Portugal has a very ancient history, with traces of civilizations dating back to prehistory. Here are some of the main civilizations that have inhabited this region:
The first human settlements in Portugal date back to the Paleolithic.
The cave paintings of the Côa Valley (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) are among the oldest in Europe.
During the Neolithic, megalithic peoples built dolmens and menhirs, such as those of Évora and Almendres.
Around the first millennium BC, Celtic tribes mixed with the indigenous peoples.
The best-known group were the Lusitanians, a warrior population that long resisted the Roman conquest.
Their most famous leader was Viriato, who led the resistance against Rome in the 2nd century BC.
The Romans conquered Portugal in the 2nd century BC and called it Lusitania.
They built important cities such as Olisipo (Lisbon), Bracara Augusta (Braga) and Emerita Augusta (Mérida, Spain, which was the capital of Lusitania).
Even today, Roman bridges, roads and theatres remain, such as the amphitheatre of Conímbriga.
After the fall of Rome, Portugal was invaded by Germanic peoples in the 5th century AD.
The Suevi founded a kingdom with Braga as their capital (one of the first Christian kingdoms in Europe).
The Visigoths later conquered the territory and unified the Iberian Peninsula.
The Islamic Occupation
In 711 AD, the Arabs and Muslim Berbers conquered the region.
Portugal was part of al-Andalus for almost 500 years.
The Arab influence is still evident today in architecture, agriculture and language.
The Reconquest and the birth of Portugal
In the 12th century, Christians regained control of the territory.
In 1139, Count Afonso Henriques proclaimed himself the first king of Portugal, marking the birth of the independent nation.
Portugal in Antiquity
The First Prehistoric Civilizations
Portuguese territory has been inhabited since the Paleolithic, with traces of human settlements dating back over 30,000 years.
The cave paintings of the Côa Valley, dating back to the Upper Paleolithic, are among the oldest artistic expressions in Europe.
In the Neolithic (about 5000 BC), communities began to practice agriculture and build megalithic monuments, such as the dolmens and menhirs of Almendres.
The Proto-Celts and the Lusitanians
Around 1000 BC, peoples of Indo-European origin began to settle in the region, mixing with the native populations.
Among the best-known groups were the Lusitanians, who inhabited the central area of Portugal and part of present-day Spain.
They were skilled warriors and organized themselves into tribal communities. Their most famous hero was Viriathus, who resisted the Roman conquest in the 2nd century BC.
The Roman Conquest (2nd century BC – 5th century AD)
The Romans began their expansion into Iberia after the Second Punic War (late 3rd century BC).
After a long resistance by the Lusitanians, in 27 BC the emperor Augustus completed the conquest and founded the province of Lusitania, with its capital Emerita Augusta (now Mérida, Spain).
Important cities in present-day Portugal were Olisipo (Lisbon), Bracara Augusta (Braga) and Conímbriga, where well-preserved ruins can be found today.
The Romans introduced roads, bridges, aqueducts, villas and theatres, and Latin became the basis of the Portuguese language.
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