During the 3rd century BC, Romans and Carthaginians fought for conquering the Mediterranean coasts. Carthaginian general Hannibal conquered Saguntum, a Roman settlement in Valencia. This was the beginning of the Second Punic War (218 – 201 BC).Rome just wanted to finish Carthaginian influence but at the end they conquered the whole peninsula.

The main stages in the conquest were:

• From 2018 to 197 BC, Romans conquered the Meditarranean coast as well as the Guadalquivir and Ebro valleys.

• From 154 to 133 BC, Romans took the Meseta and had to fought the Lusitanians and the celtiberians. Numantia oppossed a great resistance and finally surrendered in 133BC after a long siege.

• From 29 to 19 BC, Romans conquered the North of the Iberian Peninsula in the Cantabrian Wars. Vascones never were defeated and scaped to the romanization