Hiberia

Hiberia (green) within Euteria (grey)

**Hiberia** is a region of Southwest Euteria. Countries with partial or full territory in Hiberia include Alzirife, Andalonia, Asturica, Balicia, Catonia, Cordoza, Portagas, Ribatar, and Vispania.

## History

### **Pre-Historic**

Modern humans first arrived in Hiberia around 40,000 years ago. These people likely migrated southwest from the area of Pantagonia, in the far north of Euteria. The Great Freeze glaciated large swaths of the continent and isolated a group of these early humans in Hiberia. This isolation gave rise to the Paleo-Hiberians, who shared common cultural traits such as religion, language, and social structures.

The Paleo-Hiberians began interacting with the Proto-Numantians to the south, and a process of cultural exchange occurred. One group of Proto-Numantians, the Hiberians, migrated across the Strait of Tigran and settled in eastern Hiberia. The Tauressian Civilization rose to prominence during this time, based around the city of Tauressos. It became the most advanced civilization in the world, preceding similar societies in the east. The Tauressians developed an extensive trading network that spread across the Western Ocean coasts of Euteria and Atria, and throughout the Serephanian Sea.

The last group to arrive were the Proto-Aquilonians, who originated in the northern regions of Khozaria in Eastern Euteria. It is likely that the emergence and expansion of the Proto-Euterians forced the existing North Khozarian groups to migrate elsewhere. The Proto-Aquilonians brought new farming techniques with them, alongside new times of animals native to Khozaria. Historians believe the Proto-Aquilonian language was the common lingua franca across Western Euteria, specifically the areas that lay north and west of Lake Asta. The last group to emerge during prehistoric times was the Vigurians; a branch of the Hiberians who mixed with the Proto-Aquilonians and Sentinates (a Serephanian group) that spread along the northwest coast of the Serephanian Sea, eventually reaching Itonia.

### **Ancient**

Phocenians, a Hematic group native to coastal Amaan, began expanding their trading network across the Serephanian. They were organized in independent city-states that developed colonies of their own. The Phocenians began an intimate trade relationship with Tauressos, which by this time was in a period of decline known as the Middle Tauressian Period. The Phocenians were allowed to create colonies along the Hiberian and Numantian coasts, which they used to trade with the natives. They were particularly interested in procuring precious metals, which they would then bring back to the east and sell to various empires and kingdoms of the Sargonian.

The relationship between the two groups became so intertwined that their cultures became virtually indistinguishable. The Tauressian elite adopted the Phocenian language and made it official throughout their empire, they adopted the pantheon of Phocenian gods, and it was common for both groups to intermix. This period was known as the Late Tauressian Period and restored the empire to the power and glory of the early period. At the height of their power, both groups considered themselves as ethnically Tauressian despite the culture being primarily Phocenian. They charted new trading routes along Atria's Western Ocean coast, reaching as far south as Angoram.

Their primary rivals in the region were the Delliks and the Nardinians.