de Cabeza de Griego, Saelices
– Cuenca; Celtiberian-type mint: Sekobirikes) and they held the important towns of Ercavica (Cañaveruelas
– Cuenca; Celtiberian-type mint: Ercauica), and Contrebia Carbica (Fosos de Bayona/Villasviejas – Cuenca; Celtiberian-type mints: Contebacom/Carbicom).
, since at least the early 3rd Century BC, the Cratistii were submitted to Carthaginian rule upon the conquest of eastern Carpetania
by Hannibal Barca
in 221-220 BC. Later they appear to have later gravitated gradually towards the Roman sphere in the aftermath of the 2nd Punic War only to be raided by the Lusitani, who sacked Segobriga in 146 BC . Following the end of the Sertorian Wars in the mid-1st Century BC, the Cratistii regained their independence from the enfeebled Carpetani
and were incorporated alongside their Uraci
neighbours into romanized southern Celtiberia.
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
(pre-Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
), stock-raising people whose lands were situated along the upper Tagus
Tagus
The Tagus is the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula. It is long, in Spain, along the border between Portugal and Spain and in Portugal, where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Lisbon. It drains an area of . The Tagus is highly utilized for most of its course...
valley, in the elevated plateau
Plateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
region of the western Cuenca
Cuenca, Spain
-History:When the Iberian peninsula was part of the Roman Empire there were several important settlements in the province, such as Segóbriga, Ercávica and Gran Valeria...
and northeast Teruel
Teruel
Teruel is a town in Aragon, eastern Spain, and the capital of Teruel Province. It has a population of 34,240 in 2006 making it one of the least populated provincial capitals in the country...
provinces.
Origins
An intriguing people, their ethnic origins are difficult to determine though their tribal name means "the most powerful". They bear no relation to the AquitaniAquitani
The Aquitani were a people living in what is now Aquitaine, France, in the region between the Pyrenees, the Atlantic ocean and the Garonne...
-speaking Caristii
Caristii
The Caristii were a tribe reported by Roman historians in Northern Hispania west of the Deba and east of the Nervion rivers, in modern Biscay and Alava...
who lived further north in the modern Vizcaya
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
and Álava
Álava
Álava is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Álava. Its capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz which is also the capital of the autonomous community...
Basque provinces.
Culture
Archeological evidence retrieved from the cemetery of MadriguerasMadrigueras
Madrigueras is a municipality in Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It has a population of 4,917 according to the official statistics by the National Statistics Institute of Spain . The principal productions of this village are wine, knives and spatulas...
(Albacete
Albacete
Albacete is a city and municipality in southeastern Spain, 258 km southeast of Madrid, the capital of the province of Albacete in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The municipality had a population of c. 169,700 in 2009....
) suggests that their culture was strongly Celtiberianized, being more closely affiliated with that of the neighbouring Olcades
Olcades
The Olcades were an ancient stock-raising pre-Roman people from Hispania that lived to the west of the Turboletae in the southeastern fringe of the Iberian system mountains.- Origins :...
.
Their presumed capital was Segobriga (Cerro de Cabeza de Griego, Saelices
Saelices
Saelices is a municipality located in the province of Cuenca, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 649 inhabitants....
– Cuenca; Celtiberian-type mint: Sekobirikes) and they held the important towns of Ercavica (Cañaveruelas
Cañaveruelas
Cañaveruelas is a municipality in Cuenca, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It has a population of 223....
– Cuenca; Celtiberian-type mint: Ercauica), and Contrebia Carbica (Fosos de Bayona/Villasviejas – Cuenca; Celtiberian-type mints: Contebacom/Carbicom).
History
Initially a dependant tribe of the CarpetaniCarpetani
The Carpetani were one of the Celtic pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula , akin to the Celtiberians, dwelling in the central part of the meseta - the high central upland plain of the Iberian peninsula.-Location:They inhabited since the 5th Century BC the Toledo and Alcaraz highland ranges...
, since at least the early 3rd Century BC, the Cratistii were submitted to Carthaginian rule upon the conquest of eastern Carpetania
Carpetania
Carpetania was an ancient region of what is today Spain, located between the Guadarrama, the mountains of Toledo, the river Guadiana and the mountain range of Alcaraz, including approximately, the present independent communities of Madrid and Castile. It was inhabited by the Carpetanos, a pre-Roman...
by Hannibal Barca
Hannibal Barca
Hannibal, son of Hamilcar Barca Hannibal's date of death is most commonly given as 183 BC, but there is a possibility it could have taken place in 182 BC. was a Carthaginian military commander and tactician. He is generally considered one of the greatest military commanders in history...
in 221-220 BC. Later they appear to have later gravitated gradually towards the Roman sphere in the aftermath of the 2nd Punic War only to be raided by the Lusitani, who sacked Segobriga in 146 BC . Following the end of the Sertorian Wars in the mid-1st Century BC, the Cratistii regained their independence from the enfeebled Carpetani
Carpetani
The Carpetani were one of the Celtic pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula , akin to the Celtiberians, dwelling in the central part of the meseta - the high central upland plain of the Iberian peninsula.-Location:They inhabited since the 5th Century BC the Toledo and Alcaraz highland ranges...
and were incorporated alongside their Uraci
Uraci
The Uraci or ‘Duraci’ were a little-known Celtic people of pre-Roman Iberia who dwelt to the east of the Vaccaei, occupying the southern Soria, northern Guadalajara and western Zaragoza provinces since the 4th century BC.- Origins :...
neighbours into romanized southern Celtiberia.