For example, warm baths after the Italian fashion came into use even at this period among the natives.

Roman money, too, was to all appearance not only current in Spain far earlier than elsewhere out of Italy, but was imitated in Spanish coins; a circumstance in some measure explained by the rich silver- mines of the country.

The so-called "silver of Osca" (now Huesca in Arragon), i.e.Spanish -denarii- with Iberian inscriptions, is mentioned in 559; and the commencement of their coinage cannot be placed much later, because the impression is imitated from that of the oldest Roman -denarii-.
But, while in the southern and eastern provinces the culture of the natives may have so far prepared the way for Roman civilization and Roman rule that these encountered no serious difficulties, the west and north on the other hand, and the whole of the interior, were occupied by numerous tribes more or less barbarous, who knew little of any kind of civilization--in Intercatia, for instance, the use of gold and silver was still unknown about 600--and who were on no better terms with each other than with the Romans.

A characteristic trait in these free Spaniards was the chivalrous spirit of the men and, at least to an equal extent, of the women.

When a mother sent forth her son to battle, she roused his spirit by the recital of the feats of his ancestors; and the fairest maiden unasked offered her hand in marriage to the bravest man.