̔η μὲν δὴ παραλία πᾶσα ἡ ἀπὸ στηλῶν μέχρι τῆς μεθορίας τῆς Ἰβήρων καὶ Κελτῶν τοιαύτη. ἡ δʼ ὑπερκειμένη μεσόγαια (λέγω δὲ τὴν ἐντὸς τῶν τε Πυρηναίων ὀρῶν καὶ τῆς προσαρκτίου πλευρᾶς μέχρι Ἀστύρων) δυεῖν μάλιστα ὄρεσι διορίζεται. τούτων δὲ τὸ μὲν παράλληλόν ἐστι τῇ Πυρήνῃ, τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀπὸ τῶν Καντάβρων ἔχον, τελευτὴν δʼ ἐπὶ τὴν καθʼ ἡμᾶς θάλατταν· καλοῦσι δὲ τοῦτο Ἰδουβέδαν· ἕτερον δʼ ἀπὸ τοῦ μέσου διῆκον ἐπὶ τὴν δύσιν, ἐκκλῖνον δὲ πρὸς νότον καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ στηλῶν παραλίαν· ὃ κατʼ ἀρχὰς μὲν γεώλοφόν ἐστι καὶ ψιλόν, διέξεισι δὲ τὸ καλούμενον Σπαρτάριον πεδίον, εἶτα συνάπτει τῷ δρυμῷ τῷ ὑπερκειμένῳ τῆς τε Καρχηδονίας καὶ τῶν περὶ τὴν Μάλακαν τόπων· καλεῖται δὲ Ὀροσπέδα. μεταξὺ μὲν δὴ τῆς Πυρήνης καὶ τῆς Ἰδουβέδας ὁ Ἴβηρ ῥεῖ ποταμός, παράλληλος τοῖς ὄρεσιν ἀμφοτέροις, πληρούμενος ἐκ τῶν ἐντεῦθεν καταφερομένων ποταμῶν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὑδάτων. ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ Ἴβηρι πόλις ἐστὶ Καισαραυγοῦστα καλουμένη καὶ Κέλσα κατοικία τις ἔχουσα γεφύρας λιθίνης διάβασιν. συνοικεῖται δὲ ὑπὸ πλειόνων ἐθνῶν ἡ χώρα, γνωριμωτάτου δὲ τοῦ τῶν Ἰακκητανῶν λεγομένου. τοῦτο δʼ ἀρξάμενον ἀπὸ τῆς παρωρείας τῆς κατὰ τὴν Πυρήνην εἰς τὰ πεδία πλατύνεται καὶ συνάπτει τοῖς περὶ Ἰλέρδαν καὶ Ὄσκαν χωρίοις, τοῖς τῶν Ἰλεργετῶν οὐ πολὺ ἄπωθεν τοῦ Ἴβηρος. ἐν δὲ ταῖς πόλεσι ταύταις ἐπολέμει τὸ τελευταῖον Σερτώριος καὶ ἐν Καλαγούρι Ὀυασκώνων πόλει καὶ τῆς παραλίας ἐν Ταρράκωνι καὶ ἐν τῷ Ἡμεροσκοπείῳ μετὰ τὴν ἐκ Κελτιβήρων ἔκπτωσιν, ἐτελεύτα δʼ ἐν Ὄσκᾳ. κἀν Ἰλέρδᾳ ὕστερον Ἀφράνιος καὶ Πετρήιος οἱ τοῦ Πομπηίου στρατηγοὶ κατεπολεμήθησαν ὑπὸ Καίσαρος τοῦ θεοῦ. διέχει δὲ ἡ Ἰλέρδα τοῦ μὲν Ἴβηρος ὡς ἐπὶ δύσιν ἰόντι σταδίους ἑκατὸν ἑξήκοντα, Ταρράκωνος δὲ πρὸς νότον περὶ τετρακοσίους ἑξήκοντα, πρὸς ἄρκτον δὲ Ὄσκας πεντακοσίους τετταράκοντα. διὰ τούτων δὲ τῶν μερῶν ἡ ἐκ Ταρράκωνος ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐσχάτους ἐπὶ τῷ ὠκεανῷ Ὀυάσκωνας τοὺς κατὰ Πομπέλωνα καὶ τὴν ἐπʼ αὐτῷ τῷ ὠκεανῷ Οἰασῶνα πόλιν ὁδός ἐστι σταδίων δισχιλίων τετρακοσίων πρὸς αὐτὰ τὰ τῆς Ἀκυιτανίας ὅρια καὶ τῆς Ἰβηρίας. Ἰακκητανοὶ δʼ εἰσὶν ἐν οἷς τότε μὲν Σερτώριος ἐπολέμει πρὸς Πομπήιον, ὕστερον δʼ ὁ τοῦ Πομπηίου υἱὸς Σέξτος πρὸς τοὺς Καίσαρος στρατηγούς. ὑπέρκειται δὲ τῆς Ἰακκητανίας πρὸς ἄρκτον τὸ τῶν Ὀυασκώνων ἔθνος, ἐν ᾧ πόλις Πομπέλων ὡς ἂν Πομπηιόπολις.
