HISPANIA

in Roman times, region comprising the Iberian Peninsula, now occupied by Portugal and Spain. When the Romans took Hispania from the Carthaginians (206 BC), they divided it into two provinces: Hispania Ulterior (present Andalusia, Extremadura, southern Len, and most of modern Portugal) and Hispania Citerior, or Tarraconensis (all of what is now northern, eastern, and south-central Spain). Under Augustus (reigned 27 BCAD 14), Hispania Ulterior was further divided into Lusitania (Portugal and part of western Spain) and Baetica (Andalusia and southern Extremadura).