Lusitanians - Tribes

Tribes

The Lusitanians were a single large tribe that lived between the rivers Douro and Tagus. As the Lusitanians fought fiercely against the Romans for independence, the name Lusitania was adopted by the Gallaeci, tribes living north of the Douro, and other closely surrounding tribes, eventually spreading as a label to all the nearby peoples fighting Roman rule in the west of Iberia. It was for this reason that the Romans came to name their original province in the area, that initially covered the entire western side of the Iberian peninsula, Lusitania.

Tribes, often known by their Latin names, living in the area of modern Portugal, prior to Roman rule:

• Bardili (Turduli) - living in the Setúbal peninsula;
• Bracari - living between the rivers Tâmega and Cávado, in the area of the modern city of Braga;
• Callaici -living north of the River Douro;
• Celtici - Celts living in Alentejo;
• Coelerni - living in the mountains between the rivers Tua and Sabor;
• Cynetes or Conii - living in the Algarve and the south of Alentejo;
• Equaesi - living in the most mountainous region of modern Portugal;
• Grovii - a mysterious tribe living in the Minho valley;
• Interamici - living in Trás-os-Montes and in the border areas with Galicia (in modern Spain);
• Leuni - living between the rivers Lima and Minho;
• Luanqui - living between the rivers Tâmega and Tua;
• Lusitani - being the most numerous and dominant of the region;
• Limici - living in the swamps of the river Lima, on the border between Portugal and Galicia);
• Narbasi - living in the north of modern Portugal (interior) and nearby area of southern Galicia;
• Nemetati - living north of the Douro Valley in the area of Mondim;
• Paesuri - a dependent tribe of the Lusitanians, living between the rivers Douro and Vouga;
• Quaquerni - living in the mountains at the mouths of rivers Cavado and Tâmega;
• Seurbi - living between the rivers Cávado and Lima (or even reaching the river Minho);
• Tamagani - from the area of Chaves, near the river Tâmega;
• Tapoli - another dependent tribe of the Lusitanians, living north of the river Tagus, on the border between modern Portugal and Spain;
• Turduli - in the east of Alentejo (Guadiana Valley);
• Turduli Veteres - the "ancient Turduli" living south of the estuary of the river Douro;
• Turdulorum Oppida - Turduli living in the Portuguese region of Estremadura;
• Turodi - living in Trás-os-Montes and bordering areas of Galicia;
• Vettones - living in the Spanish provinces of Ávila and Salamanca, as well as parts of Zamora, Toledo and Cáceres;
• Zoelae - living in the mountains of Serra da Nogueira, Sanabria and Culebra, up to the mountains of Mogadouro in northern Portugal and adjacent areas of Galicia.