Decimus Junius Brutus Callaicus
[4] Appian (who wrongly identified Decimus Junius Brutus Callaicus as a praetor called Sextius Junius Brutus) wrote that (in 138 BC) Brutus was sent to the Roman province of Hispania Ulterior (Further Spain, in modern Andalusia in the south) to deal with many guerrilla bands which were raiding Lusitania in emulation of Viriathus, the Lusitanian chieftain who led the Lusitanian War (or Fiery War, 155–139 BC) against the Romans and who had been assassinated the year before.
The guerrilla bands raided Lusitania, which was between the Rivers Durius (Douro) and Tagus, lying to the north-west of Hispania Ulterior.
This was a vast area which extended from Gallaecia, in modern-day north-western Spain and northern Portugal, to the edge of the Roman province of Hispania Ulterior.
[6] Brutus also crossed the Nimis (a river which has not been identified, but was probably the Minho in Galicia, the last tract of which forms part of today's northern border of Portugal.
He launched an assault against the Bracari, a tribe of southern Gallaecia centred on modern-day Braga, Portugal, because they attacked his baggage train.
Brutus ordered the inhabitants to hand over the deserters, the prisoners, hostages and their weapons and to leave the town.
They disobeyed and he had them surrounded by soldiers to scare them and then took their horses, provisions and public money, but gave them back the town.
The archaeological site shows clear signs of complete destruction and burning dating to the time of Decimus Junius Brutus.
In 137 BC Decimus Junius Brutus also got involved in a campaign against the Vaccaei, who lived to the west of the Celtiberians and not far from Lusitania.
The commanders of the Roman province of Hispania Citerior (Nearer Spain, on the east coast of Spain, roughly corresponding to modern Catalonia and Valencia) were fighting in Numantine War (143–133 BC), a rebellion of the Celtiberians who lived to the west of Hispania Citerior.
Aemilius did not want to keep his army idle while he was waiting for instructions from Rome and was probably greedy for glory and booty.
The siege lasted a long time, during which the Romans run short of food and many men and all the animals died.
Callaicus was married to a Clodia (who had previously been married to Publius Licinius Crassus Dives Mucianus and had three children with him) and with her had at least two children, a son named Decimus Junius Brutus and a daughter named Junia who became the mother of Gaius Claudius Marcellus.
[8] The ancient Roman historian Livy wrote that in 138 BC, when Decimus Junius Brutus and his consular colleague, Publius Cornelius Nasica, held the levy of the soldiers, "something happened in front of the recruits that served as an example."
"[9] In 138 BC Decimus Junius Brutus founded the Roman colony of "Valentia Edetanorum" (today's Valencia) in Hispania Citerior.
"[17] However, according to Appian, "Sempronius Tuditanus and Tiberius Pandusa waged war with the Iapydes, who live among the Alps, and seem to have subjugated them.
Larentia was a mythical woman who was connected to the Lares, the spirits of ancestors who were guardian deities of the family, neighbourhoods, roadways, seaways, agriculture, livestock, towns, cities, and the state.
