Kingdoms of the Iberians

Carpetani / Carpesii (Hispano-Celts)
Incorporating the Acualici, Aelarici, Aeturici, Arquioci, Bocourici, Canbarici, Contuciani, Dagencii, Dovilici, Duitici, Dunici, Elquismici, Langioci, Longeidoci, Maganici, Malugenici, Manucici, Maureici, Mesici, Metturici, Moenicci, Obisodici, Pilonicori, Solici, Turtalici, Uloci, & Venatioci

Celtic migration across Europe was a slow, constant process which took place over a millennium or so. Celtic tribes (see feature link) probably arrived in Iberia in two waves, the first traditionally placed around 900 BC.

More recent thought tends to identify the early arrivals as Indo-European or proto-Celtic tribes (who would have been part of the Urnfield culture), and argues for a process of infiltration over an extended period, from around 1000 to 300 BC, rather than invasions.

The first arrivals appear to have established themselves in Catalonia, having probably entered via the eastern passages of the Pyrenees. Later groups (more identifiably Celtic and part of the Hallstatt expansion and migrations) ventured west through the Pyrenees to occupy the northern coast of the peninsula, and south beyond the Ebro and Duero basins as far as the Tagus valley. Some mixed heavily with Iberian tribes to form the Celtiberian admixture.

The Carpetani were one such tribe (or confederation), being located mainly on the plain which was crossed by the middle course of the River Tagus and its central tributaries. This included part of the modern Spanish provinces of Madrid, Toledo, Guadalajara, Cuenca, and Ciudad Real. They were neighboured to the north by the Vaccaei, by the Arevaci to the north-east, the Oretani to the south, and the Vettones to the west, with their northern limit provided by the mountain ranges of the Gredos and Guadarrama.

The Carpetani (or Carpesii) name is obscure. Given the likelihood that they were a coalition rather than a single tribe ('teut') of clans of the same ethnic origin, they would need something to unite them symbolically. The only possibility which comes to mind here is the proposed proto-Celtic word *karbitos, meaning 'wagon', in the sense that all clans are sharing the same wagon as a way of establishing unity. Not knowing the Carpetani symbology makes this a bit of a wild guess.

Another problem is the meaning of 'wagon'. Early Celtic war chariots were four-wheeled, not two-wheeled, which means they were essentially wagons. Perhaps the name connects to war wagons, but avoiding the Celtic word for a war wagon, *ensedos, and instead employing the standard *karbitos instead. A best guess is that the confederation called itself the 'war wagons'.

The names of the many Carpetani sub-tribes or clans (see below) almost all use the '-ici' and '-oci' suffixes (with some minor amendment due to spelling variances). The suffix '-ic' had the same meaning then as it does now. It derives from Latin, with the Germanic variant which is native to English being '-ish'. It means 'being like [something]', or 'belonging to [something]', or 'of or pertaining to'.

There is some contention regarding Carpetani origins, but the majority view is that they were Celtic, and definitely of Indo-European descent. However, their settled territory close to the Iberian tribes makes it possible that there could have been some cultural influence from them, which has resulted in some problems as to their ascription. It has also been suggested that they started arriving in Iberia during the period known as 'Cogotas 1', the beginning of the Iron Age, after which they began operating in central Iberia.

They were a relatively prosperous people who took advantage of the agricultural opportunities which their territory gave them, and the trade opportunities which their geographical location created. With a decentralised political structure in place, it is considered that there were no great social differences within tribal society since no sumptuous burials have been found which could indicate this.

It also seems that, unlike other tribes, nothing is known regarding mercenary duties which they could have undertaken, or of raids on their neighbours which was certainly more common with the less prosperous tribes.

Also, unlike their neighbours, they did not produce great leaders and neither did they participate in major events such as the sieges of Numantia and Saguntum. They were, however, caught up in the struggles of others, such as the Carthaginians, the Romans, and the Lusitani.

According to archaeological studies this tribe had two forms of settlement which were dependant upon topography: flat or high. In the case of the flat they were located close to a water source which allowed access to good pasture and agricultural land, although these towns were not walled. In the case of the high they chose places which would allow a good defensive position but which were close to some source of water such as a spring.

From the point at which the Carthaginians arrived in Iberia some of these high settlements began to evolve into towns of some importance and, during the period between 220-179 BC, sophisticated major oppida.

The Carpetani comprised some twenty-seven tribes, although some historians maintain that these were in fact clans. These covered the following: the Acualici (in Torrejon de Velsaco, a municipality within the Comunidad Madrid); and the Aelarici (in San Yago, part of the north-western Madrid suburb of Collado Villalba).

There were the Aeturici (in Titulcia, within the Illescas province of Toledo, midway between that city and Madrid); the Arquioci (in Iplacea, known in the Roman period as Complutum, from 'compluivium', meaning 'confluence'); and the Bocourici or Boocourici (in Manzanares El Real, part of the Comunidad Madrid).

Then there were the Canbarici (in Toledo); the Contuciani (in the region of Segobriga, close to the subject Cratistii); the Dagencii (in VIllamanta, a municipality of the Comunidad Madrid which has been identified as the Carpetani settlement of Mantua); the Dovilici (in Azutan, Toledo province); and the Duitici (in Segobriga - see the Crastistii); and the Dunici (in Mentrida, Toledo province).

Plus there were the Elquismici (in Collado Villalba, alongside the Aelarici); the Langioci (in Hontanar, Toledo province); the Longeidoci (in Ucles, on the western border of Cuenca province); and the Maganici (in La Puebla del Montalban, Toledo province).

The Malugenici were in Torrejon de Velasco, close to the Aelarici; the Manucici were in El Pardo, a ward of the suburb of Fuencarral-El-Pardo, Madrid; the Maureici were in Illescas, alongside the Aeturici; the Mesici were in Ucles, alongside the Longeidoci; and the Metturici were in Alcala de Henares, close to the Arquioci.

The remainder included: the Moenicci (in Polan, Toledo province); the Obisodici (in Toledo, alongside the Canbarici); the Pilonicori (in San Pablo de Los Montes, Toledo province); the Solici (in Navas de Estena, Cuidad Real province); the Turtalici (in Segobriga, alongside the Cratistii); the Uloci (in Perales de Milla, now a deserted town to the west of Madrid); and finally the Venatioci (in Alconchel de la Estrella, Cuenca province, 150 kilometres to the east of Toledo).

European Kingdoms

Iberian Tribes

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