Gallaecia
Gallaecia was in ancient times and the Middle Ages, the Latin name of a region of north- western Spain (about today's Galicia) and in northern Portugal. In late antiquity, there was also a province of that name. By the end of the 4th century, only the spelling Callaecia is attested.
Gallaecia during the Roman Empire
The name was probably from the Celtic tribe of the Callaici (also Callaeci, Greek Kallaikoi ) derived, the first appears to 139/136 BC in the sources; it was efficient war opponents of the Romans, from these defeated even then, later fought by Caesar, but were only finally subjugated by Emperor Augustus. As part of the provincial division made by Augustus Callaecia the region became part of the province of Hispania Citerior, naturalized for over the course of the imperial period the name Tarraconensis ( after the capital of Tarraco, now Tarragona). In the south the Callaecia reached to the river Duero ( Douro ), on the east it bordered on the later of Asturias. It consisted of two judicial districts, the northern of Lucus Augusti ( Lugo today ) and the south of Bracara Augusta (now Braga in Portugal).
Emperor Caracalla, who actually called Antoninus, parted in the period 214-216 of the Hispania Citerior or Tarraconensis that bears his name Hispania nova Citerior Antoniniana new province from which was located in the northwest of the peninsula and apparently involved in about Galicia and Asturias. Their existence is but with access only from inscriptions and their extent is not known exactly, because due to their ephemeral nature are only a few sources before; later than 238/241, it was reunited with the Tarraconensis.
In the period 285-290 Emperor Diocletian increased the number of provinces of the Roman Empire who were now significantly smaller than earlier in his administration reform. The territory of Hispania Citerior was divided into three provinces, one of which Callaecia said. She handed the south to the river Duero ( Douro ) and in the east at least until the Esla, that also included the west of Asturias; may also belonged to Ostasturien and Cantabria. Whether the capital of this late antique province Bracara Augusta or Asturica Augusta ( Astorga today ) was, is unclear.
Gallaecia under suebischer rule
The Great Migration continued the Roman rule on the Iberian Peninsula. The Suevi, who had invaded in September or October 409 with the Alans and the Vandals in Hispania, invaded the Gallaecia and erected there a kingdom with its capital at Braga. This empire was later known as Galician kingdom. A part of Gallaecia was first occupied by the Vandals, but withdrew after fighting with the Suevi. The Suevi nominally recognized the suzerainty of the Western Roman Emperor, and were supported in the fight against the Vandals by Roman troops. From 429 they were able to expand their power by consolidating their rule in Galicia.
About the Suebenzeit inform the chronicle of indigenous bishop of Aquae Flaviae Hydatius, which was built around 468. Even after the destruction of the Suebenreichs and the inclusion of its territory to the Visigothic kingdom in the year 585, the term remained in use Gallaecia.