The Bracari or Callaeci Bracari were an ancient Celtic tribe of

Gallaecia Gallaecia, also known as Hispania Gallaecia, was the name of a Roman province in the north-west of Hispania, approximately present-day Galicia (Spain), Galicia, Norte, Portugal, northern Portugal, Asturias and León (province), Leon and the lat ...

, living in the northwest of modern

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

, in the province of Minho, between the rivers Tâmega and Cávado. After the conquest of the region beginning in 136BC, the Romans established the Augustan citadel of ''Bracara'', modern

Braga Braga ( , ; cel-x-proto, Bracara) is a city and a municipality, capital of the northwestern Portuguese district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality has a resident population of 193,333 inhabitants (in ...

, in 20 BC.

Appian Appian of Alexandria (; grc-gre, Ἀππιανὸς Ἀλεξανδρεύς ''Appianòs Alexandreús''; la, Appianus Alexandrinus; ) was a Greek historian with Roman citizenship who flourished during the reigns of Emperors of Rome Trajan, Ha ...

wrote they were a very warlike people. According to him, The Bracari women warriors fought defending their town "never turning, never showing their backs or uttering a cry." It has long been known that they spoke a

Celtic language The Celtic languages (usually , but sometimes ) are a group of related languages descended from Proto-Celtic. They form a branch of the Indo-European language family. The term "Celtic" was first used to describe this language group by Edward ...

, as can be seen in the inscription dedicated to the goddess

Nabia Nabia was the goddess of rivers and water in Gallaecian and Lusitanian mythology, in the territory of modern Galicia (Spain), Asturias (Spain) and Portugal. The present-day Navia River and Avia (river) in Galicia and Asturias, the Neiva River, ...

at Braga's ''Fonte do Ídolo'' (

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

for the '' Fountain of the Idol''), or in the name of their town '' Tongobriga'' (in

Marco de Canaveses Marco de Canaveses () is a city and municipality on Porto district, in northern Portugal. The population in 2011 was 53,450, in an area of 201.89 km². The city itself had a population of 9,042 in 2001. Geography The city of Marco Canaves ...

The region was home to some native and notable citadels that fiercely resisted Roman rule and were sieged by the Romans. These were Lambriaca, Avobriga, and Cinania. Lambriaca and Avobriga were located near the coast, probably near the river mouth of the

Ave river Ave River ( pt, Rio Ave; ) is a river in Northern Portugal. It has its source in the Cabreira Mountain (Serra da Cabreira) in the Minho Region. In its course passes through the cities of Guimaraes , Vizela , Santo Tirso , Trofa and Vila do ...

where some citadels ruins are known. At the beginning of the 1st century, the

Citânia de Briteiros The Citânia de Briteiros is an archaeological site of the Castro culture located in the Portuguese civil parish of Briteiros São Salvador e Briteiros Santa Leocádia in the municipality of Guimarães; important for its size, "urban" form and d ...

was one of their main citadels and seat of the "consilium gentis."

Cividade de Terroso Cividade de Terroso was an ancient city of the Castro culture in North-western coast of the Iberian Peninsula, situated near the present bed of the Ave river, in the suburbs of present-day Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal. Located in the heart of the ...

, near the Ave river mouth, shows archaeological signs of the Roman siege and conquest. It was suggested that

could be ancient ''Cinania''. However, this is not certain, as there were other citadels nearby, including

Citânia de Sanfins The Citância de Sanfins is an archaeological site of the Castro culture located in the Portuguese civil parish of Sanfins de Ferreira in the municipality of Paços de Ferreira. The construction of the Castro site developed over many phases, bet ...

. It is known that cinania had luxuries and an iron ore mine, used for a surprise attack on the Roman camp. It is possible that the Celtic

Nemetati The Nemetati were an ancient Celtic tribe of Gallaecia, living in the north of modern Portugal between the Cávado and Ave Rivers, in the province of Minho, north of the Douro.They lived near the valley of the Ave River and may have some link wit ...

were an allied tribe of the ''Bracari''. Neighbouring this people or tribe, to the south were the Gallaeci Proper or Callaeci (that gave the name to the larger tribal confederation of the same name - the

Gallaeci The Gallaeci (also Callaeci or Callaici; grc, Καλλαϊκοί) were a Celtic tribal complex who inhabited Gallaecia, the north-western corner of Iberia, a region roughly corresponding to what is now the Norte Region in northern Portugal, a ...

) and the

Narbasi The Narbasi were an ancient Celtic tribe of Gallaecia, living in the province of Minho (north of modern Portugal) and nearby areas of modern Galicia (Spain). See also *Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula This is a list of the pre-Roman ...

, to the north were the Luanci, Nebisoci and

Seurbi The Seurbi were a pre-Roman group of tribes living in the north of modern Portugal, in the province of Minho, between the rivers Cávado and Lima (or even reaching the river Minho). See also *Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula This is ...

, to the east were the

and the Lubaini, to the west were the Atlantic coast. The goddess

was very popular in the territory of the Callaici Bracari with several inscriptions, like the one at Braga's Fonte do Ídolo (Portuguese for Fountain of the Idol).

References

*Coutinhas, José Manuel (2006), ''Aproximação à identidade etno-cultural dos Callaici Bracari'', Porto. *Queiroga, Francisco (1992), ''War and Castros'', Oxford. *Silva, Armando Coelho Ferreira da (1986), ''A Cultura Castreja'', Porto.

External links

Detailed map of the Pre-Roman Peoples of Iberia (around 200 BC)
Tribes of Gallaecia Galician Celtic tribes History of Braga Ancient peoples of Portugal {{Portugal-hist-stub