The Story of Gallaecus

Ponte de Lima, Portugal

Sometime around the year 138 BCE, the Roman consul and military commander Decimus Junius Brutus Callaicus aka. Gallaecus led a military expedition into the region that was known back then as Gallaecia. This region stretched between the Douro river and the northwestern Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula. Or in other words, what we now call northern Portugal and Galicia. Although most of the Iberian Peninsula had already been conquered by the Romans, the clans of Gallaecia continued to resist and defy Roman authority.

Gallaecus led his legionnaires northwards through Portugal, successively defeating the local resistance. His party eventually reached the River Lima, which the Romans called the River Lethe. In classical mythology, the River Lethe was one of the five rivers in Hades and the river of forgetfulness. His troops, afraid that if they crossed the river would lose their memories, refused to follow Gallaecusā€™s orders. Realising he had to set the example, Gallaecus crossed the river and then, probably using several profanities, ordered his troops to follow him. He certainly had not lost his memory!

This fun story is recreated on the banks of the River Lima in the Portuguese town of Ponte de Lima where our Camino PortuguƩs tours start walking to Santiago, in the footsteps of Gallaecus, his troops and millions of other pilgrims.

Gallaecus successfully continued his expedition into current day Galicia, pacifying all of northern Portugal and southern Galicia. Hence his nickname: Gallaecus.

The legionaries at Ponte de Lima
Gallaecus calling out to his soldiers

AUTHOR

Picture of Jeffery Barrera

Jeffery Barrera

Jeffery is a seasoned Camino tour leader who also works part-time in the Marketing and Media Content Department at Fresco Tours. Originally from the United States, Jeffery now lives in Madrid, Spain, where he earned a BA in Fine Arts. Though he considers himself a Spaniard at heart, he remains deeply proud of his American heritage. Over his 13-year tenure with Fresco Tours, he has led more than 80 tours to Santiago de Compostela. A passionate Camino enthusiast, Jeffery has walked the French, Portuguese, Primitive, English, Gran Canaria, Madrid, Salvador, and UclƩs routes. He is also the author of three Camino de Santiago guidebooks, available at BarreraBooks.com.

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