Such is the whole sea-coast from the Pillars to the confines of the Iberians and Kelts. The interior of the country lying above, and included between the mountains of the Pyrenees and the northern side [of Iberia], as far as the Astures, is principally divided by two mountain chains; the one of these is parallel to the Pyrenees, and takes its commencement from the country of the Cantabri, terminating at the Mediterranean. This is called the Idubeda. The second, springing from the middle [of this first], runs towards the west, inclining however to the south and the sea-coast towards the Pillars. At the commencement it consists of bare hills, but after traversing the Plain of Spartarium, falls in with the forest lying above Carthage, and the regions round Malaca. It is named Orospeda. The river Ebro flows between the Pyrenees and Idubeda, and parallel to both these mountains. It is fed by the rivers and other waters carried down from [the mountains]. Situated on the Ebro is the city of Caesar Augusta, and the colony of Celsa, where there is a stone bridge across the river. This country is inhabited by many nations, the best known being that of the Jaccetani. Commencing at the foot of the Pyrenees, it widens out into the plains, and reaches to the districts around Ilerda and Osca, [cities] of the Ilergetes not far distant from the Ebro. It was in these cities, and in Calaguris, a city of the Gascons, as well as those of Tarraco and Hemeroscopium, situated on the coast, that Sertorius sustained the last efforts of the war, after being ejected from the country of the Keltiberians. He died at Osca, and it was near to Ilerda that Afranius and Petreius, Pompey’s generals, were afterwards defeated by divus Caesar. Ilerda is distant 160 stadia from the Ebro, which is on its west, about 460 from Tarraco, which is on the south, and 540 from Osca, which lies to the north. Passing through these places from Tarraco to the extremities of the Vascons who dwell by the ocean, near Pompelon and the city of Oeaso situated on the ocean, the route extends 2400 stadia, to the very frontiers of Aquitaine and Iberia. It was in the country of the Jaccetani that Sertorius fought against Pompey, and here afterwards Sextus, Pompey’s son, fought against the generals of Caesar. The nation of the Vascons, in which is Pompelon, or Pompey’s city, lies north of Jaccetania.
αὐτῆς δὲ τῆς Πυρήνης τὸ μὲν Ἰβηρικὸν πλευρὸν εὔδενδρόν ἐστι παντοδαπῆς ὕλης καὶ τῆς ἀειθαλοῦς, τὸ δὲ Κελτικὸν ψιλόν, τὰ δὲ μέσα περιέχει καλῶς οἰκεῖσθαι δυναμένους αὐλῶνας. ἔχουσι δʼ αὐτοὺς Κερρητανοὶ τὸ πλέον τοῦ Ἰβηρικοῦ φύλου, παρʼ οἷς πέρναι διάφοροι συντίθενται ταῖς Κανταβρικαῖς ἐνάμιλλοι, πρόσοδον οὐ μικρὰν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις παρέχουσαι.
The side of the Pyrenees next Iberia is covered with forests containing numerous kinds of trees and evergreens, whilst the side next Keltica is bare: in the midst [the mountains] enclose valleys admirably fitted for the habitation of man. These are mainly possessed by the Kerretani, a people of the Iberians. The hams they cure are excellent, fully equal to those of the Cantabrians, and they realize no inconsiderable profit to the inhabitants.
