Spain under the Roman Empire

The formation of the Spanish provinces dates from 197 B.C., before which extraordinary magistrates, two proconsuls annually, were sent out. Spain was then divided into the Hither and Further provinces, each under a prætor, with the seats of government at Carthago and Corduba respectively. The boundaries varied at different times, but the Hither province had a tendency to increase, and by Cæsar's time included everything but Bætica and Lusitania. Though these last were only formally separated by Augustus their inherent difference was recognized by Pompey in his division of Spain among his three legates, Varro, Afranius, and Petreius...