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Hispania is thenational personification of Spain.
The antecedent of this representation were some coins on which there was ahorseman holding a lance and the legendHISPANORVM. These coins corresponded to the first half of the 2nd century BC and were minted inMorgantina (Sicily). These coins were carried out by the Hispanic mercenaries who received the government of this Sicilian city by order of theRoman Senate during theSecond Punic War.
The first representation of Hispania appeared during theRoman Republic as the head of a woman with the legendHISPAN, and was minted in Rome by the Roman family Postumia (81 B.C.). Since then different coins emerged with allegorical representations of Hispania with different characteristics during the entire Roman era.
Like other coins with provincial allegories, it would fall into disuse due to the prevalence of symbols of Rome and Constantinople being minted on coins and would not reappear until theSpanish peseta, which itself was based upon the allegory used during the reign ofHadrian. From then on, the allegory would be made into monuments, statues andreliefs.
The antecedent of the allegory of Hispania was a series of coins minted inMorgantina (Sicily) by Hispanic mercenaries who ruled this city by order of the Senate during theSecond Punic War. In these, an equine horseman with a spear and with the legendHISPANORVM was represented. The next known reference to Hispania was a coin minted by the Annia family where the legend appears:L. F. FABI. L.F. HISP. / Q which was an abbreviation for Lucius Fabius L.f. Hispaniensis / Quaestor. This coin was minted to commemorate the participation of Lucius Fabius during a campaign in Hispania in theSertorian War.[1]
The first representation of Hispania arose in theRoman Republic. It consisted of a woman's head with the legendHISPAN. It was minted in Rome by the Postumia family in 81 a. C. referring to his predecessor L. Postumius Albinus, who was praetor in the year 180 B.C. and sent to Hispania as governor, standing out for his victories against Lusitanians and Vacceos. The representation denotes the identity of the Iberian Peninsula asHispania despite being divided at that time into Citerior and Ulterior.
During the civil wars ofPompey the Great againstJulius Caesar, his son Gnaeus Pompey minted a newdenary fromBaetica (probably nearCorduba), which shows Hispania on the reverse as a full-length, standing woman presenting a palm to the son of Pompey the Great. Some authors, such as A. Burgos, believe that it represents Baetica. However, the two spears and the round shield (caetra) seem more like an allusion to Hispania.
There are also other coins related to Hispania, such as several denarius from the Annia gens (82–81 BC.) with the legendHIS alluding to Hispania, but without allegorical representation. Other denarii of the Coelia family (51 BC.) with the same legend inscribed on a standard and the wild boar, symbol of the city of Clunia (Hispania Tarraconense) in commemoration of the victories of Caius Coelius, governor of the Citerior. There is also a denarius from thegens Fundania (101 BC.) that probably refers to the victory overNumancia. Another from thegens Fabia (127 a. C.), probably commemorating the victories over theLusitanians and their leaderViriathus.[1]
In the period of the so-calledPax Romana new allegorical representations of Hispania were created. At this time, theHispanic peninsula was divided into three regions: Tarraconensis, Lusitania and Bætica. However, the coins minted byGalba,Vitellius andVespasian (68–69 AD period) show Hispania as a unit and were issued in Hispania fromTarraco, but not only in Hispania, but also in Rome and in some places inGaul.
The legendHISPANIA appeared for the first time in the Galba empire, complete with two types of representations: One with a bust of a young woman and the other with a full-length woman; both stamped with laurel and dressed in a stole and tunic, their attributes being the ears of corn —symbol of fertility— and two indigenous weapons, the short javelins and the round shield orcaetra. The series of denarii issued by Galba in Tarraco (from April to June 68 AD) represent the emperor in an equestrian position oriented to the left and in others to the right or his bust on the obverse and with the legendHISPANIA. It has the attributes of spikes, javelins and caetra. Its corresponding gold coin was possibly also minted in Tarraco.
A golden coin with Hispania in full length also appears at that time. It shows the bust of the emperorAugustus deified with radiated crown and on the back the allegory of Hispania, shelf and carrying ears of wheat in his right hand, two javelins and the caetra with his left hand, with the legendHISPANIA at the top.
