In 147 b.C.,thousands of Lusitanian warriors found themselves surrounded by the military forces of magistrate Caio Vetílio. At first this seemed like just another roman attempt to seize the Iberian Península in the on going war in which the Roman Republic had led for years.But pursued by the enemy,the Lusitanians elect one of their own and hand him absolute power.Born in Lobriga,Lusitania,Lorica for the romans,current Loriga,Portugal,this man,who for seven will taunt the Romans,is called Viriathus. Between 147 and 139,the year in which he was killed (murder by the Romans,he was assassinated wihle sleeping),Viriathus successively defeated Roman armies,led a greater part of the Iberian peoples into revolt and was responsible for the beginning of the war of Numância. After the murder,the Lusitanian guerrilla was continued to resist,"the women boke arms with the men,who died with a will,not a man of them showing his back,or uttering a cry. Of the women who were captured some killed themselves,others slew their children also with their own hands,considering death preferable to captivity". Viriathus,is considered the first lusian figure and also national hero in Portugal. It was born without a doubt in the Hermínius,current Mountain range of the Star(Serra da Estrela),wehere he was shepherd since child,more precisely in Lobriga,Lorica for the romans,current Loriga. Viriathus,was praised had to is great qualities human beings,and of great strategist to military and diplomat,inclusively for the old romans historians.Viriathus,proved that at the time,such as today,the individual capacities do not depend on the social estratum nor of the academical qualifications.Viriato,was only one shepherd,accustomed since child to cover mountains of the heart of the Lusitania. Rome,the superpower of the time,only obtained to arrange away it to win;resort to the shameful and dishonourable tre
Loriga is an ancient,beautiful and historic small portuguese town,located in the Serra da Estrela mountains. Known as Lobriga by the Lusitanians and Lorica by the Romans,it is more than 2600 years old. Notable people from Loriga include Viriathus ( known as Viriato in Portuguese ),a famous Lusitanian leader and portuguese national hero. Loriga as enormous touristics potentialities and they are the only ski resort and ski trails existing in Portugal ( Loriga is the Lusian Capital and the capital of the snow in Portugal ). ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
