Uraci
Encyclopedia
The Uraci or ‘Duraci’ were a little-known Celtic people of pre-Roman
Iberia
who dwelt to the east of the Vaccaei, occupying the southern Soria
, northern Guadalajara
and western Zaragoza
provinces since the 4th century BC.
and Gallic
origin, the latter possibly related to the Helvetic
Rauraci, the Uraci migrated to the Iberian Peninsula
around the 4th Century BC and their tribal name can be roughly translated as "those [placed] farther apart".
and the southern slopes of the Central Iberian System mountains between the upper Duero and upper Henares
rivers. Their capital was the town of Lutiaca (Luzaga
? – Guadalajara
; Celtiberian mint: Lutiacos/Louitiscos); they also controlled the strategic towns of Cortona
(Medinacelli – Soria
), Segontia (Sigüenza
– Guadalajara
) and Arcobriga (Monreal de Ariza
– Zaragoza
).
.
around the late 4th or early 3rd Centuries BC, the Uraci were certainly obliged to provide military assistance to their patrons’ throughout most of the 2nd Century BC, but what role they played in the 2nd Punic War and subsequent conflicts with Rome
remains unclear. In about 92 BC the Uraci began to overthrow Arevacian overlordship – quite plausibly at Roman instigation – being rewarded with the town of Numantia
from the defeated Pellendones
for helping Rome
in suppressing the early 1st Century BC anti-roman uprisings in Celtiberia (the 3rd Celtiberian War). However, they recovered their independence only for a short period at the end of the Sertorian Wars in 72 BC, after which they were included as Roman allies into pacified southern Celtiberia.
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
Iberia
Iberia
The name Iberia refers to three historical regions of the old world:* Iberian Peninsula, in Southwest Europe, location of modern-day Portugal and Spain** Prehistoric Iberia...
who dwelt to the east of the Vaccaei, occupying the southern Soria
Soria
Soria is a city in north-central Spain, the capital of the province of Soria in the autonomous community of Castile and León. , the municipality has a population of c. 39,500 inhabitants, nearly 40% of the population of the province...
, northern Guadalajara
Guadalajara
Guadalajara may refer to:In Mexico:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico**Guadalajara Metropolitan Area*University of Guadalajara, a public university in Guadalajara, Jalisco...
and western Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
provinces since the 4th century BC.
Origins
Of mixed IllyrianIllyrians
The Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited part of the western Balkans in antiquity and the south-eastern coasts of the Italian peninsula...
and Gallic
Gauls
The Gauls were a Celtic people living in Gaul, the region roughly corresponding to what is now France, Belgium, Switzerland and Northern Italy, from the Iron Age through the Roman period. They mostly spoke the Continental Celtic language called Gaulish....
origin, the latter possibly related to the Helvetic
Helvetic
Helvetic can refer to:*"Helvetia", the Latin name for Switzerland;*Helvetii, Celtic tribes inhabiting this region during the Roman empire;*the Helvetic Republic, the precursor of the state of Switzerland;*the Helvetic zone, a geologic zone in the Alps;...
Rauraci, the Uraci migrated to the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
around the 4th Century BC and their tribal name can be roughly translated as "those [placed] farther apart".
Location
The Uraci settled the eastern mesetaMeseta
Meseta may refer to:*Meseta Central , the high plains of central Spain*Meseta , partially collapsed volcanic vent of Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala*Meseta, fictional currency of the Phantasy Star video game series...
and the southern slopes of the Central Iberian System mountains between the upper Duero and upper Henares
Henares
The Henares is a river in Spain, tributary of the Jarama. It has its source in the Sierra Ministra, in the village of Horna, near Sigüenza, in the province of Guadalajara....
rivers. Their capital was the town of Lutiaca (Luzaga
Luzaga
Luzaga is a village and municipality in the province of Guadalajara, Spain, part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. Luzaga's Bronze, the most significant known example of Celtiberian script, was found here.-External links:*...
? – Guadalajara
Guadalajara
Guadalajara may refer to:In Mexico:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico**Guadalajara Metropolitan Area*University of Guadalajara, a public university in Guadalajara, Jalisco...
; Celtiberian mint: Lutiacos/Louitiscos); they also controlled the strategic towns of Cortona
Cortona
Cortona is a town and comune in the province of Arezzo, in Tuscany, Italy. It is the main cultural and artistic center of the Val di Chiana after Arezzo.-History:...
(Medinacelli – Soria
Soria
Soria is a city in north-central Spain, the capital of the province of Soria in the autonomous community of Castile and León. , the municipality has a population of c. 39,500 inhabitants, nearly 40% of the population of the province...
), Segontia (Sigüenza
Sigüenza
Sigüenza is a city in the province of Guadalajara in Spain.-History:The site of the ancient Segontia of the Celtiberian Arevaci, now called Villavieja , is half a league distant from the present Sigüenza...
– Guadalajara
Guadalajara
Guadalajara may refer to:In Mexico:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico**Guadalajara Metropolitan Area*University of Guadalajara, a public university in Guadalajara, Jalisco...
) and Arcobriga (Monreal de Ariza
Monreal de Ariza
Monreal de Ariza is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 257 inhabitants....
– Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
).
Culture
It is assumed that the Uraci spoke a 'Q-Celtic' language and archeological evidence shows that their material culture little differed from the CeltiberiansCeltiberians
The Celtiberians were Celtic-speaking people of the Iberian Peninsula in the final centuries BC. The group used the Celtic Celtiberian language.Archaeologically, the Celtiberians participated in the Hallstatt culture in what is now north-central Spain...
.
History
Forced to become clients of the powerful ArevaciArevaci
The Arevaci or ‘Aravaci’ , were a pre-Roman Celtic people who settled in the Meseta Central of northern Hispania and which dominated most of Celtiberia from the 4th to late 2nd centuries BC...
around the late 4th or early 3rd Centuries BC, the Uraci were certainly obliged to provide military assistance to their patrons’ throughout most of the 2nd Century BC, but what role they played in the 2nd Punic War and subsequent conflicts with Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
remains unclear. In about 92 BC the Uraci began to overthrow Arevacian overlordship – quite plausibly at Roman instigation – being rewarded with the town of Numantia
Numantia
Numantia is the name of an ancient Celtiberian settlement, whose remains are located 7 km north of the city of Soria, on a hill known as Cerro de la Muela in the municipality of Garray....
from the defeated Pellendones
Pellendones
The Pellendones were an ancient people living on the Iberian Peninsula. Since the early 4th century BC they inhabited the region of the source of the river Duero in what today is north-central Spain...
for helping Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in suppressing the early 1st Century BC anti-roman uprisings in Celtiberia (the 3rd Celtiberian War). However, they recovered their independence only for a short period at the end of the Sertorian Wars in 72 BC, after which they were included as Roman allies into pacified southern Celtiberia.