Galba honoredClunia for giving him shelter in the early days of the rebellion and for having proclaimed him emperor on the death ofNero. For this reason, he would mint an impressivesestertius in Rome with the legendHISPANIA CLVNIA SVL(PICIA) S C. on its reverse. In this Galba appears seated in a curule chair, holding the parazonium and receiving Palladium at the hands of the representation of the goddess of the city who carriescornucopia.
The allegory of Hispania standing, with its usual attributes and the legendHISPANIA also appears withVespasian (69–70 AD).
Hadrian made frequent trips to many provinces of the Empire, and to commemorate these trips in a propagandistic way, coins relating to these trips were minted by each province. One of them corresponds to Hadrian's trip to Hispania. The most famous allegory of Hispania was coined in Rome; it was a female figure with a long tunic, stamped with laurel or olive, reclining to the left, with her left arm on some rocks, which could refer to thePyrenees. With his right hand he holds an olive branch. At the feet of the figure appears a rabbit, the animal that the Phoenicians theoretically used to name the peninsula:Hishphanim.
In269 AD the usurperLaelian minted a gold coin with the legendTEMPORVM FELICITAS alluding to its Hispanic origin and once again rescued the allegory of Hispania from Hadrian's model. It would be the last to appear until 1869.[1]
Rome andConstantinople monopolized all the protagonism in the monetary actions. The continuous changes in the division of the administrative office of the Empire had left aside the old provinces and their allegories.[1]
The figure of Hispania asmatron with the olive branch and the rabbit as it appeared in the period of theRoman Empire will not appear again on any coin until the 19th century, although Hispania will appear in some medals that were created from the 16th century to the 18th century, although with a more martial attitude, very similar toBritannia wearing aCorinthian helmet and armed with a spear.[1]
In 1869 queenIsabel II is overthrown and the search for a new king begins. In that year the peseta was born with the allegory of Hispania from the time of Hadrian —in a recumbent position and with an olive branch—. The difference is that it was crowned with a mural crown instead of a laurel wreath and they added a rock alluding toGibraltar. However, no reference to Hispania or Spain appeared. Later they would add the legendESPAÑA.
In the transition period between the overthrow and the establishment of the First Republic (1869–1873), several different coins were minted representing Hispania, always reclining, on a rock or sitting with a lion. Among these, stands out a gold coin from 1870 —which was never issued— with a value of 100pesetas and which represented Hispania standing up and without a mural crown.[1]
This return to oblivion of the allegory was a perfect portrait to represent both the allegories of theFirst Republic and theSecond Republic, also known as "La niña bonita" (the pretty girl). The first will appear with aphrygian cap and with a rooster very similar toMarianne and the second will be a version more faithful to Hispania that will appear on coins and banknotes issued by the republic. In any case, the allegory of the Second Republic will sometimes appear dressed in themural crown, with a phrygian cap or withlaurel crown, in addition to occasionally carryingolive branch.[2] Therefore, the allegory of the First Republic was a version inspired by the French Marianne, since she always wore a Phrygian hat and appeared next to agallic rooster (allegory of France), however that of the Second, depending on her attire, was more similar to Marianne or Hispania, in any case, regardless of the attire with which she was represented, she was always accompanied by thehispanic lion, an attribute inexorably associated with Hispania .
As an example, the Second Republic issued in 1933 a silver coin worth one peseta, which featured a woman with an olive branch, but this time in a seated position. This representation was considered as the allegory of the Republic, but the olive branch suggests that in this case it is an allegory of Hispania converted into an allegory of the Republic.
A year before the civil war broke out (1936), a 10-peseta bill was issued with the head of a woman with a mural crown. During theSpanish Civil War, the brass minted coin, known as "La rubia" (the blond) was possibly the most popular one peseta coin on the republican side and featured a female bust and with the u forREPVBLICA with v as in theLatin, another sign of the influence of Roman currency in the allegory of the Republic as if trying to imitate the Roman coins minted with the allegory of Hispania in their day.[1]
The last minting of the peseta was in 2001. On January 1, 2002, it was replaced by theeuro. Coins of 100 pesetas (also known as20 duros) and 2000 pesetas in silver were then minted to commemorate the peseta, and the same image was represented as when it was born: the allegory of Hispania based on Hadrian's model but with a mural crown, exactly as it was reborn in the 19th century together with the Peseta.
