This list includes countries and regions in the Iberian Peninsula (Latin Hispania)that were part of the Roman Empire, or that were given Latin place names in historical references.
Until the Modern Era, Latin was the common language for scholarship and mapmaking. During the 19th and 20th centuries, German scholars in particular have made significant contributions to the study of historical place names, or Ortsnamenkunde. These studies have, in turn, contributed to the study of genealogy. For genealogists and historians of pre-Modern Europe, knowing alternate names of places is vital to extracting information from both public and private records. Even specialists in this field point out, however, that the information can be easily taken out of context, since there is a great deal of repetition of place names throughout Europe; reliance purely on apparent connections should therefore be tempered with valid historical methodology.
Latin place names are not always exclusive to one place – for example, there were several Roman cities whose names began with Colonia and then a more descriptive term. During the Middle Ages, these were often shortened to just Colonia. One of these, Colonia Agrippinensis, retains the name today in the form of Cologne.
Early sources for Roman names show numerous variants and spellings of the Latin names.
The modern canonical name is listed first. Sources are listed chronologically. In general, only the earliest source is shown for each name, although many of the names are recorded in more than one of the sources. Where the source differs in spelling, or has other alternatives, these are listed following the source. As an aid to searching, variants are spelled completely, and listed in most likely chronology.
Superscripts indicate:
See also: Roman cities in Portugal.
| Canonical Latin name (source(s): variant(s)) | English name (native language(s)) – older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| Coimbra | ||
| Chaves | ||
| Alenquer | ||
| Garvão, a parish of Ourique | ||
| Alvega | ||
| Aveiro | ||
| Baesuris, Esuri | Castro Marim | |
| west of Tavira | ||
| Alcácer do Sal | ||
| Braga | ||
| Bragança | ||
| (a Roman villa between Caetobriga and Malateca) | ||
| Tróia, near Setúbal | ||
| Vila Viçosa | ||
| Castelo Branco | ||
| Silves | ||
| Marialva Castle, near Mêda | ||
| Monte do Castelo, Almendra | ||
| Almofala, Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo | ||
| Colmeal da Torre, a parish of Belmonte | ||
| S. Sebastião do Freixo – Golpilheira, Batalha | ||
| Condeixa-a-Nova, south of Coimbra (the inhabitants of Conímbriga fled to nearby Aeminium, the ancient name of Coimbra, in 468) | ||
| (location unknown in the Algarve or Baixo-Alentejo) | ||
| Elvas | ||
| Ebora, Ebora Cerealis, Liberalitas Julia | Évora | |
| Eburobritium, Eburobrittium | Óbidos | |
| Idanha-a-Velha | ||
| Coina, a parish of Barreiro | ||
| Guimaranis, Vimaranis | Guimarães | |
| Alvor | ||
| Lacobriga, Laccobriga | Lagos | |
| Lamego | ||
| Fiães, a parish of Santa Maria da Feira | ||
| Loriga, a parish of Seia | ||
| Marateca, a parish of Palmela | ||
| Mina de Aljustrel, central Alentejo | ||
| Santiago do Cacém | ||
| Alter do Chão | ||
| near Santarém | ||
| Myrtilis Iulia | Mértola | |
| Nabantia, Nabancia, Selleum, Sellium | Tomar | |
| Olisipo, Olisipo Felicitas Iulia, Felicitas Julia Olissipo, Ulyssipolis, Ulisseia | Lisbon (Lisboa) | |
| Faro | ||
| Pax Iulia, Pax Augusta, Colonia Civitas Pacensis | Beja | |
| Portalegre | ||
| Vila Nova de Gaia, Porto | ||
| Portimão | ||
| Alcácer do Sal | ||
| Santarém | ||
| Serpa | ||
| Sines | ||
| Alpedrinha, a parish of Fundão | ||
| Marnel, near Águeda | ||
| Freixo, Marco de Canaveses | ||
| Abrantes | ||
| Vinhais | ||
| Póvoa de Varzim | ||
| Aljustrel | ||
| Viseu |
Fl. Fluvius (Latin), R. Rio (Portuguese)
| Roman name | Modern name | |
|---|---|---|
| Minius Fl. | R. Minho | |
| Limia Fl. | R. Lima | |
| Tamaca Fl. | R. Tâmega | |
| Durius Fl. | R. Douro | |
| Vacua Fl. | R. Vouga | |
| Monda Fl. | R. Mondego | |
| Tagus Fl. | R. Tejo | |
| Calipus Fl. | R. Sado | |
| Ana vel Anas Fl. | R. Guadiana | |
| Nabantius Fl. | R. Nabão |
| Roman name | Modern name | |
|---|---|---|
| Herminius Mons | Serra da Estrela, its former name meant the Mountains of Hermes. | |
| Lunae Mons | Serra de Sintra, its former name meant the Mountains of the Moon. |
| Canonical Latin name (source(s): variant(s)) | English name (native language(s)) – older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| Abdera | Adra, Andalusia | |
| Acinipo | Ronda la Vieja, near Ronda, Andalusia | |
| Allabo | Alagon, Aragon | |
| Arunda | Ronda, Andalusia | |
| Astorga, León | ||
| Bolonia, a village near Tarifa, Andalusia | ||
| Baetulo | Badalona, Catalonia | |
| Barcino | Barcelona, Catalonia | |
| Baria | Villaricos, Andalusia | |
| Beligio | Belchite / Azuara / Azaila, Aragon | |
| Bilbilis | Calatayud, Aragon | |
| Flavium Brigantium | probably Betanzos, Galicia | |
| Bursao | Borja, Aragon | |
| Caesaraugusta | Saragossa, Aragon | |
| Calagurris | Calahorra, La Rioja | |
| Cartagena | ||
| Clunia, Burgos | ||
| Colonia Victrix Iulia Lepida / C. V. I. Celsa | Gelsa / Velilla de Ebro, Aragon | |
| Alcalá de Henares, Madrid | ||
| Contrebia Belaisca | Botorrita, Aragon | |
| Corduba (2PG3) | Córdoba | |
| Dertusa | Tortosa, Catalonia | |
| Egara | Terrassa, Catalonia | |
| Emerita Augusta | Mérida | |
| Castro Urdiales, Cantabria | ||
| Gades | Cádiz, Andalusia | |
| Gerunda | Girona, Catalonia | |
| Granata | Granada | |
| Hispalis (2PG3) | Seville | |
| Iacca | Jaca, Aragon | |
| Ilerda | Lleida, Catalonia | |
| Iluro | Mataró, Catalonia | |
| Iria Flavia | Iria Flavia, Galicia | |
| Labitolosa | La Puebla de Castro, Aragon | |
| Legio VII Gemina | León | |
| Lucentum | Alicante | |
| Lugo, Galicia | ||
| Matrice | Madrid | |
| Malaca (2PG3) | Málaga | |
| Minorisa | Manresa, Catalonia | |
| Numantia | Soria | |
| Oiartzun, Basque Country | ||
| Pompaelo, Pampalona, Pampelona | Pamplona, Navarre | |
| Salmantica | Salamanca | |
| Segeda | Belmonte de Gracián / Mara, Aragon | |
| Tarraco | Tarragona, Catalonia | |
| Toletum | Toledo | |
| Tude, Tyde | Tui, Galicia | |
| Turiaso | Tarazona, Aragon | |
| Almería, Andalusia | ||
| Valentia | Valencia | |
| Virgis | Berja |
In order of likely publication: