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Spain History
The history of Spain differs from the rest of the countries in Europe; it covers the prehistoric Iberia, the rise and decline of a global empire, and the recent history of Spain as a member of the European Union. According to the earliest record of first hominids settlements, the first inhabitants were Cro-Magnons that came from north of the Pyrenees some 35,000 years ago.
Some of the most important rests found in Spain are the famous paintings in northern Spanish cave of Altamira and the archeological evidence in Los Millares in Almería and in El Argarin Murcia with Neolithic and Bronze Age styles.
Many cultures were developed in the territory of Spain, such as: Iberians, the Tartessians, Celts and Celtiberians, Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Suebi and Visigoths. It’s said that they are responsible for the name Iberia, apparently after the river Iber (Ebro in Spanish).
With the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthago, Carthaginians invaded Spain; after that, Romans also invaded the colonies in Spain, and ended up conquering the entire peninsula, which is evident even today in their language.
Gothic tribes invaded the peninsula and established their kingdom after the decline of the Roman Empire.
After the Arabs conquest, The Christian Kings ruled Spain by a process called the Reconquista; they started the largest empire, reaching its peak with King Felipe II and the conquest of the Americas.
However, the Kingdom became victim of its own wealth and success and began to decline, specially its economy and politics, with the civil revolts, the independence achieved by the Spanish territories of the Americas.
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