Gallaecia

Gallaecia or Callaecia, also known as Hispania Gallaecia, was the name of a Roman province that comprised a territory in the north-west of Hispania, approximately present-day Galicia, northern Portugal, Asturias and Leon and the later Suebic Kingdom of Gallaecia. The Roman cities included the port Cale (Porto), the governing centers Bracara Augusta (Braga), Lucus Augusti (Lugo) and Asturica Augusta (Astorga) and their administrative areas Conventus bracarensis, Conventus lucensis and Conventus asturicensis.

Description

The Romans gave the name Gallaecia to the northwest part of the Iberian peninsula after the tribes of the area, the Gallaeci or Gallaecians.

The Gallaic Celts make their entry in written history in the first-century epic Punica of Silius Italicus on the First Punic War:

Gallaecia, as a region, was thus marked for the Romans as much for its Celtic culture, the culture of the castros — hillforts of Celtic origin—as it was for the lure of its gold mines. This civilization extended over present day Galicia, the north of Portugal, the western part of Asturias, the Berço, and Sanabria and was distinctive from the neighbouring Lusitanian civilization to the south (although it was culturally Celtic as well), according to the classical authors Pomponius Mela and Pliny the Elder.

Luar na Lubre

Luar na Lubre is a Celtic music ensemble from Galicia, Spain.

Etymology

Luar is Galician for moonlight; lubre is a magical forest in which the Celtic druids cast their spells.

Biography

During its career, this musical group has spread Galician music and culture. The band became famous worldwide after Mike Oldfield took interest in their music. Oldfield fell in love with their song "O son do ar" (The sound of the air, composed by Bieito Romero). Oldfield's cover is on his Voyager album, entitled "Song of the Sun". In 1992 he offered help in their worldwide tour. Their tour together was called Tubular Bells 3. Now it is one of the most famous groups from Galicia. Their first singer Rosa Cedrón is also featured with Mike Oldfield in some songs from his live concert at Horse Guards Parade, near St James's Park, London. Rosa Cedrón left the band in 2005 and Sara Vidal became the new singer. In 2010, the group's leader, Bieito Romero, said the group was "fully fit".

The group recorded a version of Gerdundula by Status Quo.