Colonización de la península ibérica: España

Roman Empire's colonization

In the early days of the 1st century B.C., a boy looking scarcely ten was sitting on a small area on a hill of Táber. He seemed lost in his thoughts as he surveyed the land curiously, his dark green eyes wide with innocence despite a thin and forced smile. Another boy his age, his twin brother, called to him from the end of a nearby hill. The seated boy turned around and bolted to his hermano. The identical twins were nameless, yet carefree in their childish play. The one who called was the firstborn, and his olive eyes and smile were framed by messy chestnut hair. Panting and catching his breath, the younger of the two fixed his even messier and darker chestnut hair that fell to the small of his back

It was in a small, old town on a sunny plain where the brothers were born, and soon after the mysterious death of their mother, the older was named Madrid and the other Barcelona. They were sons of Ancient Iberia along with their neighbour, a boy called Portugal.

Romans ruled the land they called 'Hispania'. With the help of Caesar Augustus, their ancient Roman abuelo, Romulus, had ordered legions to force both brothers apart to rule them separately. The twins screamed and cried as their fingertips lost grip and were pulled apart.

Their home peninsula, now split in two, made them eager to colonise all tribes there, especially the large cities of Madrid and Barcelona. Both boys were schooled in some Latin, to read and write in that language-and with a touch of the classics, the ancient language and culture of their mother faded into misty memory.

Thenceforth, Madrid enjoyed his education and upbringing in the high, central plateau of the peninsula. In the eastern part, closer to the sea and Rome across the waters, Barcelona was treated differently. Called Barcinona, he was taught rougher, brutish Roman ways, and in the arts of war, all while his brother enjoyed a princely life as Mantua Carpetana.