With the arrival of the euro, no representation has the allegory. However, a medal with the symbolic value of 30 euros was created with the allegory of Hispania on its reverse as a commemoration of the European monetary agreement.[1]
Hispania has also often been represented in sculpture. The first representation in sculpture was perhaps that of Augustus of Prima Porta at the time of the Roman Empire. After this, we would have to wait for the 19th century, with the arrival of theromanticism movement, which awakenednationalism in the West, often recalling the past, and theneoclassicism that sought to imitate the classic works of theAntiquity.
Both currents promoted the creation of sculptural representations throughout Europe, with the allegories of the ancient Roman provinces in the form of women, as the Romans coined in their time on their coins. Thus the personifications ofBritannia,Germania,Italia Turrita and Hispania were resurrected.
On the breastplate of the statue ofAugustus of Prima Porta Hispania appears on the right hand side (on the left when looking at the sculpture). It is found behind the back ofMars, god of war, in a seated and afflicted position carrying thegladius hispaniensis. The fact that it has been represented with its back to Mars and defeated alludes to the victory of Augustus againstcantabrians andastures.[3]
In the tympanum of the pediment of thePalacio de las Cortes in Madrid, which houses theCongress of Deputies, appears the allegory of Hispania embracing the constitution, surrounded by other allegories that allude to values and various disciplines seen from the worldview of the 19th century. These are: Abundance, Peace, Courage, Strength, Justice, Astronomy, Poetry and Mathematics, Sculpture, Painting, Architecture, Commerce and Agriculture. The tympanum was the work ofPonciano Ponzano.[4]
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The pediment of theNational Library of Spain was the work ofAgustín Querol, who made it in marble. He finished it off with three sculptures, at the top Hispania appears next to thehispanic lion that representsCastilla —as heiress to theKingdom of León— offering a laurel wreath as a prize for the literary works of her children.
On the right the Genius is represented and on the left the Study. In the center of the tympanum appears Peace, to its left appears the genius of War, Eloquence, poetry, Music, Architecture, Painting, Sculpture, Industry, Commerce and Agriculture. To the right of Peace appears Philosophy, Jurisprudence, History, Astronomy, Ethnography, Geography, Chemistry, Medicine and Mathematics. It represents "the triumph of the arts, sciences and letters, working under the protection of peace".[5]
ThePuerta de Toledo was a monument ordered to be built byJoseph Bonaparte in Madrid, but when he fled with the French troops it was not cancelled, but continued with the project although with some changes. On the façade facing south, the allegory of Spain is placed in the center supporting a shield placed on two hemispheres.
The allegory appears martial, with armor, a corinthian helmet and armed with a spear, it appears receiving a genius from the provinces, personified by a matron placed to the right of Hispania. To pass to the arts that are on the left, by another matron represented with the attributes of them. The sculpture was sculpted byJosé Ginés.[6]
In the middle of the 19th century the Italian sculptorRaffaelle Monti sculpted an image of Hispania that he attributes as decoration on the terraces of the gardens ofThe Crystal Palace of the firstGreat World Exhibition of 1851 in London along with the personifications of other nations.[7] The statue ended up in theRijksmuseum inAmsterdam shortly thereafter and is likely lost.
This representation reflects how the author saw Spain in the 19th century. She holds a spear and a laurel branch in her left hand and leans with her right arm on a vine. Instead of a laurel wreath or a wall wreath, the Italian sculptor opted for a wreath of vine leaves and bunches of grapes. In the same way, more clusters hang from the vine and at its feet there is a basket with fruits and vegetables. It is possible that Spain was seen as an exporting country of fruit and wine. Precisely the German writerGoethe who was a contemporary of Monti although the writer was born quite a few years earlier, also referred to Spain as a wine country. In his workFaust Mephistopheles sings:Precisely we just come from Spain, the beautiful country of wine and songs.
