The formation and evolution of provincial society in Northwestern Hispania: Civitates and rural world

Abstract

We focus on the transformation processes brought about by Roman domination in the Hispanic Northwest and its evolution from two combined perspectives: on the one hand, local and regional changes and, on the other, the different strategies followed by Rome in its dominion of the region. Our approach considers the civitas to be the basic mechanism for understanding these historical dynamics, despite the common misinterpretation of this concept as a city in the modern sense. We will use three varying examples to illustrate our statements: Asturica Augusta, conventual capital, Tude, and the civitates around the via Nova. In this way we will helpfully contribute to the debate regarding the ‘Romanisation’ of the territories in the Western Empire.

Keywords

• alto imperio
• dominación
• campesinado
• ciudad antigua.