Spanish Scutari with spears

Named by the Romans, 'Hispania', the Iberian Peninsula became a key factor, both culturally and geographically in the formation of the Republic and later Empire. Initially, and for a long time, the two cultures clashed and Spain was the location for some of the most savage and atrocious wars ever to be fought. Eventually, the region was subsumed into the late Republic and many Spanish families became an integral part of the Roman aristocracy. Spain was known for producing hardened warriors and Rome adopted and adapted the superior weaponry of the Spanish Peninsula into its legions. During the Civil War, a number of key legions were raised in Spain, including Caesar's Ninth, all direct descendants of the tribal warriors depicted here.