Spain also has a statue made by the French sculptor Francois Michel Louis Tonetti in 1907 within the work calledSeafaring Nations together with the personifications of eleven other nations of maritime tradition. These, apart from Spain, are:Greece,Rome,Phoenicia,Genoa,Venice,Netherlands,Portugal,Denmark, Germany, England and France.
The statue represents a Spain with the emblems ofCastile and framed in theAge of Discoveries together with the sphere of aterrestrial globe and a shield where acarrack is represented. The group of sculptures is located on the facade of the formerUnited States Custom House in New York City, now known as theAlexander Hamilton.[8]
Hispania or Spain has also been represented in painting from the 16th to the 19th century. Although in the medals that were made up to the 18th century with the allegory of Hispania the Latin name was preferred, in the painting the castilian name of Spain was preferred, to the detriment of Hispania.
InLa Religión socorrida por España, a Spain appears as a matron with blonde hair, wearing a cuirass and armed with a spear from which a red banner of victory hangs, helping a helpless woman, an allegory of religion. In the background appears a Turk on a sinking Turkish galley representing the defeated Ottoman fleet.[9]
This painting was painted by Titian without having been commissioned forPhilip II after the Christian victory at thebattle of Lepanto, in which although theRepublic of Venice and thePapacy also participated, Spain had the greatest role.
Spain appears martial next to the lion of Castile and next to it its territory,Parma, and around it the allegories of the sciences and the arts in a fresco byFrancisco Bayeu y Subías located in the little house of the prince of thePalacio del Pardo, in Madrid.
TheDuchy of Parma became a territory of Spain becausePhilip V asserted the rights of his wife,Isabel de Farnesio over Parma, which would later be ceded to theHoly Roman Empire in exchange for theKingdom of the Two Sicilies, although they would soon return because the Holy Roman Empire would return them toPhilip I of Parma, son of Philip V, and infant of Spain, therefore Parma it returns to Spain and will remain under its dominion until 1801 when, through theConvention of Aranjuez, it was ceded byCarlos IV to France.
In Juan Luna'sSpain and the Philippines, Spain is portrayed as white-skinned, brown-haired, and strongly built, guiding a young, slim, dark-skinnedPhilippines down the path of progress. It was painted by the HispanophileJuan Luna as propaganda in favor of the metropolis in full 19th century. The painting occupies an important place in theLópez Museum ofPasig (Philippines).[10]
Francisco Bayeu made asketch of a fresco for the ceiling of the Queen's boudoir in thePalacio Real de Madrid that was never made. The painting seems to want to represent theSpanish monarchy in an allegorical way, this, due to the similarities seems to be inspired by Hispania in a martial way with Corinthian helmet and armor. She appears being covered by a mantle by the angels. Religion appears to the right of the allegory and among others appear "Authority, the Virtues of Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance, as well as Nobility, Constancy, Dominion, Honor, Prize, Abundance, Merit, Time or History".[11]
Hispania appears martial,Britannia armed with her trident, although she wears a crown very similar to theCrown of Saint Edward instead of her traditional Corinthian helmet. Hispania shows gratitude to Britannia while Napoleon is on the ground defeated and begging for mercy.
Due to the policy ofManuel Godoy, Spain decided to ally itself with revolutionary France, which led to the defeat of the Franco-Spanish fleet inTrafalgar. Shortly afterwards, under the guise of invadingPortugal and having to cross Spain, Napoleon occupied Spain and overthrew its king,Charles IV crowning his brotherJoseph Bonaparte in its place. Although many welcomed the French liberal reforms, the majority of the population would not forgive such betrayal, taking up arms against the French. This made Spain an ally of its old enemy,Great Britain until in 1814 they managed to expel theNapoleonic army from the country.
In the 19th century, Spain was represented allegorically in various humorous publications. Especially famous were the magazinesLa Flaca andDon Quijote, which often represented a Spain afflicted by the pressing problems of the country in that century. Although many caricatures seem to be linked to the allegory of Hispania or the allegory of the Republic, some do not seem to have any of the attributes used in art —except that they are female figures— such as the laurel wreath, the mural crown, thehispanic lion, a spear or a corinthian helmet.
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Hispania has also been used to namepublications,sports clubs orasteroids and itslogo image for television programs or clothing brands. Some examples are the following:
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