Ilercavones facts for kids

The Iberian Peninsula around 300 BC.

Remains of the Castellet de Banyoles, an ancient Iberian village near Tivissa.

A street in Queretes named after the Ilercavones.

Where the Ilercavones lived in Iberia around 200 BC.

The Ilercavones were an ancient people who lived in the Iberian Peninsula (which the Romans later called Hispania) a long time ago, before the Romans arrived. They were part of a larger group known as the Iberians. People believe they spoke their own special language, called Iberian language.

History of the Ilercavones

The land where the Ilercavones lived was called Ilercavonia. This name appears in old writings from Greek and Roman times. Even in the Middle Ages, people still talked about Ilercavonia!

Their territory stretched quite a bit. To the north, it reached the Serra de la Llena mountains. To the northeast, it went as far as Coll de Balaguer. In the west, their land reached Mequinensa, and to the south, it extended to Sagunt.

The Ilercavones were very religious people. They didn't build big temples like some other groups. Instead, they thought every mountain or hill was a holy place.

Ancient writers also mentioned the Ilercavones. For example, Pliny the Elder, a Roman writer, said they lived between a river called Udiva (which might be the Millars River) and lands north of the Ebro River. Another writer, Ptolemy, even named a cape and a harbor where they lived Tenebri (possibly Orpesa). The Roman historian Livy also wrote about them when describing the first time the Romans invaded Iberia.

Later, the Romans conquered the Iberian Peninsula. Like many other Iberian tribes, the Ilercavones slowly became more like the Romans. This process is called Romanization. Over time, they started speaking Latin, the language of the Romans, and became part of the Roman population.

Places Where They Lived

Archaeologists have found important sites where the Ilercavones once lived. These places help us learn more about their daily lives and culture. Some of the most important sites are:

• Castellet de Banyoles in Tivissa
• Coll del Moro in Gandesa
• Below the Castle of La Suda in Tortosa
• Mianes in Tortosa
• Below the Templar castle in Miravet
• La Ferradura in Ulldecona
• Moleta del Remei in Alcanar
• Puig de la Nau in Benicarló
• Sant Antoni Iberian village in Calaceite

See also

In Spanish: Ilercavones para niños

• Ilercavonia
• Iberians
• Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula
• Romanization (cultural)