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The Romans gave the name Gallaecia to the northwest part of the Iberian peninsula after the Gallaeci ( Greek Kallaikoi) tribe (supposedly Celtic), who had been their foremost enemy in the region.

Gallaecia, as a region, was marked for the Romans by its culture: the culture of the castros, of Celtic origin; this civilization extended over present-day Galicia, the north of Portugal, the Asturian West, the Bierzo, and Sanabria.

1 Geographical Area

• For Rome Gallaecia was a region formed exclusively by two conventus—the Lucensis and the Bracarensis—and was distinguished clearly from other zones like the Asturica, according the written sources:
  • Legatus iuridici to per ASTURIAE ET GALLAECIAE.
  • Procurator ASTURIAE ET GALLAECIAE.
  • Cohors ASTURUM ET GALLAECORUM.
  • Pliny : ASTURIA ET GALLAECIA

In the 3rd century, Diocletian created an administrative division which included the conventus of Gallaecia, Asturica and perhaps Cluniense. This province took the name of Gallaecia since Gallaecia was the most populous and important zone within the province.

In the 5th century, the Suebi transformed the original Gallaecia (convents Lucense and Bracarense) into the kingdom of Gallaecia (the "Galliciense Regnum" recorded by Gregorius of Tours).

In Beatus of Liébana(?-798), Gallaecia refers to the Christian part of the peninsula whereas Hispania refers to the Muslim one.

In Charlemagne's time, at the Council of Frankfurt in 794, he attended bishops of Gallaecia. During his residence in Aquisgran, he received embassies of the kings of Gallaecia (796-798) according to the Frankish chronicles.

Sancho III of Navarre in 1029 refers to Vermudo III as Imperator domus Vermudus in Gallaecia.

2 See also

• Galicia (Spain)
• Suebi kingdom of Gallaecia