Viriathus

Viriathus (known as Viriato in Portuguese and Castilian) (180 BC - 139 BC) was one of the leaders of the Lusitani tribe that countered the Romans in the regions known today as Portugal and Extremadura. He was betrayed by a handful of followers for money. However, after Viriathus was killed, these followers were killed or enslaved. When in charge of the Lusitanian guerilla (147 BC - 139 BC), Viriathus defeated the Roman army numerous time.

Viriathus' life

Little is known about Viriathus. Very probably, he was a shepherd - a normal occupation among the Lusitanians. He was known among the Lusitanians as a great warrior, and many nominated him as leader, which he constantly refused. Some say that he lived near Herminius Mons (today's Serra da Estrela, central Portugal),the great fortress and heart of the Lusitânia. Others claim that he lived in Viseu, near Serra da Estrela or near Zamora, in Spain,two possibilitys less probables. Today, some people refer to Viseu has being the "city of the Lusitanians". In addition, some studies indicate that the people from this area preserve greater traces of local ethnicities. During the Roman period, many mixed marriages were made, and the population of Portugal became widely mixed, but traces of the local people persist, especially in the area of Beira Interior.

Most of his life and war against the Romans are part of legend and Portuguese national myths.Viriathus,is a portuguese national hero. The historian Apianus of Alexandria in his book about Iberia part of "Historia Romana" (Roman History), comments about Viriathus, with the phrase: He killed numerous Romans and he showed his great skills.

Conquest of Lusitania by Rome

In the 3rd century BC, Rome started its conquest of the Iberian Peninsula. At first, things were very easy for the Romans.

The consul Sergius Galba commanded the Roman troops in Iberia circa 150 BC and started destroying the rest of the Lusitanian resistance. Fearing the destruction of their lands, the Lusitanians send an embassy to him. Galba received the Lusitanian embassy politely, suspended the offensive and promised to give lands to the Lusitanian people.

The unarmed Lusitanians, among them Viriathus, later reclaimed the lands given by Rome to them. However, it was a trap and most were killed. Some Lusitanians, including Viriathus, escaped.

Lusitanian War

Viriathus never forgot the tragic trap and later, when some Lusitanian leaders prepared to do a new agreement with the Romans, after a major loss of lives by the Roman army of Caius Vetilius, Viriathus remembered Galba's treachery and proposed a Lusitanian War against the Romans. The Lusitanians bawled with joy.

Viriathus organized an attack against Caius Vetilius in Trobila. Since the Romans were better armed, he organized guerrilla tactics and sprung imaginative ambushes. With the heroic iron spears, charges with tridents and Lusitanians’ roar, Vetilius was defeated. After him, the Lusitanians crashed with the armies of Caius Plancius, Unimanus and Caius Nigidius.

The problems with the pacification and humiliation of Lusitania worried Rome and Rome sent Fabius Emilianus to reinforce its army. Emilianus brought (15,000 soldiers and 2,000 horses) to help Caius Lelius combat the Lusitanians. The Romans lost almost all these reinforcements in Ossuma. Emilianus risked combat again and was totally defeated near the today's city of Beja in Alentejo. This defeat gave the Lusitanians access to today’s Spanish territory, modern Granada and Murcia.

Knowing of this fact, Rome sent one of its best generals, Servilianus, to Iberia. Near Sierra Morena, the Romans fell into a Lusitanian ambush, Viriathus did not harm the Romans and let the soldiers and Servilianus go. Servilianus declared Viriathus to be a "Friend of Rome" and recognized the Lusitanian rule over their own lands.

Viriathus' Death

However, the Roman senate did not accept the treaty made by Servilianus with the Lusitanians. However, the Romans did things differently this time. Knowing that the Lusitanian resistance was largely due to Viriathus' leadership, Marcus Pompilius Lenas bribed Audax, Ditalco and Minurus, the three Lusitanians of the embassy sent by Viriathus to establish permanent peace. Back in their camp, the ambassadors that he sent to meet the Romans killed him while he was sleeping. When they returned to the Roman camp for their pay, the consul Scipio ordered their execution, sentencing "Rome does not pay traitors". With this, the Lusitanian resistance ended and their lands and the Lusitanian people acquired Roman culture and language.

Influence

The heroic feats of Viriathus, who was however defeated by treason, had an extremely important moral for Portuguese Nationalism (the Lusitanian People was the ancestor of the Portuguese People)and to some extent Spanish nationalism.

External links

• Viriathus Biography (http://viriato.netfirms.com/)
• Viriathus Website (http://groups.msn.com/Loriga/viriatolusitanianhero.msnw)

pt:Viriato