The Roman Empire at one point in history covered the larger part of the European continent, including Spain, and the country became one of the suppliers with the most needed goods. When the Roman Empire declined there was much less destruction in Spain than in any other of the Roman dominions.

During the flourishing state of the Roman Empire, Spain was known as the Roman Iberia. It was administratively parted into Hispania Ulterior and Hispania Citerior. It was even further divided into smaller regions: Hispania Taraconensis, Hispania Baetica and Lustancia (which nowadays is located in Portugal). These divisions remain apart of modern Spain, which has been divided into 15 regions.

Spain provided raw materials,  metals and food such as olive oil, wine and other goods. Spain has historical and political significance because it was the birthplace of the emperors Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Trajan, Theodosius the First and the philosopher Seneca. In the year 306, Spanish bishops were the heads of the Council at Elivira. When the Roman Empire fell, it didn’t create such crisis and havoc in Spain as it did in other western countries like Gaul, Germany and Britain. However, its infrastructure and economy, as well as its institutions suffered. All in all, it seems that Spanish culture was most damaged, if one can call Roman influence damage.

The Roman conquest started as early as year 19 BC with the invasion of the Carthaginian region and ended with the last resistance in the northwest in the same year. The south soon came under the Roman Empire’s growing domination with a frame of roads connecting towns and strategic bridges. Iberian cities including Merida, Cordoba, Seville and Cartagena passed into the hands of the Romans.

Around the end of 100 AD, the Spanish-born Trajan became Roman Emperor. Emperor Hadrian was also a descendant of a wealthy family from Spain. These rich families gained their fortune from agricultural production. The Spanish provinces exported a number of quality goods like garum (fish sauce) and precious metals (gold, copper and silver).