Iberian revolt

Iberian revolt (197–195 BC)
Part of Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula
Warrior armed with falcata and oval shield. Iberian work, part of the so-called Osuna sculptures. 3rd–1st century BC. MAN
Date 197–195 BC (2 years) Location Hispania Result Roman victory Territorial changes Rome re-establishes control over Hispania.[1]
Belligerents
Rome: -Ilergetes	Iberian rebels: -Celtiberians -Indigetes -Bergistani -Lacetani -Suessetani -Ausetani
Commanders and leaders
Cato the Elder Gaius Sempronius Tuditanus Marcus Helvius Blasio Quintus Minucius Thermus Quintus Fabius Buteo Publius Manlius Appius Claudius Nero Bilistages	Culcas Luxinio Budar Besadino

The Iberian revolt (197–195 BC) was a rebellion of the Iberian peoples of the provinces Citerior and Ulterior, created shortly before in Hispania by the Roman state to regularize the government of these territories, against that Roman domination in the 2nd century BC.^[2]

From 197 BC, the Roman Republic divided its conquests in the south and east of the Iberian Peninsula into two provinces: Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior,^[3] each governed by a praetor. Although several causes have been put forward as possibly responsible for the conflict, the most widely accepted is that derived from the administrative and fiscal changes produced by the transformation of the territory into two provinces.^[4]

The revolt having begun in the Ulterior province, Rome sent the praetors Gaius Sempronius Tuditanus^[5][6] to the Citerior province and Marcus Helvius Blasio,^[7] to Ulterior. Shortly before the rebellion spread to the Citerior province, Gaius Sempronius Tuditanus was killed in action. However, Marcus Helvius Blasion, who upon arriving in his province ran headlong into the revolt, won an important victory over the Celtiberians at the Battle of Iliturgi.^[8] The situation was still far from under control, and Rome sent the praetores Quintus Minucius Thermus and Quintus Fabius Buteo in a further attempt to settle the conflict. However, although the latter achieved some victories, such as at the Battle of Turda,^[8] where Quintus Minucius even managed to capture the Hispanic general Besadino,^[9] they also failed to fully resolve the situation.

It was then that Rome had to send in 195 BC. the consul Marcus Porcius Cato in command of a consular army to suppress the revolt,^[10] who, when he arrived in Hispania found the entire Citerior province in revolt, with Roman forces controlling only a few fortified cities. Cato established an alliance with Bilistages,^[11] king of the Ilergetes, and had also the support of Publius Manlius, newly appointed praetor of Hispania Citerior and sent as assistant consul.^[12] Cato headed for the Iberian Peninsula, disembarked at Rhode and put down the rebellion of the Hispanics occupying the square. He then moved with his army to Emporion, where the greatest battle of the contest would be fought, against an autochthonous army vastly superior in numbers.^[13] After a long and difficult battle, the consul achieved total victory,^[14] managing to inflict 40 000 casualties on the enemy ranks.^[15] After Cato's great victory in this decisive battle, which had decimated the Hispanic forces, the Citerior province fell back under Roman control.^[16]

On the other hand, the Ulterior province remained uncontrolled, and the consul had to head towards Turdetania to support the praetors Publius Manlius and Appius Claudius Nero.^[17] Cato tried to establish an alliance with the Celtiberians, who acted as mercenaries paid by the Turdetani and whose services he needed, but failed to convince them.^[18] After a show of force, passing with the Roman Legions through Celtiberian territory,^[19] he convinced them to return to their lands. The submission of the autochthonous army was only an appearance, and when rumor spread of Cato's departure for Rome, the rebellion resumed. Cato had to act again with decision and effectiveness, defeating the rebels definitively in the battle of Bergium.^[20] Finally, Cato sold the captives into slavery and the autochthonous of the province were disarmed.^[21][22]