Conistorgis facts for kids
Conistorgis was an important ancient city. It was the main city for a group of people called the Conii (or Cynetes). In their language, its name probably meant "city of the Conii." Another group, the Celtici, also seemed to live there.
Where Was Conistorgis?
Conistorgis was located somewhere in the southern part of Portugal. It was inland, in the region known today as the Algarve. However, its exact location is still a mystery.
The ancient writer Strabo wrote about the Conii people. He said their land was between the Guadiana river and a place called Hieron Akroterion. This promontory was considered the westernmost point of the known world at the time. Strabo also mentioned that Conistorgis was in Celtic territory. In the 1990s, experts believed it was most likely in the Baixo Alentejo or Algarve areas. They thought it was northeast of the Serra do Caldeirão mountains.
Some people have tried to figure out where Conistorgis was by looking at later Roman towns. One idea is that Conistorgis might have been where Beja is today. Beja is one of the few Portuguese cities without an older, pre-Roman name. This idea suggests that "Conistorgis" was a Celtic name. It might have meant "waterless hill." Later, Julius Caesar supposedly renamed it Pax Julia. Another idea is that Conistorgis was actually Medellín in Spain. However, experts do not fully agree on either of these suggestions.
History of Conistorgis
The Conii people, who lived in Conistorgis, formed an alliance with the Romans. This happened when the Romans were conquering the Iberian Peninsula.
The ancient historian Appian mentioned Conistorgis twice. The first time was between 155 and 152 BC. During the Lusitanian War against Rome, the city was attacked. It was raided by the Lusitanians, who were led by Caucenus. The second time Appian mentioned the city was around 150 BC. This was when the Roman general Servius Sulpicius Galba retreated into Conistorgis. He went there after his first battle against the Lusitanians. This means the Romans likely took the city back between 155 BC and 150 BC. This was probably done by Marcus Atilius, who fought against the Lusitanians and Vettones.
Later, during the Sertorian War, Conistorgis was attacked again. Forces loyal to Sertorius attacked the Roman soldiers stationed in the city.
