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Numantia (Numancia in Spanish) was a town in Hispania (modern-day Spain), which for a long time resisted conquest by Romans. The city was finally taken and destroyed by consul Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus after a long and brutal siege. This signalled the final subjugation of Iberia by the Romans. This was the first notable military endeavour by Gaius Marius.
The site of Numantia is near modern-day Garray in Soria (The Sorian football team is called CD Numancia). At the time of its defeat, it was populated by the Arevaci people. The Arevaci were a Celtiberian tribe, formed by the mingling of Iberians and migrating Celts in the 6th century BC, who inhabited an area near Numantia and Uxama.
Before their defeat, the Numantines gained a number of victories. For example, in 137 BC, 20,000 Romans surrendered to the Celtiberians of Numantia (population between 4,000-8,000).
The final siege of Numantia began in 134 BC. Scipio Aemilianus, who was consul at that time, was in command of an army of 30000 soldiers. His troops constructed a number of fortifications surrounding the city as they prepared for a long siege. The resistance was hopeless but the Numantians refused to surrender and famine quickly spread through the city. After 8 months most of the inhabitants decided to commit suicide rather than becoming slaves. Only a few hundred of exhausted and famished inhabitants surrendered to the victorious Roman legions.
The siege of Numantia has been recorded by several Roman historians that admire the sense of freedom of the ancient Iberians and acknowledged their fighting skills against the Roman legions. Miguel de Cervantes (author of Don Quixote) wrote a play about the event, La Numancia, which stands today as his most well-known dramatic work.
In the Spanish culture, it has a meaning similar to that of Masada for Israelis.
Several Spanish Navy ships have been named Numancia and a Sorian battalion was named batallón de numantinos.
External links
James Grout: 'Numantia,' part of the Encyclopædia Romana
Reference
Rafael Trevino "Rome's Enemies 4: Spanish Armies 218 BC - 19 BC", Osprey Military, Man-at-arms Series 180, 1992, ISBN 0850457017
History of Spain | Ancient Rome
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"Numantia"