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Behind the name of the Iberian Peninsula: why is it so closely associated with the Ibru River?
Located in the southwest of southern Europe, the Iberian Peninsula is a region rich in history and culture. It mainly includes the two countries of Spain and Portugal, as well as smaller regions such as Andorra and Gibraltar. This land area of approximately 583,254 square kilometers and a population of approximately 53 million people makes it the second largest peninsula in Europe after Scandinavia.
Origin of the name
The name Iberian Peninsula is closely related to the Iburu River (Ibēros in ancient Greek, Ibērus or Hibērus in Latin). The existence of this river has been repeatedly mentioned in the records of ancient geographers. Strabo of ancient Greece once stated that Ibēria means "the country on this side of the Ibru River."
"No special mention is needed, since the Greeks already called the entire peninsula Hiberia, precisely because of the Ibru River."
The existence of the Ibru River became an important symbol in the description of this land in ancient Roman and Greek literature. The Old Testament's "Song of the Mountain" mentions that the pan-racialization of the time made it difficult for people to accurately distinguish the origins of different cultures.
Greek and Roman influences
The ancient Greeks used Hiberia to describe the land between the Pyrenees Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea, and the name was Latinized to Hispania in Roman times, which often had overlapping meanings with politics and geography. This made the use of Hiberia and Hispania almost interchangeable in ancient literature.
"In Roman times, the name Hispania was used not only to refer to the Iberian Peninsula, but also to indicate ethnic and geographical boundaries."
However, the mixture of names also reflects the integration and evolution of different cultures, especially in the more than a century after the Roman conquest, the land experienced different rulers and many cultural changes.
Modern name evolution
The modern name "Iberian Peninsula" was coined by French geographer Jean-Baptiste Boré de Saint-Vincent in 1823. Before that, the region was often referred to as the "Spanish Peninsula" or the "Pyrenees Peninsula". The emergence of this modern name is a further elaboration of the region's history and a reflection of its diverse cultural characteristics.
Exploration of Early History
According to archaeological discoveries, the inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula can be traced back to at least 1.2 million years ago, when early humans had already lived and multiplied on this land. The emergence of these early civilizations not only demonstrates the evolution of mankind, but also shows the rich local cultural and historical heritage.
"In the archaeological record, the early Iberians demonstrate connections to the rest of the Mediterranean through their distinctive culture and craftsmanship."
As time went by, this land witnessed the arrival of Phoenicians, Greeks and Carthaginians, and formed rich exchanges and integration with local indigenous cultures.
Transformation from ancient times to modern times
When Han Chinese and Christianity emerged in the 5th century, Germanic tribes such as the Suevi, Vandals, and Alans occupied the land. This wave of invasions not only changed the local political structure, but also made cultural exchanges between different ethnic groups more frequent.
Influence of the Islamic Period
In 711, Muslim troops landed at Gibraltar and began to occupy the entire Iberian Peninsula. In the following centuries, the culture and economy here were gradually influenced by Islam, which promoted the development of academics and science and became an important cultural center in Europe at that time.
Conclusion
From the geographical legends of ancient Greece to the conquest of Rome and the cultural influence of Muslims later on, the history of the Iberian Peninsula is interwoven with the influence of multiple cultures, just like its name. The name and image of this land continues to change, but its connection to the Ibru River remains deep and cannot be ignored. How do these layers of history shape our understanding of the Iberian Peninsula today?
