TheCarpetani (Greek:Karpetanoi), also namedKarpesioi byPolybius,[1] were one of theCeltic peoples inhabiting theIberian Peninsula prior to theRoman conquest. Their core domain was constituted by the lands between theTagus and theAnas,[2] in the southernMeseta. Agriculture is thought to have had a greater importance in the Carpetanian economy than other neighboring peoples'.[2]
Since the 5th century BC the Carpetani inhabited theToledo andAlcaraz highland ranges along the middleTagus basin, occupying a territory that stretched from theGuadarrama river at the north to the upperAnas (Guadiana) in the modern provinces ofGuadalajara,Toledo,Madrid andCiudad Real, an area designated asCarpetania in the ancient sources. Maincity-states (Civitates) in the region wereToletum (near modernToledo; Roman or Celtiberian-type mint:Tole),Iplacea/Complutum (Alcalá de Henares –Madrid); Celtiberian-type mint:Ikezancom Konbouto?),Titulcia (El Cerrón, near modernTitulcia –Madrid),Consabura (Consuegra – Toledo),Barnacis (Orgaz – Ciudad Real; Celtiberian-type mint:Bornaiscom),Laminium (Argamasilla de Alba orAlhambra – Ciudad Real) andAlce (Campo de Criptana – Ciudad Real). Towns of lesser importance wereAebura (Cuerva – Toledo),Metercosa (Madridejos – Toledo),Ispinum (Yepes – Toledo),Miaccum (Casa de Campo – Madrid),Mantua (Montiel – Ciudad Real),Thermida (Trillo – Guadalajara),Ilarcuris (Horche – Guadalajara) andIlurbida (Lorvigo, nearTalavera de la Reina – Toledo).
The exact location of the remaining Carpetanian towns is either uncertain or unknown, this is true in the cases ofDipo[3] (near Toledo?),Libora,[4]Varada,Caracca orCharaca,[5]Rigusa,Paterniana, andAlternia.
The origins of the Carpetani are obscure though their ruling elite certainly hadCeltiberian[6][7] andGallic-Belgae elements, whose ancestors arrived to the Peninsula in the wake of the Celtic migration at the 4th century BC;[8][9] the rest of the population was clearlyIndo-European and very mixed, including people of native Ibero-Tartessian andIndo-Aryan[10] affiliation. Recent analysis of local epigraphic sources revealed that the Carpetani comprised some twenty-seven tribes, namely theAelariques,Aeturiques,Arquioci,Acualiques,Bocouriques,Canbarici,Contucianci,Dagencii,Doviliques,Duitiques,Duniques,Elguismiques,Langioci,Longeidoci,Maganiques,Malugeniques,Manuciques,Maureici,Mesici,Metturici,Moenicci,Obisodiques,Pilonicori,Solici,Tirtaliques,Uloques, andVenatioques.[11]
In archeological terms, it is now believed that they stemmed from both the transitional LateBronze Age/earlyIron Age 'Campiñas de Madrid' farmers' and the 'Cogotas I' cultural groups.[citation needed]
Only a few Carpetanian towns appear to have issued their own currency, modelled after Roman patterns copied directly or adapted via Celtiberian coinage. In the 2nd century BC,Iplacea/Complutum andBarnacis struck coins with their names marked inCeltiberian script, whilst laterToletum struck theirs bearing its name inLatin script.[12]
By the later part of the 3rd century BC, the Carpetani had evolved into a sort of federation or loose tribal confederacy whose nominal capital was set atToletum,[13] with several centres of power in the main towns ruled by petty kings (Latin:Reguli). Some of these Rulers appear to have risen to prominence in the early 2nd century BC – one kingHilernus led a coalition of Carpetani,Vaccaei,Vettones andCeltiberians againstconsulMarcus Fulvius near Toletum in 193 BC, but he was defeated in battle and captured;[14] anotherRegulus,Thurrus, ruler of Alce signed a treaty withTiberius Sempronius Gracchus in 179 BC.[15]Prior to theSecond Punic War, they opposed Carthaginian expansion in central Spain, but in 220 BCHannibal defeated a combined force ofVaccaei,Olcades and Carpetani at thebattle on the Tagus,[16][17] thus completing his conquest of Hispania south of theEbro with the exception ofSaguntum.[18]They also provided mercenary troops to the Carthaginian armies, forFrontinus mentions the desertion of 3,000 Carpetani warriors from Hannibal's army when he entered in Italy after crossing the Alps.[19]
During theSertorian Wars, the Carpetani remained loyal to Rome, whilst their perpetual rivals and enemies theVettones andCeltiberians sided withQuintus Sertorius.[20]
From 197 BC and over the next 170 years, the Roman Republic slowly expanded its control over Hispania. This was a gradual process of economic, diplomatic and cultural infiltration and colonisation, with campaigns of military suppression when there was native resistance, rather than the result of a single policy of conquest. The Romans turned some of the native cities into tributary cities and established outposts and Roman colonies to expand their control.[21]
