Bética

Bética, also known as Hispania Baetica, was one of three Roman provinces in Hispania (the Iberian Peninsula). It bordered Lusitania to the west and Hispania Tarraconensis to the northeast. Baetica roughly corresponds to modern Andalusia in Spain, along with parts of Extremadura and southern Portugal.

The province was established under Augustus, around 14 BC, and was governed by a proconsul chosen by the Roman Senate, making it a senatorial province. This status reflected its relative stability and long period of Roman influence compared to other regions of Hispania. Baetica was one of the wealthiest and most Romanized regions of Hispania.

Its fertile lands produced a large quantity of agricultural goods, including olive oil, wine, and grain, which were exported throughout the Roman Empire. Baetica was also known for its high-quality wool.

Notable cities in Baetica included Corduba (Córdoba), Hispalis (Seville), Gades (Cádiz), and Astigi (Écija). These cities were centers of commerce, administration, and Roman culture. Baetica produced numerous important figures in Roman history and literature, including the emperors Trajan and Hadrian, and the philosopher Seneca the Younger.

Following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, Baetica came under the control of the Vandals, then the Visigoths.