Cantabrian Wars The Astur - Cantabrian Wars ( 29 - 19 BC ) ( " Bellum Cantabricum et Asturicum " ) occurred during the Roman conquest of the modern provinces of Cantabria , Asturias and León , against the Asturs , Cantabri and Gallaeci . They were the final stage of the conquest of Hispania . Antecedents . The Astures entered the historical record in the late 3rd century BC , being listed amongst the Spanish mercenaries of Hasdrubal Barca ’ s army at the battle of Metaurus River in 207 BC . After the 2nd Punic War , their history is less clear . Rarely mentioned in the sources regarding the Lusitanian , Celtiberian or Roman Civil War s of the 2nd and 1st centuries BC , they re - emerged from a relative obscurity just prior to the outbreak of the first Astur - Cantabrian war in the late 1st century BC . Up to the time of Augustus , Rome had not had great contacts with the peoples Astures . The first contacts were due to the Roman rule and vacceos Celtiberians who lived in Douro Valley . The first date for which we have to date the beginning of the wars Astur - Cantabrians is 29 BC . , while " Bellum Asturicum " started in 25 BC . After the war , the Asturians will form part of the Roman cavalry , and will be created two cohorts : " Cohors Asturum equitata I ( and II ) " There are evidence of it in years 14 , 90 , 116 and 134 in the province of " Germania Superior " . The Cantabri first appear in history in earlier wars in Iberia , where they served as mercenaries on various sides . In this way , in the years preceding the wars in Cantabria and Asturias , the Roman military became familiar with the warlike characteristics of the peoples of northern Hispania . There are accounts , for instance , of Cantabrians in the army of Hannibal during the Second Punic War . Additionally , there is evidence that they fought alongside the Vaccaei in 151 BC , and helped break the Roman siege of Numantia . It is also believed that there were Cantabrian troops present in the Sertorian Wars . According to Julius Caesar ' s own testimony , there were Cantabrians at the battle of Ilerda in 49 BC . With all these antecedents , the Cantabrians began to be known throughout the Roman Empire . Roman troops even lost one of their standards to them , something inexplicable and humiliating in those days . Such were the disasters and the embarrassments that , although the Roman historians justified the campaigns as retribution for Cantabrian incursions in the Roman - controlled Meseta Central , there must have been a certain lust after Asturian gold and Cantabrian iron as well . Finally , in 26 BC , the Emperor himself , Caesar Augustus , went to Hispania , establishing his base in Segisama . Armies and strategies . According to the Roman historian Dio Cassius , the tactics of the Cantabri and Astures were of guerrilla warfare , avoiding direct attacks on the Roman forces because of their inferior numbers . Their better knowledge of the difficult and mountainous terrain allowed them to conduct quick surprise strikes with ranged weapons , with ambushes followed by quick retreats , causing great damage to the Roman columns and supply lines . According to what remains from representations on coins and Cantabrian stelae , the Cantabri were skilled in light arms . Lucan referred to this when he wrote , " Cantaber exiguis et longis Teutonus armis " ( The Cantabrian with his short weapons and the Teuton with his long ones ) . They went equipped with small sword s , dagger s , small spear s or javelins , lance s , round or oval shields of wood , and leather chest protection . They also used a weapon like the Iberian falcata , and the " bipinnis " , a type of double - headed axe peculiar to the peoples of Northern Hispania . There is no proof of their use of archery or sling s , although it is quite probable that they knew and used them . The Cantabrian were able at the time to ride horses , as reflected in the fact that some of their cavalry tactics would be adopted by the Roman army . Examples include the ' circulus cantabricus ' , a semicircular formation , and the ' cantabricus impetus ' , a massive frontal attack against enemy lines with the goal of breaching them , as described by Flavius Arrianus . The quality of the Cantabrian enemy was such that Augustus was obliged to deploy a number of legions in the conflict : to which he added various auxiliary troops : The Roman navy was also sent to the Cantabrian coast from Gallia Aquitania . It was an important factor in the conflict ' s resolution , since it completed the encirclement of the Cantabri begun by the ground forces . It is calculated that , in total , the Roman Army deployed 70 , 000 men , although these calculations vary amongst authors , because they used a 5 , 000 men per legion base . In reality , the figure should surpass 80 , 000 men counting auxiliaries since , through the reforms of Gaius Marius , the legion had about 6 , 000 soldiers . However , in Augustus ' time , although a legion was officially composed of 6 , 200 men , for various reasons , the number usually oscillated between 5 , 000 and 8 , 000 . Bellum Asturicum . The Astures joined the Cantabri in a common defense . In the spring of 25 BC , there were three Roman legions established near the Astura River ( modern Esla River ) , with troops from the " Tarraconensis " . According to contemporary Roman historian Florus in his " Epitome of Roman History " , the armies of the Astures Transmontani came down from their snow - covered mountains ( which is perfectly possible in the Picos de Europa in spring ) and settled near the Astura River , getting ready to take the three Roman winter camps . However , the " brigaecini " ( Astures Cismontani ) peoples of the Benavente region informed Augustus on their intentions . Augustus gave Brigantum , the camp of Augustan Asturica , to the " Brigaeci " as a reward for their help . Additionally , he shared out land in the plains to the allies . His general Carisius attacked the Astur armies ( probably commanded by Gausón ) , forcing them to take refuge in the fortified city of " Lancia " , the most important Astures Cismontani fort according to Florus . Once " Lancia " was besieged , the Astur armies took refuge in the " Mons Medullius " ( some scholars locate it at Las Médulas basing their opinions on Florus who specifically names the site in his history of Rome ) . The Roman legions besieged the mountain , building a fifteen - mile - long moat and ditch . According to Orosius , the Astur soldiers preferred to commit suicide with their own weapons and yew tree poison rather than surrender . A year after his arrival , Augustus had to retire to Tarragona , presumably because of sickness . The conflict , however , lasted more than ten years ( it serves as a reference that the Roman Empire conquered all of Gallaecia in less than seven years ) . It was one of only two campaigns directed personally by Augustus against barbarians , the other being the one against the Illyrians from 35 to 33 BC . End of the conflict . In this conflict , unusually , the Romans chose not to take prisoners . Moreover , there was a tradition among the Cantabri of preferring suicide to slavery . They did this by sword , by fire , or , primarily , by poisoning themselves with potions made for the purpose . According to Silius Italicus they used a concoction made from the seeds of the yew tree , a plant with mythic significance for the Celts . Strabo said that they belittled death and pain , to the point of singing hymns of victory while being crucified . For them , according to Strabo , to die as soldiers and free men was a victory . The major fighting was completed in 19 BC , although there were minor rebellions until 16 BC . Rome , as was their practice with other territories , began to impose their reforms . Despite the mass deaths , local resistance was such that the Romans had to station two legions ( X " Gemina " and IIII " Macedonica " ) there for seventy more years . Through the Cantabrian War and the surrender of the Astures to Rome ( it would be inexact to state that the Cantabri ever surrendered ; Augustus refused the common victory celebration in his return to Rome ) , the Roman legions adopted from them the solar symbol of twin crosses and lunar symbols , such as the Cantabri lábaro . They would still be carrying this standard 300 years later . The Roman army also copied from the Cantabri the cavalry tactics " circulus cantabricus " and " cantabricus impetus " as already mentioned .