Comments on: Viriathus vs Rome

By: Joshua

Joshua — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 17:51:39 +0000

No wait, the cavalry was another battle. It was 2k on 10k only, my mistake

By: Joshua

Joshua — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 17:50:15 +0000

Im Portuguese, and Viriato (Viriathus) is a forgotten icon that I won’t forget. The running like hell scenario was awesome, though there is more to it. Viriathus, with about 2k men, lined up against 10k men and 2k cavalry. The idea for this was to allow all the villagers to run away from being slaughtered. When all escaped successfully, Viriathus and his troops did run like hell, for their armor was not nearly as heavy as the romans.

By: Nelly Vieira

Nelly Vieira — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:36:56 +0000

Wow! I just found this site and noticed Harry’s comment. I’m really sorry, but you seem to have very limited knowledge of the literary evidence available on this period of time. For one, Appian of Alexandria is certainly NOT the only person who wrote about this period. In fact, Pliny and Strabo are just two off the top of my head, contemporaries of the time who wrote about Viriathus and the Lusitanians, including details on culture, diet, manner of dress, and Pliny even provides a physical descripton of Viriathus. By the way, not a small man at all!

Here’s a website you may be interested in … it’ll give you a more accurate, factual, perspective on this subject

http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/celtic/ekeltoi/volumes/vol6/6_11/gamito_6_11.html

Luis, you may also be interested as it has very interesting information on the Celtiberians and Lusitanian peoples.

Furthermore, the reason why the English speaking world is so ignorant about the history of the Iberian peninsula, and in particular Portugal, is because they seem incapable of deciphering the Portuguese language for one, secondly, since the Portuguese finally imposed a duty on Port wine in the 17th century, England went on a rampage to discredit and marginalize Portuguese accomplishments, writtten history and literature, etc., thirdly, the English are so busy pumping up their considerably inferior accomplishments, in comparison to Portugal, in order to bolster their justification for the atrocities they’ve committed against other world nations and cultures.

Lastly, to Alexandre, don’t worry. It’s only England, America and Canada that are so historically illiterate as to ignore the major accomplishments of the Portuguese people – namely, the discovery of all continents, except Antarctica and Europe! – just speak to any Chinese, Japanese, Indian, African, Middle Easter, South American, Central American, and yes, even some Australians, to know this.

And for anyone who is questioning the above statement and is therefore, unaware of recent research pointing towards the Portuguese having discovered North America, I encourage you to look up the following website

http://www.thornr.demon.co.uk/kchrist/portam.html

as well as the book entitled “O Misterio Colombo Revelado” (The Mystery of Columbus Revealed). For info on this book, see:

http://www.colombo.bz/english/first_note.htm

We really must pity the average English and North American for their sad, sad, lack of knowledge, because the old adage is very true and repeatedly proven … you cannot see your future or understand your present, with out KNOWING your history.

By: Harry

Harry — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:22:55 +0000

In response to alexandre the reason historians fail to analyse this period so much is firstly the lack of literary evidence. It is a topic that only one person – Appian of Alexandria – writes about. Archaeological sources are also particularly lacking with some of the only survey (except for digging up graves) having been done in the 1920′s on the siegeworks of Numantia by a German archaeologist – Adolf Schulten. There is a lot of writing regarding the weaponry of the Iberians however, for which I recommend the writings of Fernando Quesada Sanz.

In response to Luis Silva I am currently writing my dissertation on this topic. I will happily send it to you when I have had it marked and I have completed my degree – around the end of June this year. What is your book regarding in particular? I can point you in the direction of sources if you specify it. In the meantime I was wondering if you have come across anything useful regarding Lusitanian weaponry, preferably in English?

I hope that this blog is still checked.

