Gallaeci

The Gallaeker, or Gallaker ( Kallaiker, from the ancient Greek kaleikói ( καλλαικοι ), Latin Gallaici or Gallaeci ) were a Celtic people in ancient times.

The Greek tribal name was presumably kaleikói * kalla - derived from the pre-Indo- root word. It means height, mountain, that would mean * kallaiko " inhabitants of a height, mountain people ". This etymology is confirmed by Strabo ( Geographika, III, 3.2 ), of " the Gallaeker, who live mainly in the mountainous area " mentioned.

Settlement area

The Gallaeker settled in the north- west of the Iberian peninsula and gave a part of this region the name. In which you reside, called since Diocletian Gallaecia, extended to today's Galicia, northern Portugal to the Duero, the west of Asturias and western León. This corresponds to the expansion of the Iron Age Castro culture.

The Romans divided the territory into two administrative units, in the north conventus Lucensis with capital Lucus Augustus and the South conventus Bracarensis with capital Bracara Augusta (nowadays Braga). Overall, there were 105 cities in the region, including Citânia de Briteiros ( in Guimarães ), Citânia de Sanfins ( at Paços de Ferreira) and the Cividade de Monte Mozinho ( in Penafiel ). In the ancient authors we called the 285,000 population of the Bracarensis that Lucensis is mentioned 16,000, with only the "free " ( men) were counted. With women and children Lucenser should have counted 166,000 persons according to the same source.

History

To 139 BC, in the time of Quintus Servilius Caepio, the Romans first came into contact with the Gallaekern; the proconsul Decimus Junius Brutus Callaicus fought 138-136 BC against the trunk, which he, however, could not entirely subdue. other campaigns were 96-94 Publius Licinius Crassus by BC and 27-14 BC by Gaius Julius Caesar instead. A Romanization was introduced but never fully carried out, as the Romans were particularly interested in the ways of the Gallaecischen ore deposits and in the smooth evacuation. Especially the lucensischen Gallaeker remained less Romanized than their bracarensischen tribesmen, because they lived in an inhospitable area and were feared for their military prowess.

The Gallaekern it was in many populi been splintered tribal or ethnic mix, each populus had around ten to twelve thousand people. Of the Gallaekern was told that they did not own God. Strabo ( Geographika 3, 4, 16 ) mentions this, but also a " nameless God," the sacrifice the Celtiberian and perform for him at full moon cult dances. In addition, various nature deities and the Matres Gallaicae ( inscription from Clunia, today Peñalba de Castro in Huerta de Rey ) are worth mentioning. In Roman times, there were some galaico -Roman deities, such as the Jupiter Candamius, even the Egyptian Serapis and the Iranian Mithra was worshiped.

The connected by kinship autonomous residences the economy was based on agriculture, livestock and fishing. The mining in the ore mines and a famous goldsmiths were also important branches of industry. Leader was a war chief, who was supported by a council of elders, the Warriors have held an important position in the tribe. The women played in the families and clans play an important role, there must have been predominantly matrilineal succession.