Contestani

Eastern side of Tolmo de Minateda hill near Hellín.

Sculptures found in the Cerro de los Santos ancient Iberian village

The Contestani were an ancient Iberian (Pre-Roman) people of the Iberian peninsula (the Roman Hispania). They are believed to have spoken the Iberian language.

They lived in a region located SW of the Tarraconensis, east of the territory of the Bastetani, between the city of Urci, located NE of the Baetica and river Sucro, today known as Xúquer. Nowadays this would correspond to a section of the Albacete Province, The eastern part of the Region of Murcia and the southern part of the Land of Valencia.^[1]

Cartago Nova was within its territory. Other important towns were Setabi (Xàtiva), Lucenti or Lucentum (L'Albufereta in Alacant), Alonis (La Vila Joiosa), Ilici (Elx), Menlaria, Valentia and Iaspis. Iberian coins were minted at Sebati.^[2] There is an important Contestani archaeological site at Tolmo de Minateda hill near Hellín.^[3]

See also

• Lucentum
• Lady of Elche
• Treasure of Villena
• Tolmo de Minateda
• Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula

References

1. ^ Lorenzo Abad Casal, La Contestania Ibérica, treinta años después, Universidad de Alicante. Servicio de Publicaciones, 2005. ISBN 84-7908-845-1
2. ^ José Uroz Sáez, Economía y sociedad de Contestania ibérica, Instituto de estudios alicantinos,1998. ISBN 84-0004-959-4
3. ^ Abad Casal L, Gutiérrez Lloret S, Sanz Gamo R. El Tolmo de Minateda. Una historia de tres mil quinientos años. Junta de Comunidades de Castilla La Mancha, Toledo, 1999

External links

• Detailed map of the Pre-Roman Peoples of Iberia (around 200 BC)
• Alicante Archaeological Museum
• Villena Archaeological Museum