LU'SITA'NIA. A district of ancient His pania (q.v.), which, as the country occupied by the Lusitani, was, according to Strain), bounded south by the Tagus, and north and west by the ocean. Its extent afterwards was contracted by the growing importance of the Calla-ci, and the river Durius (Douro) became its northern bound ary. Afterwards, many of the Lusitanians being driven southward in their long struggles with the Romans, the name Lusitania was given to the district south of the Tagus. When Augustus divided Hispania into three provinces, 11:rtica. Tarraconensis. and Lusitania, the last occupied the southwest, between the Aims (Guadiana) on the east, the sea on the south and west, and the Durius on the north. It comprised the greater part of the modern Kingdom of Portugal, besides a large portion of Lean and the Spanish Estremadura. Some of the principal towns were Metellinum (Medellin); Emerita Augusta (Me rida), the Roman capital, on the .Anas; Olisipo (Lisbon), the capital before the time of the Ro mans; Conimbriga (Coimbra), on the Munda ; Salmantica (Salamanca) : Pax Julia (Beja) ; Ebora (Erora). The province was anciently rich
and fertile, and had valuable mines of gold and silver. The Lusitani were a wild and warlike people. much addicted to plunder. especially those living in the mountains, and were accounted the bravest of all the Iberians. The Romans suc cessfully invaded their territory in the early part of the second century B.C. In B.C. 153 they re volted, and for fourteen years fought against the Romans, who for a time acknowledged their in dependence. Viriathns, their chief, a bold and skillful leader, defeated several Roman generals. At length the Consul Cmpio, unable to, subdue him in the field, captured him by the treachery of some of his intimate friends, and put him to death (about B.C. 140), soon after which the Lusitanians were completely subdued.