̔υπερβαλόντι δὲ τὴν Ἰδουβέδαν ἡ Κελτιβηρία παραχρῆμα πολλὴ καὶ ἀνώμαλος, τὸ μέν πλέον αὐτῆς ἐστὶ τραχὺ καὶ ποταμόκλυστον· διὰ γὰρ τούτων ὅ τε Ἄνας φέρεται καὶ ὁ Τάγος καὶ οἱ ἐφεξῆς ποταμοὶ οἱ πλείους οἱ ἐπὶ τὴν ἑσπερίαν θάλατταν καταφερόμενοι, τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔχοντες ἐκ τῆς ιβηρίας· ὧν ὁ Δούριος φέρεται παρὰ τὴν Νομαντίαν καὶ τὴν Σεργουντίαν, ὁ δὲ Βαῖτις ἐκ τῆς Ὀροσπέδας τὰς ἀρχὰς ἔχων διὰ τῆς Ὠρητανίας εἰς τὴν Βαιτικὴν ῥεῖ. οἰκοῦσι δʼ ἐκ μὲν τῶν πρὸς ἄρκτον μερῶν τοῖς Κελτίβηρσι Βήρωνες Καντάβροις ὅμοροι τοῖς Κονίσκοις, καὶ αὐτοὶ τοῦ Κελτικοῦ στόλου γεγονότες, ὧν ἐστι πόλις Ὀυαρία κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Ἴβηρος διάβασιν κειμένη· συνεχεῖς δʼ εἰσὶ καὶ Βαρδυήταις, οὓς οἱ νῦν Βαρδούλους καλοῦσιν· ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ἑσπερίου τῶν τε Ἀστύρων τινὲς καὶ τῶν Καλλαϊκῶν καὶ Ὀυακκαίων, ἔτι δὲ Ὀυεττώνων καὶ Καρπητανῶν· ἐκ δὲ τῶν νοτίων Ὠρητανοί τε καὶ ὅσοι ἄλλοι τὴν Ὀροσπέδαν οἰκοῦσι Βαστητανῶν τε καὶ Ἐδητανῶν· πρὸς ἕω δὲ Ἰδουβέδα.
Immediately after passing Idubeda, you enter on Keltiberia, a large and irregular country. It is for the most part rugged, and watered by rivers, being traversed by the Guadiana, the Tagus, and many other of the rivers which flow into the western sea, but have their sources in Keltiberia. Of their number is the Douro, which flows by Numantia and Serguntia. The Guadalquiver rises in Orospeda, and after passing through Oretania, enters Baetica. The Berones inhabit the districts north of the Keltiberians, and are neighbours of the Conish Cantabrians. They likewise had their origin in the Keltic expedition. Their city is Varia, situated near to the passage of the Ebro. They are adjacent to the Bardyitae, now called the Bardyli. To the west [of the Keltiberians] are certain of the Astures, Gallicians, and Vaccaei, besides Vettones and Carpetani. On the south are the Oretani, and the other inhabitants of Orospeda, both Bastetani and Edetani, and to the east is Idubeda.
αὐτῶν τε τῶν Κελτιβήρων εἰς τέτταρα μέρη διῃρημένων οἱ κράτιστοι μάλιστα πρὸς ἕω εἰσὶ καὶ πρὸς νότον οἱ Ἀρουάκοι, συνάπτοντες Καρπητανοῖς καὶ ταῖς τοῦ Τάγου πηγαῖς· πόλις δʼ αὐτῶν ὀνομαστοτάτη Νομαντία. ἔδειξαν δὲ τὴν ἀρετὴν τῷ Κελτιβηρικῷ πολέμῳ τῷ πρὸς Ῥωμαίους εἰκοσαετεῖ γενομένῳ· πολλὰ γὰρ στρατεύματα σὺν ἡγεμόσιν ἐφθάρη, τὸ δὲ τελευταῖον οἱ Νομαντῖνοι πολιορκούμενοι ἀπεκαρτέρησαν πλὴν ὀλίγων τῶν ἐνδόντων τὸ τεῖχος. καὶ οἱ Λούσωνες δὲ ἑῷοί εἰσι, συνάπτοντες καὶ αὐτοὶ ταῖς τοῦ Τάγου πηγαῖς. τῶν δʼ Ἀρουάκων ἐστὶ καὶ Σεγήδα πόλις καὶ Παλλαντία. διέχει δὲ Νομαντία τῆς Καισαραυγούστας, ἣν ἔφαμεν ἐπὶ τῷ Ἴβηρι ἱδρῦσθαι, σταδίους ἐπὶ ὀκτακοσίους. καὶ Σεγοβρίγα δʼ ἐστὶ τῶν Κελτιβήρων πόλις καὶ Βίλβιλις, περὶ ἃς Μέτελλος καὶ Σερτώριος ἐπολέμησαν. Πολύβιος δὲ τὰ τῶν Ὀυακκαίων καὶ τῶν Κελτιβήρων ἔθνη καὶ χωρία διεξιὼν συλλέγει ταῖς ἄλλαις πόλεσι καὶ Σεγεσάμαν καὶ Ἰντερκατίαν. φησὶ δὲ Ποσειδώνιος Μάρκον Μάρκελλον πράξασθαι φόρον ἐκ τῆς Κελτιβηρίας τάλαντα ἑξακόσια, ἐξ οὗ τεκμαίρεσθαι πάρεστιν ὅτι καὶ πολλοὶ ἦσαν οἱ Κελτίβηρες καὶ χρημάτων εὐποροῦντες, καίπερ οἰκοῦντες χώραν παράλυπρον. Πολυβίου δʼ εἰπόντος τριακοσίας αὐτῶν καταλῦσαι πόλεις Τιβέριον Γράκχον, κωμῳδῶν φησι τοῦτο τῷ Γράκχῳ χαρίσασθαι τὸν ἄνδρα, τοὺς πύργους καλοῦντα πόλεις, ὥσπερ ἐν ταῖς θριαμβικαῖς πομπαῖς. καὶ ἴσως οὐκ ἄπιστον τοῦτο λέγει· καὶ γὰρ οἱ στρατηγοὶ καὶ οἱ συγγραφεῖς ῥᾳδίως ἐπὶ τοῦτο φέρονται τὸ ψεῦσμα καλλωπίζοντες τὰς πράξεις, ἐπεὶ καὶ οἱ φάσκοντες πλείους ἢ χιλίας τὰς τῶν Ἰβήρων ὑπάρξαι πόλεις ἐπὶ τοῦτο φέρεσθαί μοι δοκοῦσι, τὰς μεγάλας κώμας πόλεις ὀνομάζοντες. οὔτε γὰρ ἡ τῆς χώρας φύσις πόλεων ἐπιδεκτικὴ πολλῶν ἐστι διὰ τὴν λυπρότητα ἢ διὰ τὸν ἐκτοπισμὸν καὶ τὸ ἀνήμερον, οὔθʼ οἱ βίοι καὶ πράξεις αὐτῶν (ἔξω τῶν κατὰ τὴν παραλίαν τὴν καθʼ ἡμᾶς) ὑπαγορεύουσι τοιοῦτον οὐδέν· ἄγριοι γὰρ οἱ κατὰ κώμας οἰκοῦντες· τοιοῦτοι δʼ οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν Ἰβήρων· αἱ δὲ πόλεις ἡμεροῦσιν οὐδʼ αὗται ῥᾳδίως, ὅταν πλεονάζῃ τὸ τὰς ὕλας ἐπὶ κακῷ τῶν πλησίον οἰκοῦν.
Of the four divisions into which the Keltiberians are separated, the most powerful are the Aruaci, situated to the east and south, near to the Carpetani and the sources of the Tagus. Their most renowned city is Numantia. They showed their valour in the war of twenty years, waged by the Keltiberians against the Romans; for many armies of the Romans, together with their generals, were destroyed; and in the end the Numantians, besieged within their city, endured the famine with constancy, till, reduced to a very small number, they were compelled to surrender the place. The Lusones are also situated to the east, and likewise border on the sources of the Tagus. Segeda and Pallantia are cities of the Aruaci. Numantia is distant from Caesar Augusta, situated as we have said upon the Ebro, about 800 stadia. Near to Segobriga and Bilbilis, likewise cities of the Keltiberians, was fought the battle between Metellus and Sertorius. Polybius, describing the people and countries of the Vaccaei and Keltiberians, enumerates Segesama and Intercatia amongst their other cities. Posidonius tells us that Marcus Marcellus exacted of Keltiberia a tribute of 600 talents, which proves that the Keltiberians were a numerous and wealthy people, notwithstanding the little fertility of their country. Polybius narrates that Tiberius Gracchus destroyed 300 cities of the Keltiberians. This Posidonius ridicules, and asserts that to flatter Gracchus, Polybius described as cities the towers such as are exhibited in the triumphal processions. This is not incredible; for both generals and historians easily fall into this species of deception, by exaggerating their doings. Those who assert that Iberia contained more than a thousand cities, seem to me to have been carried away in a similar manner, and to have denominated as cities what were merely large villages; since, from its very nature, this country is incapable of maintaining so many cities, on account of its sterility, wildness, and its out-of-the-way position. Nor, with the exception of those who dwell along the shores of the Mediterranean, is any such statement confirmed by the mode of life or actions of the inhabitants. The inhabitants of the villages, who constitute the majority of the Iberians, are quite uncivilized. Even the cities cannot very easily refine the manners [of their inhabitants], as the neighbouring woods are full of robbers, waiting only an opportunity to inflict injury on the citizens.
μετὰ δὲ τοὺς Κελτίβηρας πρὸς νότον εἰσὶν οἱ τὸ ὄρος οἰκοῦντες τὴν Ὀροσπέδαν καὶ τὴν περὶ τὸν Σούκρωνα χώραν Ἐδητανοί, μέχρι Καρχηδόνος, καὶ Βαστητανοὶ καὶ Ὠρητανοί, σχεδὸν δέ τι καὶ μέχρι Μαλάκας.
Beyond the Keltiberians to the south are the inhabitants of Orospeda and the country about the Xucar, the Sidetani, [who extend] as far as Carthage, and the Bastetani and Oretani, [who extend] almost as far as Malaca.
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