VOLENTE IPSA CIVITATE… IUBEO. L’AZIONE ROMANA NELLE COMUNITÀ INDIGENE: IL NORD-OVEST ISPANICO COME MODELLO*

Abstract

The Northwest was the last territory of the Iberian peninsula conquered during the time of Emperor Augustus.
From this moment on, an intense transformation of the indigenous communities began and it was
carried out, in some cases, voluntarily but, in others, it was imposed by the Roman State. It is this last form
that interests us and is the objective of our research project called “Aut oppressi serviunt aut recepti beneficio
se obligatos putant: the intervention of Rome in the indigenous communities (2nd BC - 1st AD)” and it is
also the reason why we have organised this workshop. We start from our research experience in the Hispanic
Northwest, where both the literary information and, above all, the epigraphic information, allow us
to see a systematic change, carried out by governors close to Augustus and in a short period of time. These
government actions are intended to give greater cohesion to the indigenous communities and facilitate their
integration into the Roman Empire.