Home / Routes / The Iberian Route / The Ilercavones
The Ilercavones
The Ilercavones were the tribe that controlled the lowest strech of the River Ebro.
It seems that one must look for the origins of this tribe in those of another: the Ilaraugates, who Greek geographer Hecateu of Miletus cites in his late-6th century BC work. It is believed that the Ilaraugats later separated into two highly-distinctive peoples: the Ilercavones, who occupied the coastal territories, and the Ilergetes, who settled further inland.
The territory the Ilercavones inhabited would today span the following districts: Terra Alta, Baix Ebre, Ribera de l'Ebre, Montsià, and the sections of Aragón and País Valencià immediately bordering said districts. To be more succinct, it extended, south to north, from the Serra d'Almenara, in País Valencià, to the Coll de Balaguer within the district of Tarragona. It extended westward along the Ebro, to the marsh formed by the confluence of the Segre, Cinca and Ebro Rivers. The Ilercavones possessed one of the Iberian conglomeration’s most dynamic cultures, thanks to their privileged geographic location on the banks of the Ebro. The economic and strategic interest this River generated in Ancient Times cannot be disputed; it is the only major river whose conditions allowed real ships to navigate its waters. At a time in which large-scale transportation had to be done by ship, the Ebro was the best route to inland territories.
The route trhoug the Land of the Ilercavones includes a visit to the Iberian settlements of:
El Castellet de Banyoles
El Castellet de Banyoles de Tivissa és un dels poblats ibèrics més importants de Catalunya on es va trobar l'anomenat Tresor de Tivissa.
El Coll del Moro
El Coll del Moro és un dels pocs poblats ibèrics de Catalunya del qual es coneix i es pot visitar la necròpolis.