Harry

By: luis silva

luis silva — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 19:51:34 +0000

nice website about viriathus so which comes the question?
i am writing a book (the first English one ever) so far i have two chapter completed. the third is about the Lusitanians– so if any can help me find information please sent it to this email address luissilva6@yahoo.com and i will give credit where credit is do. but i also will need the reference from where you got this info. luis

By: alexandre correia

alexandre correia — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 17:01:05 +0000

what annoys me most about history is the general and constant ignoring of iberian history and its tribes me being portuguese of course call myself lusitanian, its funny how historians prefer to talk about the gallic wars rather than the iberian the gauls put up a fight nodoubt, and other celts across europe but the iberian tribes proved to be a bigger pain in the ass to romans yet maybe its the anglo saxonic racist bullshit dominance of todays world that would rather talk about how much they sucked against romans then us short iberians. its like when you go open a history book on the age of discovery most books ignore the huge portuguese contribution but would rather talk about everybody else most books dont even talk about my people. if the portuguese hadnt started thed iscoveries history wouldnt be quite the same. another thing thats annoying is books about great medieval battles they talk about agincourt, 100 years war etc but go look on in iberia in general they dont speak about it portugal had a major vitory against castille in aljubarrota outnumbered 3 to 1 and used a brilliant tactic. most books dont refer us iberians even though i dont think we were an island far from europe to be ignored and racially our gene pool hardly has evidence of roman moorish and germanic blood only like 10% show traces like me being blond and blue eyed the population of atlantic europeans has remained pretty much stable over the last 6000 years meaning we are practically the same people we were before these invasions

By: V Guyver

V Guyver — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 09:58:48 +0000

Oh the Suebi, they were there for only a few decades, the Visigoths were much more dangerous. In fact, the Visigoths managed to eventually take over the entire peninsula, but it was short lived, they were kicked out by the moors just after settling for a 100 years, the Moors in turn would be routed out by reconquista some 80 years later.

As a result, modern Spain and Portugal as a large diversity genetic origins, mostly Roman, mixed with plenty of the old tribe’s makeup, and followed by German makeup, and a very limited amount of Moorish contributions. Yet, all of this created a very unique group of people. The Lusitanian spirit is especially evident in the Portuguese through out history. I recall the Duke of Wellington once proudly naming them “The Fighting Cocks of the Allied Army” in other words, small like a rooster, a definately great fighters despite their size.

By: Sven Tasis

Sven Tasis — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 18:30:44 +0000

Thank you for the article. Very interesting indeed.
The romans use to say about the Lusitans: Savage people, they dont govern themsleves and they dont let no one to do it for them.

Very interesting are also the Celtic legends about those times. Portugal has a lot of them which ended in tragedy over and over again when the Romans were trying to force the Lusitanians to settle on the plains to be better controlled.

It took to the Romans more than 200 years to settle in the Iberian Peninsula at last.

Another people was in the north of Europe waiting for the time to kick the Romans out of Potugal which was done in the year 409. The Suebi. But that it’s another story…

By: V Guyver

V Guyver — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 11:29:48 +0000

Haha, this gave me a few good laughs. Viriathus is indeed one of the more terrible enemies a Roman Army ever faced. Unconventianal tactics, with skillfull use of the lands to his advantage. Also helped that he always took the romans by surprise and induced fear in the most highly discliplined armies of the era. Even more impressive is the fact that Viriathus men were all scattered untrained men from across the land from different villiages who came to fight for him under charismatic and skillfull leadership, when ever they fought rome, they were always outnumbered, poorly equiped, and much less orginized. A perfect example of Gurilla warfare. There are other legends about him, such as how on his wedding day, he rodeoff with his wife before even the cerimonies and celebrations were complete. Oddly, he’s only remembered well by the Iberians, especialy the Portuguese. Thanks for the topic post, good to see people learning of incredible figures in history.

By: Aquilus

Aquilus — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 07:24:50 +0000

hehe first time on this blog ^^
good article

By: Loricense

Loricense — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 20:22:44 +0000

Not entirely truth and not complete…

By: viriathus

viriathus — Wed, 28 Dec 2005 15:19:05 +0000

Well iÂ´m waiting for the final history of viriathus life.Iliked this little part
viriathus

By: John Goncalves

John Goncalves — Fri, 25 Mar 2005 10:29:02 +0000

Excellent job Gavin!
All of the written records of Viriato’s century come from the victors(the Romans), so much for the “yarns”.
See my site for more about Viriato.

By: Tony Allwright

Tony Allwright — Tue, 08 Mar 2005 09:51:15 +0000

Thanks for this rattling good yarn, Gavin! I especially like Viriathus’ siege escape tactic of lining up for battle and then running like hell. What imagination.