The Last Temples of Hispania: Rome's Spanish Pagans

In the 4th century CE, as Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, the Iberian Peninsula held out longer than most. This episode explores the 'last pagans' of Hispania — the rural communities and aristocratic families who maintained worship of Roman gods, local nymphs, and pre-Roman deities like the Lusitanian god Endovelicus. We follow the edicts of Theodosius I, born in Cauca (modern Coca, Spain), who outlawed pagan worship in 391 CE. Yet inscriptions and archaeological evidence from sites like Mérida, Clunia, and the temple of Vic show that pagan rituals continued into the 5th century. We also examine the syncretic blending of pagan symbols into early Christian practice, such as the use of the 'Chi-Rho' on pagan altars. This episode reveals a subtle, quiet resistance — not through rebellion, but through persistence in rural shrines and private homes. #Hispania #Paganism #RomanEmpire #TheodosiusI #Endovelicus #MRida #Clunia #Vic #Lusitania #Syncretism #LateAntiquity #Archaeology #Spain #Portugal #AncientReligion #Christianization #History #FexingoHistory #SpainHistory #Reconquista Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo