Lobetani facts for kids
The Lobetani were a small group of people who lived in ancient Spain long before the Romans arrived. They were an Iberian people, which means they were one of the native groups living on the Iberian Peninsula. We know about them because a writer named Ptolemy mentioned them in the 2nd century AD. The Lobetani lived in the mountains around the Albarracín area, in what is now the southwest Province of Teruel.
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Who Were the Lobetani?
It's a bit of a mystery exactly who the Lobetani were and what language they spoke. Some experts think they might have been Celts, while others believe they spoke a form of the Iberian Language. We don't know much about their culture from archaeology. They are one of the least known tribes from that part of Spain.
Lobetani Towns
Even though we don't know much, we think their main town, called Lobetum, was located at an Iron Age site called El Castellar de Frías. This site is close to Albarracín. Another town where the Lobetani lived was Orosis, which is now the town of Caminreal in Teruel. Coins found from Orosis show both Greek and Roman styles.
Lobetani History and Rome
We don't know much about the early history of the Lobetani. But it seems they became friends with Rome around the time of the Second Punic War, or soon after. They sometimes fought against other tribes like the Celtiberian Belli and the Turboletae.
Becoming Part of the Roman Empire
After 156 BC, the Lobetani's land became part of a Roman province called Hispania Citerior. Even so, they managed to keep some of their independence for a while. By the early 1st century BC, they were absorbed by their neighbors, the Edetani. Eventually, the Lobetani became part of the larger Roman civilization and adopted Roman ways of life.
See also
In Spanish: Lobetanos para niños
- Celtiberians
- Contestani
- Edetani
- Turboletae
- Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula
