List of Latin place names in Iberia

This list includes countries and regions in the Iberian Peninsula (Latin Hispania) that were part of the Roman Empire, or that were given Latin place names in historical references.

Background

Until the Modern Era, Latin was the common language for scholarship and mapmaking. During the 19th and 20th centuries, German scholars in particular have made significant contributions to the study of historical place names, or Ortsnamenkunde. These studies have, in turn, contributed to the study of genealogy. For genealogists and historians of pre-Modern Europe, knowing alternate names of places is vital to extracting information from both public and private records. Even specialists in this field point out, however, that the information can be easily taken out of context, since there is a great deal of repetition of place names throughout Europe; reliance purely on apparent connections should therefore be tempered with valid historical methodology.

Caveats and notes

Latin place names are not always exclusive to one place – for example, there were several Roman cities whose names began with Colonia and then a more descriptive term. During the Middle Ages, these were often shortened to just Colonia. One of these, Colonia Agrippinensis, retains the name today in the form of Cologne.

Early sources for Roman names show numerous variants and spellings of the Latin names.

The modern canonical name is listed first. Sources are listed chronologically. In general, only the earliest source is shown for each name, although many of the names are recorded in more than one of the sources. Where the source differs in spelling, or has other alternatives, these are listed following the source. As an aid to searching, variants are spelled completely, and listed in most likely chronology.

Superscripts indicate:

  1. Latinized form of the Greek-derived name.
  2. Latinized form of the Asian-derived name via Greek.
  3. Altered Latinized form of the Greek-derived name.

Gibraltar

Canonical Latin name (source(s): variant(s))English name (native language(s)) – older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s)
Calpe (2PG3), Mons Calpe, GibraltariaGibraltar

Portugal

Cities and towns

Canonical Latin name (source(s): variant(s))English name (native language(s)) – older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s)
AeminiumCoimbra
Aquae FlaviaeChaves
ArabrigaAlenquer
ArandisGarvão, a parish of Ourique
AretiumAlvega
AviariumAveiro
Baesuris, EsuriCastro Marim
Balsawest of Tavira
BevipoAlcácer do Sal
Bracara AugustaBraga
BrigantiaBragança
Caeciliana(a Roman villa between Caetobriga and Malateca)
CaetobrigaTróia, near Setúbal
CalipolisVila Viçosa
Castra LeucaCastelo Branco
CilpesSilves
Civitas AravorumMarialva Castle, near Mêda
Civitas CalabrigaMonte do Castelo, Almendra
Civitas CobelcorumAlmofala, Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo
Centum CellaeColmeal da Torre, a parish of Belmonte
CollipoS. Sebastião do Freixo – Golpilheira, Batalha
ConímbrigaCondeixa-a-Nova, south of Coimbra (the inhabitants of Conímbriga fled to nearby Aeminium, the ancient name of Coimbra, in 468)
Conistorgis(location unknown in the Algarve or Baixo-Alentejo)
DipoElvas
Ebora, Ebora Cerealis, Liberalitas JuliaÉvora
Eburobritium, EburobrittiumÓbidos
EgiptaniaIdanha-a-Velha
EquabonaCoina, a parish of Barreiro
Guimaranis, VimaranisGuimarães
IpsesAlvor
Lacobriga, LaccobrigaLagos
LamecumLamego
LancobrigaFiães, a parish of Santa Maria da Feira
LoricaLoriga, a parish of Seia
MalatecaMarateca, a parish of Palmela
Metallum VipascenseMina de Aljustrel, central Alentejo
Mirobriga CelticorumSantiago do Cacém
MondobrigaAlter do Chão
Moronnear Santarém
Myrtilis IuliaMértola
Nabantia, Nabancia, Selleum, SelliumTomar
Olisipo, Olisipo Felicitas Iulia, Felicitas Julia Olissipo, Ulyssipolis, UlisseiaLisbon (Lisboa)
OssonobaFaro
Pax Iulia, Pax Augusta, Colonia Civitas PacensisBeja
Portus AlacerPortalegre
Portus CaleVila Nova de Gaia, Porto
Portus HannibalisPortimão
SalaciaAlcácer do Sal
ScalabisSantarém
SirpeSerpa
SinusSines
TalabaraAlpedrinha, a parish of Fundão
TalabrigaMarnel, near Águeda
TongobrigaFreixo, Marco de Canaveses
Tubucci AurantesAbrantes
VeniatiaVinhais
Villa EuraciniPóvoa de Varzim
VipascaAljustrel
VissaiumViseu

Rivers

Fl. Fluvius (Latin), R. Rio (Portuguese)

Roman name Modern name
Minius Fl.R. Minho
Limia Fl.R. Lima
Tamaca Fl.R. Tâmega
Durius Fl.R. Douro
Vacua Fl.R. Vouga
Monda Fl.R. Mondego
Tagus Fl.R. Tejo
Calipus Fl.R. Sado
Ana vel Anas Fl.R. Guadiana
Nabantius Fl.R. Nabão

Mountains

Roman name Modern name
Herminius MonsSerra da Estrela, its former name meant the Mountains of Hermes.
Lunae MonsSerra de Sintra, its former name meant the Mountains of the Moon.

Spain

Cities and towns

Canonical Latin name (source(s): variant(s))English name (native language(s)) – older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s)
AbderaAdra, Andalusia
AcinipoRonda la Vieja, near Ronda, Andalusia
AllaboAlagon, Aragon
ArundaRonda, Andalusia
Asturica AugustaAstorga, León
Baelo ClaudiaBolonia, a village near Tarifa, Andalusia
BaetuloBadalona, Catalonia
BarcinoBarcelona, Catalonia
BariaVillaricos, Andalusia
BeligioBelchite / Azuara / Azaila, Aragon
BilbilisCalatayud, Aragon
Flavium Brigantiumprobably Betanzos, Galicia
BursaoBorja, Aragon
CaesaraugustaSaragossa, Aragon
CalagurrisCalahorra, La Rioja
Carthago NovaCartagena
Colonia Clunia SulpiciaClunia, Burgos
Colonia Victrix Iulia Lepida / C. V. I. CelsaGelsa / Velilla de Ebro, Aragon
ComplutumAlcalá de Henares, Madrid
Contrebia BelaiscaBotorrita, Aragon
Corduba (2PG3)Córdoba
DertusaTortosa, Catalonia
EgaraTerrassa, Catalonia
Emerita AugustaMérida
FlaviobrigaCastro Urdiales, Cantabria
GadesCádiz, Andalusia
GerundaGirona, Catalonia
GranataGranada
Hispalis (2PG3)Seville
IaccaJaca, Aragon
IlerdaLleida, Catalonia
IluroMataró, Catalonia
Iria FlaviaIria Flavia, Galicia
LabitolosaLa Puebla de Castro, Aragon
Legio VII GeminaLeón
LucentumAlicante
Lucus AugustiLugo, Galicia
MatriceMadrid
Malaca (2PG3)Málaga
MinorisaManresa, Catalonia
NumantiaSoria
OiassoOiartzun, Basque Country
Pompaelo, Pampalona, PampelonaPamplona, Navarre
SalmanticaSalamanca
SegedaBelmonte de Gracián / Mara, Aragon
TarracoTarragona, Catalonia
ToletumToledo
Tude, TydeTui, Galicia
TuriasoTarazona, Aragon
UrciAlmería, Andalusia
ValentiaValencia
VirgisBerja

See also

References

In order of likely publication:

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