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reign of spain
38,000 BCE ANCIENT ART The world’s oldest known cave paintings, created by Neanderthals, have been discovered in Cantabria, Northern Spain. In particular, the prehistoric art located in the El Castillo cave dates back to over 40,000 years ago. 218 BCE THE ROMANS ARRIVE Though it took 200 years, the Romans conquered the Iberian Peninsula and renamed it Hispania. Ruling for seven centuries, the Romans had a lasting impact on the region’s culture, most notably on the language. 507 A NEW ERA As the Roman Empire declined, Germanic tribes took advantage and invaded Hispania. They eventually conquered the whole of the peninsula. The Visigothic king Leovigild established his new capital in modern-day Toledo. Ironically, the Romans had…