The History of Spain: Land on a Crossroad

The Iberian Peninsula holds the ancient beginnings of human habitation, demonstrated in the vivid cave paintings made by the early hunters of Spain.

Tracing the impact of the Celts and the technology they bring to the region; learning about the Phoenicians and their legacy of trade and engineering; the singular influence of the Greeks, who shape the history and culture of the peninsula.

Tracking the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage; observing how Rome joins the Iberian provinces together and creates thriving cities; learning about the marvels of Roman engineering, infrastructure, and mining, through which Spain grew rich.

Learning about early Christian communities in Spain; charting the role of Spanish churchmen in the establishment of the Roman Catholic Church; how pagan practices are transformed into Christian ones; how Spain becomes a bulwark of church orthodoxy.

Germanic and Iranian tribal groups besiege Spanish territories; taking the measure of these people and the new innovations they bring; observing how they partition and rule; how their culture keeps them separate from Spain's Roman population.

Learning how the Goths penetrate Roman territories; studying the structure of Visigoth society, which gave rise to influential legal codes and monasticism; Toledo as a center of learning; the diffusion of Visigothic scholarship and culture.