Portugal and Spain Hillfort

hill fort of coaña, asturias, spain

in galicia, asturias, cantabria, basque country, province of Ávila , northern portugal castro fortified pre-roman iron age village, located on hill or naturally easy defendable place. larger hill forts called citanias, cividades or cidás (english: cities). located on hilltops, allowed tactical control on surrounding countryside , provided natural defences. had access spring or small creek provide water; had large reservoirs use during sieges. typically, castro had 1 5 stone , earth walls, complemented natural defences of hill. buildings inside, of them circular in shape, rectangular, 3.5–15 m (11–49 ft) long; made out of stone thatch roofs resting on wood column in centre of building. in major oppida there regular streets, suggesting form of central organization. castros vary in area less hectare 50 hectare ones, , abandoned after roman conquest of territory.

many castros established during atlantic bronze age period, pre-dating hallstatt culture.

many of megaliths bronze age such menhirs , dolmens, located near castros, pre-date celts in portugal, asturias , galicia in atlantic france, britain , ireland. these megaliths reused in syncretic rituals celtic druids.

the celtiberian people occupied inland region in central northern spain, straddling upper valleys of ebro, douro , tajo. built hillforts, fortified hilltop towns , oppida, including numantia.