Titii (Celtiberian) facts for kids
The Titii (say "Tee-tee-eye") were a small group of people who lived a long time ago in what is now Spain. They were part of a larger group called the Celtiberians. Their lands were in the middle of the Jalón River valley and the upper Tajuña River valley. This area is between the towns of Alhama de Aragón and Molina de Aragón today.
Who Were the Titii?
The Titii were a Celtic people. Their ancestors likely moved to the Iberian Peninsula (where Spain and Portugal are now) around 400 BC. They were part of the Celtiberians, who were a mix of Celtic and Iberian cultures. Evidence shows that Celtiberian groups had been living in the central part of the Iberian Peninsula since at least 1000 BC, and possibly even earlier.
What Was Titii Culture Like?
It's hard to know a lot about the Titii's daily life because archaeologists haven't found many of their ancient settlements from the Iron Age.
However, experts have studied old coins found in the Jalón and Tajuña river areas. These coins came from three ancient Celtiberian towns: Aratis/Aratikos, Titum, and Titiakos. Many archaeologists believe these towns were connected to the Titii people. They think Titum might have been the main city or capital of the Titii.
In 2014, the town of Aratis/Aratikos was identified as an Iron Age site called Castejón I – El Romeral, near Aranda de Moncayo.
Titii History and Wars
The Titii are often mentioned in old writings as friends or allies of another group called the Belli. In the 3rd century BC, the Titii faced attacks from a group called the Turboletae. They also seem to have become allies of Carthage just before the Second Punic War. We don't know much about what they did during that big war.
Later, in the 2nd century BC, during the Celtiberian Wars, the Titii joined forces with the Belli and Arevaci tribes to fight against Rome. They were even one of the groups that signed a peace treaty with a Roman leader named Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus in 179 BC.
The Titii kept their independence for a while. But in 142 BC, they were defeated along with the Belli by a Roman general. After this, in 134 BC, their lands became part of a Roman province called Hispania Citerior. After this time, ancient writers stopped mentioning the Titii.
By 72 BC, the Titii had joined with other tribes like the Belli, Uraci, and Cratistii. They formed a new group of Romanized Celtiberian people. This meant they slowly lost their unique tribal identity as they became more like the Romans.
See also
In Spanish: Titos para niños
- Celtiberian confederacy
- Celtiberian script
- Celtiberian Wars
- Numantine War
- Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula
